RetroSimba

Don Sutton pitched some gems against the Cardinals, but they deprived him of the win he wanted most.

Sutton was a consistent winner. He is tied with Nolan Ryan for 14th all-time in wins (324). He had 18 regular-season wins versus the Cardinals, including seven shutouts. Sutton came up empty, though, when he faced them in the 1982 World Series.

A member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, Sutton died on Jan. 18, 2021, at 75. 

Rookie success

After graduating from high school in Pensacola, Fla., Sutton, a right-hander, signed with the Dodgers as an amateur free agent at age 19 in 1964. Two years later, he was part of a Dodgers starting rotation with Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax.

On June 2, 1966, Sutton faced the Cardinals for the first time. He pitched 6.2 scoreless innings at St. Louis and got the win. Boxscore

“He’s the most developed young pitcher I’ve ever seen,” Dodgers reliever Bob Miller, a former Cardinal, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “He has a good idea of what he’s going to do every pitch.”

According to the Post-Dispatch, Sutton threw a fastball, slider and curve. The curve was delivered at three different speeds. Cardinals batters Curt Flood and Bob Skinner said Sutton also threw a spitter. For the rest of his 23-year career in the majors, Sutton faced allegations of doctoring the ball.

Old school

In 1968, when the Cardinals were National League champions for the second consecutive year, Sutton was 3-1 with a 1.82 ERA against them.

Two years later, the Cardinals got one of their most satisfying wins against Sutton.

On Aug. 28, 1970, at Los Angeles, Sutton and Cardinals rookie Jerry Reuss were locked in a scoreless duel for eight innings. In the ninth, Joe Torre hit a home run, giving the Cardinals a 1-0 victory. Boxscore

Two weeks earlier, Sutton had been rocked for six runs in two innings in a start at St. Louis. Jose Cardenal and Dal Maxvill had key hits against him.

When Sutton faced the Cardinals again at Dodger Stadium, he hit Cardenal in the hand with a pitch in the first inning. In the second, Maxvill hit the dirt to avoid being struck by Sutton’s fastball.

Reuss retaliated, throwing a pitch behind Sutton and at the level of his head. Sutton found his control after that.

In the ninth, Torre led off and worked the count to 3-and-2. Sutton threw a fastball into the heart of the strike zone and Torre walloped it over the wall in center.

“I was trying to keep from walking Torre and I was trying not to give him anything good to hit,” Sutton said. “That’s a tough situation.”

For Torre, who arrived in the majors 10 years earlier, it was just the third home run he hit at Dodger Stadium. The others came against Koufax and Drysdale.

Torre hit five home runs versus Sutton in his career.

Good stuff

Sutton was 3-0, with two shutouts, and a 1.33 ERA against the Cardinals in 1976.

The Dodgers and Mets were in serious talks during spring training that year about a trade of Sutton for Tom Seaver, the Los Angeles Times reported. The Mets backed away when they and Seaver agreed on contract terms.

On April 29, 1976, Sutton pitched a five-hit shutout against the Cardinals at Los Angeles. It gave him 41 career shutouts, one more than Koufax. Boxscore

Asked how Sutton was able to stop a Cardinals lineup with nine left-handed batters, slugger Reggie Smith told the Post-Dispatch, “When you have good stuff, it doesn’t matter who you’ve got in there.”

Smith’s teammate, Lou Brock, countered, “Yeah, he’s good as long as he has the Vaseline pitch going. He threw me a good one.”

Two weeks later, at St. Louis, Sutton pitched another five-hit shutout. Boxscore

Sutton’s third win against the 1976 Cardinals was an unusual one for him. In the Dodgers’ last game before the all-star break, manager Walter Alston asked Sutton whether he could pitch in relief that afternoon at St. Louis. Sutton hadn’t made a relief appearance in five years. “What could I say except, ‘OK, Skip,’ ” Sutton recalled.

Sutton entered the game in the seventh, pitched three innings and got the win, his first as a reliever since 1968. Boxscore

Series showdowns

On July 14, 1978, Sutton, trying for his 200th career win, was ejected from a game against the Cardinals at St. Louis. Umpire Doug Harvey tossed Sutton “for pitching a defaced baseball.” Harvey had three scuffed baseballs as evidence. Boxscore

Sutton became a free agent after the 1980 season and signed with the Astros. They traded him to the Brewers in August 1982. On the final day of the regular season, Sutton beat the Orioles, clinching a division title for the Brewers. He also got a win in the American League Championship Series versus the Angels.

The Brewers advanced to play the Cardinals in the World Series. They won the opener, 10-0, and started Sutton against rookie John Stuper in Game 2 at St. Louis. Sutton had leads of 3-0 and 4-2, but the Cardinals tied the score on Darrell Porter’s two-run double in the sixth. Sutton was lifted and the Cardinals went on to win. Boxscore and Video

Asked by the Post-Dispatch about Porter’s key hit, Sutton replied, “A good piece of hitting. That’s why he is so well-respected by those of us who stand in the middle of the mound.”

The Brewers won two of the next three, giving them a chance to clinch the championship in Game 6 at St. Louis. The matchup again was Sutton versus Stuper.

With the Dodgers, Sutton played for four league champions (1966, 1974, 1977 and 1978) but none won a World Series crown. At 37, he finally could be part of a World Series champion if he beat the Cardinals in Game 6.

“Nothing in my life comes close in magnitude to this game,” Sutton told the Post-Dispatch.

The Cardinals made it a blowout. Porter and Keith Hernandez each hit a two-run home run against Sutton. He gave up seven runs before being lifted with one out in the fifth. Stuper pitched a four-hitter and the Cardinals won, 13-1. Boxscore and Video

“He wasn’t vintage Sutton,” said Cardinals second baseman Tommy Herr. “He was up in the strike zone a lot. He has to pitch to spots.”

Sutton told the Post-Dispatch, “I had good stuff, but bad location. I have no excuse.”

Years later, for the book “Where Have You Gone ’82 Brewers,” Sutton said, “When I got to St. Louis, I was out of gas … There wasn’t a whole lot left. That’s why I always said I wish I could have given Milwaukee younger innings in the World Series.”

Sutton continued to pitch until he was 43. His last season was in 1988 with the Dodgers. They released him in August and he was a spectator when they won the World Series championship in October.

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Throughout his career in the major leagues, Miguel Batista created drama and suspense in connection with the Cardinals. It was precisely what might be expected from a pitcher who was a novelist.

On Jan. 14, 2011, the Cardinals signed Batista, a free agent, to a minor-league contract and invited him to their spring training camp. Batista, 40, earned a spot on the 2011 Cardinals’ Opening Day roster as a reliever.

The notion of Batista becoming a Cardinal might have seemed unimaginable to some who remembered him as a villain when he played for the Diamondbacks. Batista beat the Cardinals in the 2001 playoffs. Two years later, he was the instigator in an Easter Sunday brawl at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis.

Mixed emotions

A right-hander from the Dominican Republic, Batista debuted in the majors with the 1992 Pirates. He also pitched for the Marlins, Cubs, Expos and Royals before joining the Diamondbacks in 2001.

Relying on a fastball with exceptional movement, Batista was 11-8 for the 2001 Diamondbacks and helped them win a division title. He made 18 starts and 30 relief appearances. “He’s been invaluable to me because of his versatility,” Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Diamondbacks first baseman Mark Grace, who also was Batista’s teammate with the 1997 Cubs, said Batista learned to stop falling behind in the count and developed off-speed pitches to go with his fastball.

“Big-league hitters, we can get wood on a bullet if we know it’s coming,” Grace said. “So, if you’re 2-and-0, 3-and-1 consistently, you’re going to get in trouble.”

In the 2001 National League Division Series versus the Cardinals, Batista started and won Game 3. Boxscore

The next year, the reverse happened. Batista started and lost Game 3 of the 2002 Division Series against the Cardinals. Boxscore

The next time Batista faced the Cardinals was in a start for the Diamondbacks on April 20, 2003. In the fifth inning, Tino Martinez was struck on the shoulder by a Batista pitch. Martinez and Batista glared at one another. Cardinals manager Tony La Russa yelled at Batista in Spanish.

Martinez charged the mound and threw a punch. Batista fired the ball at him. Both missed. A brawl ensued. In addition to be ejected, Batista was suspended 10 games by Major League Baseball for his role in the incident. Boxscore

Poetry in motion

Batista played rough, but he was no dope. He kept a picture of Albert Einstein in his locker for inspiration. “He says imagination is the best tool you can have because talent and knowledge have their limits,” Batista told the Post-Dispatch. “In other words, man is as big as his dreams.”

Batista spent his free time reading. He became an avid reader, he said, when a friend told him books “are a window to another world.”

Reading inspired Batista to write a book of poetry. The title in English is “Feelings in Black and White.”

A team owner in the Dominican Republic gave Batista the nickname “El Poeta.”

Asked about writing poetry, Batista told the Post-Dispatch, “It’s a moment in time. You just grab a pen and paper. If not, it’s gone. If you don’t write it, then you never remember it the same way.”

Batista also wrote a novel, “The Avenger of Blood,” about a serial killer. In an interview with Trafford Publishing, Batista said of the subject matter, “I took two of the most sensitive issues in our society, the law and religion. I tried to create a scenario where facts and faith could face one another in the court of law.”

Regarding future works, Batista said, “When you become a writer, you will always write. You might not publish, but you never stop writing.”

Joining the roost

After the Cardinals won the 2006 World Series championship, they tried to sign Batista, a free agent, for their starting rotation. The Mariners offered more money, $25 million over three years, and he chose them instead.

Five years later, in 2011, Batista and the Cardinals finally connected. Though he wasn’t guaranteed a spot on the roster, Batista signed with the Cardinals because of La Russa.

At spring training in Jupiter, Fla., Batista said, “I’ve always wanted to play for a manager like Tony. So far, it’s been a real good learning experience, especially from the mental part of the game … When I was a free agent, he called me. He said, ‘If you play for me, you’re my family. If you don’t, I hate you.’ “

Batista had a 1.93 ERA in spring training games and was placed on the Cardinals’ 2011 Opening Day roster. “He’s earned it,” said La Russa.

Production problems

After Ryan Franklin had four blown saves in his first five chances, Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz suggested the Cardinals try Batista as the closer. “The role wouldn’t scare Batista,” Miklasz wrote.

The next day, La Russa said Franklin was being relieved of the closer’s role. Fernando Salas eventually replaced him.

On April 22, 2011, Batista was involved in an unusual move that paid off for the Cardinals. Kyle McClellan was scheduled to start against the Reds at St. Louis, but when the forecast showed severe weather was on the way, La Russa made a late switch, naming Batista the starter.

Batista was pitching to the second batter of the first inning when the game was halted because of rain and tornado warnings. After a delay of 2 hours, 10 minutes, the game resumed. McClellan came in, pitched six innings and got the win. The Reds’ scheduled starter, Edinson Volquez, who warmed up before the first inning, could not resume after the rain delay. His replacement, Matt Maloney, gave up three runs in two innings and was the losing pitcher. Boxscore

The next night, Batista pitched in relief against the Reds and got the loss. Boxscore

Batista entered June with an ERA of 2.01 for the season, but he faltered after that, yielding 10 earned runs in seven innings.

The Post-Dispatch reported Batista “drew high marks” from La Russa “for his impact on the Cardinals’ team chemistry,” but it wasn’t enough to keep his job. The Cardinals released him on June 22 and called up Lance Lynn from the minors.

“Miguel has been a terrific pro … so it’s a tough move,” La Russa said. “He handled it really well. He understands the business.”

In 26 appearances for the Cardinals, Batista was 3-2 with a 4.60 ERA. La Russa said he’d give a “glowing recommendation” to anyone who asked about Batista.

A month later, Batista signed with the Mets. Meanwhile, the Cardinals, with a restructured bullpen, went on to become 2011 World Series champions.

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Phil Niekro made two starts in the 1982 National League Championship Series versus the Cardinals. Only one counted.

A right-handed knuckleball master who pitched in the majors until he was 48, Niekro earned 318 wins in the majors and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but he never pitched in the World Series.

In 1982, when he was 17-4 for the West Division champion Braves, Niekro was the choice of manager Joe Torre to start Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. Niekro shut out the Cardinals for 4.1 innings and had a 1-0 lead before the game was called off because of rain. Niekro was two outs away from completing the five innings needed for an official game.

Three days later, Niekro started Game 2. He pitched six innings, allowed two runs and was lifted for a pinch-hitter with the Braves ahead, 3-2, but the Cardinals rallied against Gene Garber and won, 4-3.

Knuckle under

Niekro, 43, ended the 1982 regular season on a roll, winning 11 of his last 12 decisions. His last two wins were shutouts.

“That’s what you expect from someone who wants something as badly as he wants this championship,” Torre told the Atlanta Constitution.

As the Braves headed into the best-of-five National League Championship Series, Niekro was matched against Joaquin Andujar in Game 1. 

Niekro was 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in 21 innings pitched against the Cardinals in the 1982 regular season. Many of the Cardinals struggled against him throughout their careers. The list included Keith Hernandez (.233 batting average against), Gene Tenace (.211), George Hendrick (.178), Tommy Herr (.143) and Willie McGee (.100). An exception was Lonnie Smith (.514).

“What makes Niekro so tough is there’s no telling where the ball will go,” Herr told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I don’t even think he knows. You have to wait longer to swing because the ball is going to move.”

Tenace said, “His ball does everything and anything. It gets to the plate and it explodes up there. I’d just as soon take a beating as to have to hit that thing.”

In batting practice the day before the series opener, Cardinals coach Hal Lanier threw knuckleballs to try to help the hitters prepare for Niekro, “but it’s not quite the same,” said Hernandez.

“He’s not unhittable,” Hernandez said of Niekro, “but you have to be a disciplined hitter. You have to relax and wait until the last possible second before you pull the trigger.” Video of Niekro knuckler

Mind games

In the series opener on Oct. 6 at St. Louis, the Braves got a run in the first inning when Claudell Washington doubled and scored on a Chris Chambliss single.

The Cardinals threatened, loading the bases in the first and getting a runner to third base in the third, but couldn’t score against Niekro.

“I’ve seen him better,” Hernandez told the Atlanta Constitution. “I’ve seen his knuckleball do more. He wasn’t as sharp, and he still got us out. He’s smart.”

Niekro said it was the “worst knuckler I had in a couple of months.”

Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog, seeking an edge, complained to the umpires that Niekro regularly was committing a balk by not coming to a set position with a runner on base.

“I think he balked about seven or eight times,” Herzog said to the Post-Dispatch. “It’s a farce … There’s no doubt in my mind he doesn’t pause at all. I’ll guarantee you if one of my pitchers did that it would be a balk.”

Niekro, who was called for one balk during the 1982 season, responded, “If I was doing something wrong, it would have been called.”

Wiped out

Pitching in a light rain in the bottom of the fifth, Niekro got one out before plate umpire Billy Williams halted play. The forecast showed heavy rain was on the way. Williams indicated a playoff game shouldn’t be decided in a mere five innings, and that was likely to happen if he allowed the inning to be completed. 

“I didn’t want to rush and play two outs, and then have the outcome decided because we didn’t have common sense,” Williams told the Post-Dispatch. “I would have done the same thing if the score was 4-0 or 10-0.”

With rain continuing after a delay of two hours and 28 minutes, National League president Chub Feeney made the decision to call off the game.

“I’ve pitched many times when it was raining much harder than it was when the game was called,” Niekro said to the Atlanta Constitution. “I’m confident they would have completed the inning in the regular season. I’m really disappointed I didn’t get an opportunity to get two more outs.”

Torre, a former Cardinal, said he he understood the decision by Williams to stop play when he did. Torre told the Post-Dispatch, “I don’t think a team should play 162 games and then lose a playoff game in five innings. What I mean is, we don’t want to come in here and steal a game.”

Niekro had a different point of view: “It really doesn’t matter how you win a playoff game as long as you win it,” he said.

Series sweep

The rescheduled Game 1 was played the next day, Oct. 7, with Pascual Perez starting for the Braves against Bob Forsch. Forsch pitched a three-hit shutout and the Cardinals won, 7-0. Boxscore

Game 2, scheduled for Oct. 8, was rained out, enabling Torre to start Niekro when it was rescheduled for Oct. 9 at St. Louis.

In the seventh, with the Braves ahead, 3-2, they had runners on first and second, one out, when Torre sent Biff Pocoroba to bat for Niekro against Doug Bair. Pocoroba grounded out.

“I felt I could have gone two or three more innings,” Niekro told the Atlanta Constitution. “I can’t say I wasn’t disappointed. You start a ballgame, you want to finish it. I thought I had a good knuckleball. It was moving quite a bit.”

Facing closer Gene Garber, the Cardinals scored a run in the eighth and another in the ninth, and won, 4-3. Boxscore

The next night, at Atlanta, with Rick Camp starting for the Braves, the Cardinals completed the sweep, winning 6-2, and advanced to a World Series for the first time in 14 years. Boxscore

Summarizing the disappointment of the Braves falling short in their bid for a pennant, Niekro said, “How can you be so close and be so far at the same time?”

Niekro pitched five more seasons, including stints with the Yankees, Indians and Blue Jays, but never got to pitch in a World Series.

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