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How Bobby Dews helped Bob Forsch become a pitcher

Posted in Games, Hitters, Managers, Pitchers, Prospects on January 4, 2016| Leave a Comment »

As a longtime player, coach and manager in the Cardinals’ system, perhaps the most important contribution Bobby Dews made was helping Bob Forsch take a successful step in transforming from a third baseman into a pitcher.

bobby_dewsDews was manager of the Cardinals’ 1971 Class A club at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Forsch, a 26th-round draft choice who had flopped as a third-base prospect, was in his first full season as a starting pitcher. At 21, his playing career was at a crossroads.

With Dews as his manager, Forsch had a successful year, posting an 11-7 record and 3.13 ERA in 23 starts for Cedar Rapids. He ranked second on the team in both innings pitched (158) and strikeouts (134). That performance convinced the Cardinals Forsch had potential as a pitcher.

Three years later, Forsch debuted with the Cardinals and went on to a productive career with them.

Bobby Dews helped him get there.

Dews was in the Cardinals’ organization from 1960 to 1974 before joining the Braves as a minor-league manager. He remained with the Braves in various roles, including big-league coach, until he retired in 2012.

Shortstop prospect

Dews was a varsity baseball and basketball player at Georgia Tech. He launched his professional baseball career when signed by the Cardinals in 1960.

Shortstop was Dews’ primary position, though he also played at second base and in the outfield.

His best season as a player in the Cardinals’ system was with Class AA Tulsa in 1964. Dews batted .277 that year with 30 stolen bases.

Dews was promoted to Class AAA Jacksonville in 1965, but his progress was slowed when he underwent surgery for a ruptured spleen on May 18, 1965.

For Dews, who had little power, the highlight of his 1965 season occurred when he hit home runs on consecutive nights (July 22-23) against Rochester.

The first of those home runs was hit against Darold Knowles, a future Cardinals reliever. “That was strictly a shot in the dark,” Dews told The Sporting News. “I didn’t know what he threw or where it was.”

The next night, Dews hit a home run against Bill Short, who had pitched for the 1960 American League champion Yankees. Said Dews: “Bill threw me a fastball and I think he thought I was going to take it. Instead, I hit it. Isn’t that real crazy?”

In 1966 with Class AA Arkansas, Dews played all nine positions in the Sept. 5 regular-season finale against Austin. Arkansas manager Vern Rapp pitched two hitless innings in the game.

Dews was a player-coach in the Cardinals’ system in 1967 and 1968.

Learning to manage

At 30, Dews was named manager of the Cardinals’ 1969 Class A club in Lewiston, Idaho. One of his players was Forsch, 19, who was in his second professional season as a third baseman. Forsch hit .203 in 26 games for Lewiston.

Dews was a coach for Tulsa manager Warren Spahn in 1970. After that, Dews was assigned to manage Cardinals farm clubs in each of the next four seasons: Cedar Rapids in 1971, Sarasota in 1972, Modesto in 1973 and Sarasota again in 1974.

Besides Forsch, two of the future big-leaguers Dews managed in the Cardinals’ system were outfielders Hector Cruz at Cedar Rapids and Mike Vail at Modesto.

Life after Cardinals

In 1975, Dews was named manager of the Braves’ Class A Greenwood team in the Western Carolinas League.

His most prominent roles with the Braves were as a big-league coach under manager Bobby Cox from 1979-81 and from 1997-2006.

In an interview with MLB.com, Cox said of Dews: “He was a special guy. He helped so much in getting this organization going.”

Dews also wrote books, the best-known of which was “Legends, Demons and Dreams,” a collection of short stories.

“My grandfather wanted me to be a lawyer and a writer,” Dews told Jim Wallace of WALB.com. “Of course, everybody else in town wanted me to be a baseball player. So I guess I tried to blend the two.”

Previously: The story of how Bob Forsch converted to pitching

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Ken Griffey Jr. and his memorable games vs. Cardinals

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents on December 31, 2015| Leave a Comment »

(Updated Jan. 6, 2016)

Born in the same town and on the same day in November as Stan Musial, Ken Griffey Jr. entered this world with a powerful Cardinals connection. He strengthened that special bond by joining Musial as an outfielder in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

ken_griffey_jrGriffey, on the ballot for the first time, was elected to the Cooperstown, N.Y., shrine on Jan. 6, 2016. He got 99.3 percent of the votes from members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Like Musial, Griffey was born in Donora, Pa., on Nov. 21. Musial’s birth year was 1920 and Griffey’s was 1969 _ the same year Musial was elected to the Hall of Fame with 93.2 percent of the vote in his first year of eligibility.

Musial and Griffey each batted left-handed and each played 22 years in the majors. Musial spent his entire career with the Cardinals from 1941 through 1963, with a year off in 1945 for military service. Griffey played for the Mariners, Reds and White Sox from 1989-2010.

Key career statistics for each:

Musial: 3,630 hits, 475 home runs, 1,951 RBI, 725 doubles, 6,134 total bases, .331 batting average and .417 on-base percentage.

Griffey: 2,781 hits, 630 home runs, 1,836 RBI, 524 doubles, 5,271 total bases, .284 batting average and .370 on-base percentage.

In 74 career games versus the Cardinals, all with the Reds, Griffey produced 74 hits, 22 home runs and 51 RBI.

He batted .289 with a .382 on-base percentage against St. Louis.

In chronological order, here are four of Griffey’s most memorable performances versus the Cardinals:

What a walkoff

On Aug. 20, 2001, Griffey hit an 11th-inning walkoff inside-the-park home run against reliever Andy Benes, breaking a 4-4 tie and carrying the Reds to a 5-4 victory at Cincinnati. The Cardinals had an 11-game winning streak snapped and the Reds ended an eight-game losing skid.

With one out and no one on in the 11th, Griffey hit a drive to left-center field. Outfielders Jim Edmonds and Kerry Robinson raced toward the ball. Edmonds leaped against the wall, but the ball eluded him, caromed off his foot and rolled along the warning track toward the left-field corner. Robinson gave chase.

Griffey circled the bases and scored. “It probably was one of the most bizarre games I’ve ever been in,” Griffey said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Boxscore and Video

Four-hit game

Three nights later, Griffey came close to hitting for the cycle against the Cardinals on Aug. 23, 2001, at Cincinnati.

Griffey was 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored in a 12-2 Reds victory. He had two doubles and a single versus Bud Smith and a home run against Benes.

In the fourth inning, Griffey nearly turned his second double into a triple.

According to The Cincinnati Post, Griffey’s drive “hit off the base of the wall in center and Griffey, gimpy hamstring and all, never hesitated coming around second.”

Edmonds threw to the relay man, second baseman Fernando Vina, who fired the ball to third baseman Albert Pujols.

“The relay throw to third got him by no more than a few inches, keeping Griffey from his cycle,” The Post reported.

In his postgame remarks to the Post-Dispatch, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said of Griffey, “We sure didn’t pitch him very tough.” Boxscore

Milestone home run

After a visit from Musial, Griffey hit his 500th career home run on June 20, 2004, Father’s Day, in St. Louis.

Musial, who played on the same high school baseball team in Donora with Buddy Griffey, grandfather of Ken Griffey Jr., met with the Reds outfielder near the clubhouse before the game.

Musial then went home to watch the game on television. Attending the game at the stadium were Griffey’s mother, Birdie, and father, Ken Griffey Sr., who was the right fielder for the Reds’ World Series championship clubs in 1975 and 1976.

Birdie had told her son this would be the day he would hit his milestone home run.

Leading off the sixth inning, Griffey launched a 2-and-2 pitch from Matt Morris over the right field wall, becoming the 20th player to achieve 500 home runs.

“I started smiling when I rounded second base,” Griffey told the Dayton Daily News. “I saw my dad sitting behind third base … He’s the person I wanted to be. He was my hero and he taught me everything.”

Recalling his mother’s prediction, Griffey said, “When I hit it, the first reaction was, ‘My mom is always right.’ ”

A delighted Musial told the Post-Dispatch, “I was rooting for him. It was great. The Griffeys are a nice family.” Boxscore and Video

The ball was caught by Mark Crummley, 19, a student at Southern Illinois University. Wearing a Pujols jersey, Crummley offered to give the ball to Griffey without compensation. He was taken to the Reds clubhouse, met Griffey and was given souvenirs, including the jersey Griffey wore at the end of the game.

Griffey was the second player to hit his 500th home run at Busch Memorial Stadium since the ballpark opened in 1966. The other was the Cardinals’ Mark McGwire off Andy Ashby of the Padres on Aug. 5, 1999.

New park, familiar result

On June 5, 2006, in his first game at the new Busch Stadium, Griffey lifted the Reds to an 8-7 comeback victory over the Cardinals.

Griffey was 3-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored. He had a solo home run and a double off starter Jeff Suppan, but the most damaging hit came against closer Jason Isringhausen in the ninth.

With one out and the Cardinals ahead, 7-5, the Reds had runners on second and third. Though first base was open, Isringhausen worked to Griffey, with Adam Dunn on deck.

“It was a pretty good position to hit, knowing that I couldn’t hit into a double play,” Griffey said.

With the count full, Isringhausen grooved a fastball that Griffey hit for a three-run home run.

“I just settled down and got a pitch not in the zone he wanted,” Griffey said.

Said Isringhausen: “Bad night, bad location … I’ve never had this bad of command in my career.” Boxscore

 

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Why Cardinals were impressed by Juan Encarnacion

Posted in Games, Hitters on December 28, 2015| Leave a Comment »

For a Cardinals lineup that featured standouts Albert Pujols, Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen, general manager Walt Jocketty needed a right fielder who could be reliably productive, not necessarily spectacular.

juan_encarnacionJuan Encarnacion, a player who did a lot well without much flash, filled the need.

On Dec. 23, 2005, Encarnacion, 29, agreed to a three-year, $15 million free-agent contract to become the Cardinals’ right fielder, replacing Larry Walker, who had retired.

The move launched Encarnacion into a star-crossed tenure with St. Louis. In 2006, he was a steady producer for a Cardinals club that won a World Series championship. A year later, he suffered a horrific injury that cut short his playing career.

Do less hacking

With the 2005 Marlins, Encarnacion, the right fielder in a lineup that included sluggers Miguel Cabrera and Carlos Delgado, batted .287 with 16 home runs and 76 RBI. He had an on-base percentage of .349.

Encarnacion hit .331 with runners in scoring position for the 2005 Marlins. He was most effective that season batting in the No. 6 spot, hitting .373 (28-for-75) with a .400 on-base percentage.

The Cardinals were impressed Encarnacion had produced 25 or more doubles in three consecutive seasons: 37 in 2003, 30 in 2004 and 27 in 2005.

In an interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jocketty described Encarnacion as a player with “tremendous upside.”

“We have had Encarnacion at the top of our list among free-agent outfielders this off-season,” Jocketty told the Associated Press.

“We like his all-around makeup,” Jocketty added. “He hits for power, runs very well and plays a solid outfield.”

Noting Encarnacion struck out 104 times in 2005, Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz wrote, “Plate discipline is the issue with Encarnacion … He just needs to work the counts, show more patience and do less hacking.”

Finding right spot

Based on what he observed during 2006 spring training, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa determined he’d place Encarnacion in the No. 2 spot in the batting order, ahead of Pujols, Edmonds and Rolen.

“He’s got extra-base pop and he’s got experience to understand the value of the (batters) behind him,” La Russa said.

Batting second on Opening Day, Encarnacion was 1-for-5 with two runs scored. It wasn’t a comfortable fit for him and La Russa soon dropped him lower in the batting order.

Encarnacion thrived for the 2006 Cardinals when batting cleanup (.327 batting average and a .362 on-base percentage) and at the No. 5 position (.322 batting mark and a .350 on-base percentage).

Encarnacion hit .310 with runners in scoring position in 2006. He was second on the 2006 Cardinals in both hits (155) and sacrifice flies (six) and was third in both RBI (79) and runs scored (74). Overall, he hit .278 with 25 doubles and 19 home runs.

Severe injury

On Aug. 31, 2007, Encarnacion, batting .283 for the Cardinals, was struck in the left eye by a foul ball off the bat of Aaron Miles while waiting in the on-deck circle to pinch-hit. His left eye socket was shattered and the optic nerve was severely damaged.

“It’s the worst trauma I’ve seen. Absolutely,” Dr. George Paletta told the Associated Press. “You hope the best for Juan, but he suffered a severe injury with a very guarded prognosis.”

Sadly, Encarnacion never appeared in another big-league game.

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How Cardinals struck it rich with 1995 free-agent haul

Posted in Hitters, Pitchers on December 24, 2015| Leave a Comment »

(Updated March 17, 2022)

Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty went on a successful shopping spree for free agents in December 1995. In acquiring starters at left field, third base and the No. 1 spot in the rotation, along with a versatile reserve outfielder, Jocketty transformed the Cardinals from losers to winners.

andy_benes2In a span from Dec. 15 to Dec. 23, the Cardinals signed four prominent free agents: pitcher Andy Benes, left fielder Ron Gant, third baseman Gary Gaetti and outfielder Willie McGee.

All played key roles in remaking the Cardinals from a club that finished 62-81 and next-to-last in the National League Central in 1995 to one that won the division title at 88-74 in 1996.

Here, in the order in which they occurred, is a look at those free-agent acquisitions from December 1995:

McGee returns

Jocketty had more than nostalgia in mind when he signed McGee, 37, to a $500,000 one-year contract on Dec. 15, 1995.

McGee, center fielder for the Cardinals on three pennant-winning clubs and one World Series championship team in the 1980s, was seen by Jocketty as an experienced winner with the skills to play multiple outfield positions, pinch-hit and run the bases.

“He should be one of our extra outfielders,” Jocketty said to Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “He adds some veteran strength to our bench. He’s still a serviceable guy.”

With the Red Sox in 1995, McGee hit .285 in 67 games. A switch-hitter, McGee had been especially effective versus left-handers, hitting .341 (29-for-85) against them in 1995.

McGee “wasn’t too thrilled with the Red Sox’s off-season offer to make him a minor-league coach,” the Boston Herald reported.

Reunited with manager Tony La Russa, for whom he played in 1990 with the American League champion Athletics, McGee hit .307 in 123 games for the 1996 Cardinals. He batted .350 (14-for-40) as a pinch-hitter. McGee started in 63 games: 33 in right field, 18 in left field, nine in center field and three at first base.

Power at third

With his power stroke, Gaetti, 37, provided a run-producing upgrade at third base.

Scott Cooper, the 1995 Cardinals third baseman, had hit three home runs with 40 RBI. Gaetti in 1995 had a team-leading 35 home runs and 96 RBI with the Royals.

On Dec. 18, 1995, the Cardinals signed Gaetti to a one-year deal for close to $2 million. The Royals had offered him one year at about $1 million, according to the Kansas City Star.

“This guy will have more power and drive in more runs (than Cooper),” Jocketty said of Gaetti. “He’s a winner, a champion, a legitimate blue-collar guy.”

The Twins and Pirates also had tried to sign Gaetti. One reason he chose St. Louis was the Cardinals had been his boyhood team. He was born and raised in Centralia, Ill.

“I can’t tell you how many times I stood in the front yard, the back yard, everybody’s yard, pretending to be Bob Gibson, Tim McCarver, Mike Shannon, (Julian) Javier, (Orlando) Cepeda, (Lou) Brock,” Gaetti said.

Gaetti delivered as hoped for the 1996 Cardinals. He produced 27 doubles, 23 home runs and 80 RBI and batted .274, with 143 hits in 141 games. He started 130 games at third base and nine games at first base.

Oh, brother

Like Gaetti, Benes was a boyhood fan of the Cardinals. He was born and raised in Evansville, Ind.

On Dec. 23, 1995, Benes, 28, got a two-year, $8.1 million deal from the Cardinals, with a club option for a third year, according to the Post-Dispatch.

In 1995, Benes was a combined 11-9 with a 4.76 ERA for the Padres and Mariners. After posting a 4-7 record and 4.17 ERA with the 1995 Padres, Benes was traded to the Mariners on July 31. He was 7-2 with a 5.86 ERA for Seattle.

In 1996, Benes looked to join his younger brother, Alan, the Cardinals’ top pitching prospect, in a revamped rotation.

“St. Louis is the place I wanted to play,” Benes said. “I have a lot of admiration for the Cardinals. I grew up watching the Cardinals play and having my brother there makes it really special. I couldn’t be more happy.”

Andy Benes led the 1996 Cardinals in wins (18), starts (34) and innings pitched (230.1) and was second in strikeouts (160). Alan Benes, 24, contributed 13 wins and 131 strikeouts in 191 innings.

Aggressive bid

The Cardinals signed Gant and Andy Benes on the same day.

Gant, 30, got a five-year deal for $25 million. The Cardinals outbid the Padres, who offered Gant a three-year deal for $15 million, with an option for a fourth year.

“St. Louis and Walt Jocketty were more aggressive than other ball clubs were toward me,” Gant said.

With the 1995 Reds, Gant had a team-high 29 home runs with 88 RBI, 23 stolen bases and a .386 on-base percentage.

The Reds wanted to keep Gant, but couldn’t compete with the Cardinals’ offer. The Cardinals were bolstered in their pursuit of free agents by the December 1995 sale of the club by Anheuser-Busch to a group headed by Bill DeWitt Jr.

“I see the possibility of this team making a total 180 (degree turn) right away and that played probably the biggest role in my decision,” Gant said.

La Russa told Cardinals Magazine, “I think Ron is really a mentally and spiritually strong person. He takes a lot of pride in the competition and how he makes out with it.”

Gant said, “I’m just now maturing. I’m becoming a better hitter, a better person and better player all-round. I feel like my full potential hasn’t been unleased yet.”

In 1996, Gant had a team-high 30 home runs with 82 RBI, 13 stolen bases and a .359 on-base percentage in 122 games for the Cardinals. He started 116 games in left field.

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Why Cardinals wanted Royce Clayton as their shortstop

Posted in Hitters, Opponents, Pitchers, Trades on December 18, 2015| Leave a Comment »

(Updated March 18, 2022)

Seeking a replacement for Ozzie Smith, the Cardinals needed a shortstop who possessed exceptional fielding skills, self-confidence and diplomacy. They chose Royce Clayton.

royce_claytonOn Dec. 14, 1995, the Cardinals traded pitchers Allen Watson, Rich DeLucia and Doug Creek to the Giants for Clayton and minor-league second baseman Chris Wimmer.

The Cardinals figured they no longer could count on Smith to be their shortstop. Smith, who turned 41 in December 1995, had been limited to 41 starts during the 1995 season because of a shoulder injury.

Two free-agent shortstops _ Greg Gagne and Walt Weiss _ had been pursued by the Cardinals, but were reluctant to succeed Smith. The Cardinals also had talked with the Athletics about a trade for shortstop Mike Bordick, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

In early December 1995, the Cardinals intensified their efforts to obtain Clayton.

Heir apparent

Clayton, who turned 26 three weeks after the Cardinals acquired him, was “one of the top two or three shortstops in our league,” Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty said.

“The Ozzie Smith Era didn’t end officially, but it might as well have,” Post-Dispatch writer Rick Hummel surmised in his report about the trade.

Jocketty said the starting shortstop would be determined during spring training. “It seemed clear, though, that the Cardinals did not acquire Clayton to be a backup,” Hummel wrote.

Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz concluded the Cardinals “made a good trade” and urged them to declare Clayton the starter.

“The Cardinals didn’t send three pitchers to San Francisco so they could park Clayton in the dugout,” Miklasz wrote. “He’s taking over, so be straight with the fans, be straight with Ozzie. Clayton is the shortstop. That’s the obvious reality. Adults can handle it, and Ozzie will have to deal with it.”

Smith, though, had no plans to retire or accept a shift to second base. He also didn’t want to relinquish the starting shortstop spot.

Asked about manager Tony La Russa’s statement that an “open competition” would be held for the shortstop job, Smith told Hummel, “”What I’ve done over 18 years speaks for itself. But they seem to have made decisions already. Baseball is a challenge and adversity also is part of the challenge. True champions have a way of dealing with adversity. And I look at myself that way. We’ll deal with this head-on and see what happens.”

Said Clayton after the trade: “I have the utmost respect for Ozzie. I feel honored asked to be coming in after Ozzie. If he decides to stick around, it can be nothing but a positive situation.”

Ozzie fan

In 1982, when Clayton was 12, his father took him to see Smith play for the Cardinals at Dodger Stadium.

“When we left the game that night, I told my dad I wanted to play shortstop like Ozzie,” Clayton said. “God blessed me. Now, playing in the same uniform with him is like a dream.”

Clayton debuted with the Giants in 1991 and became their everyday shortstop in 1992, replacing a former Cardinal, Jose Uribe.

With the 1995 Giants, Clayton led NL shortstops in games (136), putouts (223) and assists (411). He produced 29 doubles, 58 RBI and 24 stolen bases. His batting average, though, was .244 and his on-base percentage was a measly .298. He struck out a team-high 109 times.

“Clayton is a phenomenal defensive shortstop _ maybe the best in San Francisco Giants history _ but his bat may never come around,” wrote Tim Keown of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Clayton said his 1995 batting average was low because he was under orders to focus on RBI. Keown conceded “Clayton may also benefit from a breakup with (Giants) hitting coach Bobby Bonds. The relationship hasn’t done much for either man’s career.”

Said Giants manager Dusty Baker of Clayton: “He’s going to a great manager in Tony and an outstanding batting instructor in George Hendrick. I hope the city of St. Louis gives Royce a chance to be Royce. It’s hard to follow a superstar. A lot of times, they expect to see a reincarnation of Ozzie.”

Tony tabs Clayton

As Baker predicted, Clayton clicked with Hendrick at Cardinals training camp in spring 1996. “I’ve learned more from George in spring training than I have in my whole career,” Clayton told Cardinals Magazine. “It’s really unbelievable.”

Hendrick said, “Royce is a very intelligent young man and those kinds of guys are normally very easy to work with. I don’t try to change anybody. I just try to alert them to how pitchers are getting them out and give them an approach as to what the pitchers are trying to do to them.”

At the end of spring training, Smith thought he had performed better than Clayton, but Smith was held out of the Opening Day lineup because of a hamstring injury.

La Russa started Clayton in the first six games of the 1996 season, all on the road, and gave Smith the start in the Cardinals’ home opener. Still hampered by a sore hamstring, Smith went on the 15-day disabled list after that game.

By the time Smith was activated, Clayton was established as the shortstop.

Clayton started in 111 games for the 1996 Cardinals, made 15 errors and had a fielding percentage of .972. He hit .277 with 33 stolen bases.

Smith started in 50 games for the 1996 Cardinals, made eight errors and had a fielding percentage of .969. He hit .282 with seven stolen bases.

All three pitchers acquired by the Giants in the deal for Clayton struggled in 1996. Their numbers: Watson (8-12, 4.61 ERA in 29 games), DeLucia (3-6, 5.84 ERA in 56 games) and Creek (0-2, 6.52 ERA in 63 games).

Smith retired after the 1996 season and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002.

In 1997, Clayton had a stellar season for the Cardinals. He was named an all-star, led NL shortstops in assists and hit .266 with 39 doubles, 61 RBI and 30 steals.

On July 31, 1998, Clayton and pitcher Todd Stottlemyre were traded by the Cardinals to the Rangers for third baseman Fernando Tatis, pitcher Darren Oliver and outfielder Mark Little. In three seasons with St. Louis, Clayton batted .262 with 372 hits in 373 games.

 

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Why Cardinals pounced on A’s offer for Joaquin Andujar

Posted in Executives, Hitters, Opponents, Pitchers, Trades on December 15, 2015| 4 Comments »

Heading into the 1985 winter meetings, the Cardinals were willing to trade ace Joaquin Andujar for either a left-handed starting pitcher or a first-string catcher. They found a club willing to give them both.

joaquin_andujar8On Dec. 10, 1985, the defending National League champion Cardinals dealt Andujar to the Athletics for catcher Mike Heath and pitcher Tim Conroy.

Heath, 30, was acquired to replace Darrell Porter, who had been released. Conroy, 25, was expected to compete for a spot in the Cardinals’ 1986 rotation alongside John Tudor, Danny Cox, Bob Forsch and Kurt Kepshire.

Neither Heath nor Conroy worked out the way the Cardinals had hoped and Andujar never achieved with the Athletics the success he had with St. Louis.

Behind the numbers

Though Andujar, 32, had an impressive regular season for the 1985 Cardinals _ 21-12 record with 10 complete games and 269.2 innings pitched _ his performance in the second half and in the postseason triggered concern.

For example:

_ Andujar was 1-3 with a 5.30 ERA in six September starts in 1985 and 0-2 with a 7.88 ERA in two regular-season October starts.

_ In the NL Championship Series against the Dodgers, Andujar was 0-1 with a 6.97 ERA in two starts. In the World Series versus the Royals, he made two appearances and was 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA.

_ He had a meltdown in Game 7 of the World Series, getting into a confrontation with home plate umpire Don Denkinger and being ejected. Peter Ueberroth, commissioner of baseball, suspended Andujar for the first 10 games of the 1986 season. Video at the 1:38 mark

Look the other way

At home in the Dominican Republic, Andujar told Braves shortstop Rafael Ramirez that people from Anheuser-Busch, the brewery that owned the Cardinals, called him and said he’d never pitch for the club again, columnist Peter Gammons reported in The Sporting News.

Dal Maxvill, Cardinals general manager, denied being told to trade Andujar. “There has not been interference from above,” Maxvill said to The Sporting News.

In comments about Andujar to St. Louis reporter Rick Hummel, Maxvill added, “I know he’s kind of crazy and I know he’s unusual, but you have to look the other way when the performance is there.”

In his 1987 book “White Rat: A Life in Baseball,” Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog admitted, “It’s been reported that Maxvill and I were ordered to trade Joaquin and I won’t deny that. I will say, though, that he might well have been traded anyway. The other players were tired of his griping and his bitching. It had gotten to the point where he was dividing the clubhouse.”

No deal

The White Sox approached the Cardinals and proposed a deal of left-handed starter Britt Burns for Andujar and pitcher Ricky Horton. Burns was 18-11 for the 1985 White Sox. The Cardinals, however, “backed off because they were concerned about a hip injury of which Burns complains,” Hummel reported.

The Cardinals approached the Red Sox and offered Andujar, Horton, Kepshire and reliever Jeff Lahti for left-handed starter Bruce Hurst, who was 11-13 for Boston in 1985.

The Red Sox rejected the offer because they were given “an immediate take-it-or-leave-it deadline” by the Cardinals and they “were afraid of taking on Andujar” and his problems, Gammons reported.

Headcases OK

The Athletics were seeking a proven winner for their rotation. They offered their starting catcher, Heath, and one selection from a pool of pitchers. The Cardinals chose Conroy.

To the Athletics, Andujar’s pitching trumped his image.

“There’s nothing wrong with a headcase or two _ as long as you don’t have eight,” Sandy Alderson, Athletics general manager, told the Sacramento Bee. “This was not a multi-headcase deal.”

To the San Jose Mercury News, Alderson said, “Flamboyance is not criminal.”

Herzog had advice for Athletics pitching coach Wes Stock, who had been Herzog’s teammate with the Orioles. “Whitey told me Joaquin still needs to be coddled,” Stock said. “He told me not to forget that.”

Asked his reaction to the trade, Andujar told St. Louis radio station KMOX, “I feel surprised. Like I always said, I wanted to die in St. Louis … I leave my heart in St. Louis.”

Unhappy Heath

Heath hit .250 with 13 home runs and 55 RBI for the 1985 Athletics. He caught 38 percent of runners attempting to steal.

According to The Sporting News, Heath asked to be traded. He feuded with Oakland management after being told he’d play only versus left-handed pitching in 1986.

“I felt I was an everyday player and I felt I would not be happy,” Heath said.

In a parting shot at the Athletics, Heath added, “When Mike Heath steps on the field, his No. 1 objective is to win. No. 2 is to win and No. 3 is to win. With the A’s, No. 1 was being compatible and No. 2 was winning.”

Change for Conroy

Conroy was 0-1 with a 4.26 ERA in 16 games for the 1985 Athletics. At Class AAA Tacoma that season, Conroy was 11-3 in 22 starts.

A first-round selection of the Athletics in the 1978 draft, Conroy made his major-league debut at age 18. In five seasons with the Athletics, Conroy was 10-19 with a 4.37 ERA.

“We probably pushed him too quickly,” Alderson said.

Conroy “had to get out of our organization … The mental strain had become too great,” Stock told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Said Herzog: “We’ve liked Conroy for a long time … We feel he was rushed in Oakland and was under too much pressure to succeed.”

The results

Heath hit .205 with four home runs and 25 RBI for the 1986 Cardinals. He caught 33 percent of runners attempting to steal.

On Aug. 10, 1986, the Cardinals traded Heath to the Tigers for pitcher Ken Hill and first baseman Mike Laga.

Conroy was 5-11 with a 5.23 ERA in 25 appearances for the 1986 Cardinals. He was 3-2 with a 5.53 ERA for St. Louis in 1987, his last big-league season. In two years with the Cardinals, Conroy was 8-13 with a 5.31 ERA.

Andujar was 12-7 with a 3.82 ERA in 28 appearances for the 1986 Athletics. He was 3-5 with a 6.08 ERA for Oakland in 1987. In two seasons with the Athletics, Andujar was 15-12 with a 4.46 ERA.

Previously: How Hub Kittle got Joaquin Andujar to Cardinals

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