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How Jose Oquendo became a Cardinals catcher

Posted in Games, Opponents, Records on September 23, 2013| Leave a Comment »

In a game filled with excellent catchers, the one who stood out was the unlikeliest of all.

In 1988, Jose Oquendo caught an inning for the Cardinals in a game against the Mets at St. Louis.

In doing so, Oquendo became the first National League player in 70 years to play all nine positions in one season.

Before Oquendo, the last to accomplish the feat in the National League was Gene Paulette, primarily a first baseman for the 1918 Cardinals. Cesar Tovar of the American League Twins played all nine positions in 1968.

On Sept. 24, 1988, the Mets jumped to a 6-0 lead in the second inning against the Cardinals. Oquendo, 25, started the game at his primary position at second base and moved to shortstop in the sixth inning, replacing Ozzie Smith.

With the Mets ahead, 10-1, Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog, looking to give the home crowd something to cheer, decided the time was right to play Oquendo at catcher.

Move over, Tony

In the seventh, Oquendo moved from shortstop to catcher, replacing starter Tony Pena, the National League leader among catchers in fielding percentage in 1988.

First up for New York with Oquendo behind the plate was Gary Carter, the Mets’ 1988 all-star catcher.

“I told (Carter), ‘Don’t foul it off. I don’t want to get hit,’ ” Oquendo said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Facing reliever Steve Peters, Carter obliged, flying out.

Tim Teufel was the next batter. With the count 3-and-1, Peters shook off Oquendo’s sign. Before he could offer another, Peters went into his wind.

“I told Teufel, ‘Get ready. I don’t know what’s coming,’ ” Oquendo said. “He was laughing. That’s why he fouled the pitch off.”

On the next pitch, a 3-and-2 curve called by Oquendo, Teufel swung and missed, striking out.

Easy as 1,2,3

Kevin Elster then lined out to third. It was the only one of the nine innings the Mets were retired in order.

His goal accomplished, Herzog lifted Oquendo and replaced him with catcher Tom Pagnozzi in the eighth.

“It was fun,” Oquendo said. “I felt pretty good. I didn’t feel nervous at all.”

Said Peters to the Associated Press: “He called a good game … He’s got a nice, low target.” Boxscore

In 1988, Oquendo appeared in 69 games at second base, 47 at third base, 17 at shortstop, 16 at first base, nine in right field, four in center field, two in left field, one at catcher and one as a pitcher.

On May 14, 1988, Oquendo pitched four innings of relief against the Braves at St. Louis. Oquendo held Atlanta scoreless for three innings before the Braves scored twice in the 19th inning for a 7-5 victory. Boxscore

Oquendo took the loss, becoming the first non-pitcher to get a decision in a major-league game since the Yankees’ Rocky Colavito in 1968. Boxscore

Previously: Whiteyball: Willie McGee at shortstop; Ricky Horton in right

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Unwrapped: How Stan Musial got his 4th 5-hit game of 1948

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents, Records on September 20, 2013| 3 Comments »

Like a scene from the movie “The Natural,” Stan Musial achieved one of baseball’s rarest hitting feats with flair.

Shedding the bandages from his ailing wrists, Musial took just five swings in the Cardinals’ game against the Braves at Boston on Sept. 22, 1948.

Each swing produced a hit.

It was Musial’s fourth five-hit game of the season. No major-league player had done that in 26 years. Only two have done it since.

Joining Musial as the only big-league players with four five-hit games in a season: Willie Keeler (1897 Orioles), Ty Cobb (1922 Tigers), Tony Gwynn (1993 Padres) and Ichiro Suzuki (2004 Mariners).

Musial had jammed his left wrist making a diving catch at Brooklyn on Sept. 17, 1948. The next day, he was hit on the right hand, near the wrist, by a pitch.

With his wrists taped, Musial remained in the lineup as the Cardinals pursued the National League-leading Braves.

A win over the Cardinals on Sept. 22 would clinch for the Braves their first pennant in 34 years. The Braves started their ace, left-hander Warren Spahn.

Going for broke

When Musial arrived at the Boston ballpark that day, he noticed the wind was blowing out toward right field, favoring a left-handed batter.

St. Louis writer Bob Broeg approached Musial at the batting cage and said, “A great day for the hitters.”

“Yeah, but I can’t hit like this,” Musial responded.

In his book “Stan Musial: The Man’s Own Story,” Musial said, “I held up the wrists with the flesh-colored tape. Angrily, I ripped it off.”

Without the tape to restrict him, Musial wanted to be able to snap his wrists, no matter how painful, and try to take advantage of the favoring wind and the short carry (319 feet) to the right-field bleachers.

Musial’s first two hits that day came against Spahn.

In the first inning, Musial singled to left. He said he punched the ball in that direction “to minimize wrist strain.”

In the third, Musial lined the ball over the head of left fielder Mike McCormick for a double.

Musial batted in the fourth against right-hander Red Barrett, who had been a teammate on the 1946 Cardinals.

Said Musial: “He tried to fool me with a 2-and-0 changeup, but I saw it coming and said to myself, ‘To hell with the wrists.’ ”

Musial pulled the pitch over the right-field wall for a two-run home run, his 38th of the season.

Swing away

In the sixth, Musial singled off left-hander Clyde Shoun. Musial said he was “entirely aware” Cobb had been the last player to achieve four five-hit games in a season.

“I wanted that fifth hit,” he said.

In the eighth. Musial got his chance against Al Lyons.

The first two pitches from the right-hander missed the strike zone. Musial didn’t want a walk.

“I made up my mind, with the Cardinals far ahead (8-2), that I’d swing at anything close to the plate _ wrists be hanged,” Musial said.

“The next pitch was a bit outside, but I jerked it around … It bounced in the hole between first and second and got through. Saving the sore wrists as much as possible, I had hit safely five times by taking the absolute minimum number of swings _ just five.” Boxscore

All four of Musial’s five-hit games in 1948 came away from home.

“If I could have played the 1948 season on the road, I might have hit .400 and ripped the record book apart,” Musial said.

Instead, Musial batted .376 overall _ .415 on the road and .334 at home.

Here is a look at his other five-hit games in 1948:

_ April 30, 1948, at Cincinnati: Musial hit a home run, two doubles and two singles off four right-handers in the Cardinals’ 13-7 victory over the Reds. The homer, a two-run shot, was off starter Howie Fox. Musial batted .447 (21-for-47) at Crosley Field in 1948. Boxscore

_ May 19, 1948, at Brooklyn: Musial singled twice off right-hander Rex Barney, tripled against right-hander Erv Palica and had a single and double off left-hander Preacher Roe in the Cardinals’ 14-7 victory over the Dodgers. Musial batted .522 (24-for-46) at Ebbets Field in 1948. Boxscore

_ June 22, 1948, at Boston: Musial had five singles, four off right-handed starter Bill Voiselle and another against Shoun that snapped a 2-2 tie in the ninth inning, in the Cardinals’ 5-2 triumph over the Braves. Musial hit .467 (21-for-45) at Braves Field in 1948. Boxscore

In his 22-year big-league career with the Cardinals, Musial had eight five-hit games. In addition to the four in 1948, the others were:

_ July 21, 1943, versus the Giants, at St. Louis. It was his only five-hit game at home.

_ Sept. 19, 1946, at Boston. Former Cardinals ace Mort Cooper started for the Braves.

_ Sept. 3, 1947, at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

_ Sept. 27, 1962, two months before his 42nd birthday, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The fifth hit was a single off former teammate Stu Miller.

Previously: How Stan Musial turned in a great comeback year at 41

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Polish Falcons soared with doubles for Cardinals

Posted in Games, Hitters, Records on September 11, 2013| Leave a Comment »

(Updated on Sept. 12, 2018)

Helped by three newcomers, dubbed the Polish Falcons, the 1953 Cardinals led the major leagues in doubles with 281.

Eight members of the 1953 Cardinals each produced 20 or more doubles: Stan Musial (53), Red Schoendienst (35), Enos Slaughter (34), Solly Hemus (32), Rip Repulski (25), Steve Bilko (23), Ray Jablonski (23) and Del Rice (22).

Bilko, Jablonski and Repulski, all everyday starters for the first time in the big leagues, were called the Polish Falcons because of their Polish-American heritage. (Musial, in the majors since 1941, also was Polish-American.)

Eddie Stanky, manager of the 1953 Cardinals, played the trio in nearly every spring training game and they earned his trust. All three opened the season as starters _ Bilko at first base, Jablonski at third and Repulski in center.

(Stanky also was of Polish descent. He was born Edward Raymond Stankiewicz in Philadelphia.)

Bilko, 24, had appeared in 57 games for St. Louis from 1949-52, but never put in a full season with the Cardinals. Jablonski, 26, and Repulski, 24, both were making their big-league debuts with the 1953 Cardinals. All three had played together in 1952 for Rochester, a Cardinals farm team.

“During the training season, The Brat (Stanky) concentrated on the three Poles from Rochester, playing them daily, and they convinced him the Cardinals would field their strongest right-handed power since, first, Walker Cooper, and then George Kurowski left the Redbird batting order, seven and five years ago, respectively,” The Sporting News reported.

Said Stanky: “A lot of those left-handers who throw lollipops are going to find us an altogether different ballclub.”

In May, The Sporting News followed up with a glowing report on the Cardinals’ hitting: “The pickup in power had been a result largely of the presence of the three Polish Falcons, the newcomers from Rochester … They were hitting just about as had been hoped for.”

Polish power

Bilko, 6 feet 1 and at least 230 pounds, struck out a league-high 125 times in 1953, but he also punished pitchers with his power. On May 28, Bilko struck out five times in a game against the Reds. Boxscore The next day, against the Braves, Bilko doubled twice in the same inning _ one each against Vern Bickford and Ernie Johnson. Boxscore

In July, The Sporting News reported, “Although Repulski had been rested eight days after a slump and though Jablonski could look horrible in the field now and then and Bilko helpless against an occasional pitcher, the Falcons passed the first third of the season in fine style.”

The Falcons, all married with children, were friends as well as teammates. “On the road, they take in movies together (and) eat as a unit,” The Sporting News noted.

As the season wound down, the debut of the Polish Falcons was declared a success. “They’re better hitters than I thought they were and they’ll be even better next year with this season’s experience,” Musial said.

In a Sporting News story headlined “Cards Hit Jackpot with Polish Falcon trio,” Stanky said, “They have not only done as well as expected, but better.”

The final 1953 hitting statistics for the Falcons:

_ Bilko: 21 home runs, 84 RBI, .251 batting average.

_ Jablonski: 21 home runs, 112 RBI, .268 batting average.

_ Repulski: 15 home runs, 66 RBI, .275 batting average.

In voting for the National League Rookie of the Year Award, Jablonski placed third and Repulski tied with Braves outfielder Bill Bruton for fourth. The winner was Dodgers infielder Jim Gilliam, with Cardinals pitcher Harvey Haddix the runner-up.

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Chris Duncan, Carlos Beltran gave Cards 2nd spot pop

Posted in Hitters, Records on August 28, 2013| Leave a Comment »

(Updated Sept. 7, 2019)

In comparing playing styles and careers, Carlos Beltran and Chris Duncan had little in common. Yet both prospered for the Cardinals as power producers from the No. 2 spot in the batting order.

In 2013, Beltran, a switch-hitter in his 16th season, had 19 home runs while batting second in 83 games.

Beltran topped the 18 hit by Duncan from the No. 2 spot in 57 games for the 2006 Cardinals. Duncan, a left-handed batter, was a rookie who spent most of the first three months in the minors before sticking with St. Louis in July 2006.

Beltran had 24 home runs overall for the 2013 Cardinals. He hit 19 from the No. 2 spot, three from the No. 3 position and two from the cleanup spot in the batting order.

When batting No. 2, Beltran often benefitted from the high on-base percentage (.392) of leadoff batter Matt Carpenter. With Carpenter on base frequently, opponents often had to pitch to, rather than around, Beltran.

Protected by Pujols

In 2006, Duncan benefitted from batting directly in front of Albert Pujols. Because Pujols was having a sensational season (49 home runs, 137 RBI), opponents preferred taking their chances pitching to Duncan rather than Pujols.

“Duncan has aggressively jumped on the strikes he’s seeing when used as the No. 2 hitter in (manager Tony) La Russa’s lineup, batting before Pujols,” Bernie Miklasz, columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, wrote in July 2006.

Duncan batted .290 (62-for-214) from the No. 2 spot in 2006. Almost 30 percent of his hits from that spot were home runs. He had an on-base percentage of .368 (20 points higher than his career average) while batting second that year.

On July 24, 2006, Joe Strauss of the Post-Dispatch wrote, “La Russa agrees that Duncan’s recent breakout has provided a new look to the lineup’s No. 2 spot, which has bounced among 10 players since Juan Encarnacion opened the season in the role.”

Mentored by McRae

Duncan credited Cardinals hitting coach Hal McRae for instructing him on “hitting out, not hitting up” and encouraging line drives rather than high drives.

“He’s trying to work with me on staying in the (strike) zone longer and becoming a better overall hitter,” Duncan said. “If you stay through the zone more, the home runs will come.”

Duncan hit .361 from the No. 2 spot in August 2006. He was integral in the Cardinals’ successful push toward the National League Central title.

Wrote Miklasz on Aug. 21, 2006: “Where would the Cardinals be without Chris Duncan? Left field was a crater until he filled it. The No. 2 hole in the lineup was a weak spot until he stepped in.”

Duncan finished the 2006 season with 22 home runs overall. In addition to the 18 from the No. 2 spot, Duncan hit two from the seventh position and one each from the third and ninth spots.

The next year, Duncan hit 21 homers, nine from the No. 2 position. He spent five years in the majors before his career was cut short by injuries.

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Slider was key to 15 wins in row for Bob Gibson in 1968

Posted in Games, Opponents, Pitchers, Records on August 19, 2013| Leave a Comment »

(Updated Nov. 25, 2024)

Using a combination of fastballs and sliders with control and confidence, Bob Gibson capped the most successful stretch of starts ever experienced by a Cardinals pitcher.

On Aug. 19, 1968, Gibson got his 15th consecutive win, pitching a two-hitter in the Cardinals’ 2-0 victory over the Phillies at Philadelphia.

During the 15-game winning streak, from June 2 through Aug. 19, Gibson made 16 starts, with one no-decision. Ten of the 15 wins were shutouts. His ERA in that 16-start stretch was 0.68 in 146 innings, with 124 strikeouts. He pitched nine innings or more 16 games in a row.

“I haven’t seen anybody that good during the time I’ve been in the majors,” Cardinals outfielder Roger Maris said to The Sporting News.

Looking back on Gibson’s 1968 season, Cardinals catcher Tim McCarver told Cardinals Yearbook in 2018, “It got to a point where I could sense the helplessness when hitters came to bat … There were many times when I could feel a hitter’s legs buckle as one of Bob’s vicious sliders whizzed across the plate.”

Slip sliding away

Using only fastballs and sliders against the Phillies for his 15th win in a row, Gibson struck out 11, including Dick Allen four times and Bill White three times.

“He had great control of his slider,” McCarver said to the Associated Press. “The last strike on Rich Allen in the ninth broke a foot.”

Gibson credited the development of his slider with making him a dominant pitcher.

“My slider was nasty,” Gibson said in a conversation for the book “Sixty Feet, Six Inches.” “They could look for it and couldn’t hit it.

“Actually, I had two sliders … My main slider was my hardest one, and it would just break abruptly and mostly downward. And I had one where I’d twist my wrist a little more and give it a bigger break. That one didn’t have the speed or suddenness of the first one … but if I got it where I was supposed to get it, a right-handed batter wasn’t going to do anything with it.”

In his bid for the 15th consecutive win, Gibson held the Phillies hitless for five innings. In the sixth, with one out, pitcher John Boozer singled to center.

The Phillies’ only other hit came in the eighth when Johnny Callison, batting for Boozer, singled to right with two outs. Boxscore

Confidence equals control

The 15th consecutive win gave Gibson a season record of 18-5 with a 0.99 ERA in 234.2 innings. The shutout, his 10th, tied the Cardinals’ single-season record established by Mort Cooper in 1944.

“Of all the reasons behind his brilliance, I start with his command,” McCarver told Cardinals Yearbook. “Gibson threw hard and featured the best slider I’ve ever caught by a right-hander. His pitches exploded with movement a few feet from the plate. What made them even more effective was his ability to throw them where he wanted. He could consistently hit a target no wider than two baseballs.”

In discussing his slider with Cardinals Yearbook writer Stan McNeal, Gibson said, “I had pinpoint control in 1968 … If I wanted to throw it outside, I’d start it in the middle of the plate and I knew it was going to be outside … That was an unbelievable feeling. It really was. Hitters were at a disadvantage because I knew where the ball was going and I could throw it there in any count. Most pitchers would get to a 3-and-2 count and throw a fastball because they could control it, but I’d throw a slider because I could control it as well as the fastball. Sometimes it would break out of the strike zone, but they’d swing anyway.”

Gibson’s consecutive win streak ended in his next start, Aug. 24, at home against the Pirates. The Cardinals led, 4-0, after six. Willie Stargell hit a three-run home run off Gibson in the seventh. The Pirates scored a run in the eighth and two more in the ninth to win, 6-4, overcoming a 15-strikeout performance by Gibson. Three of the Pirates’ six runs were unearned. Boxscore

Gibson finished the 1968 season with a 22-9 record, and 1.12 ERA, pitching 13 shutouts and 28 complete games. In Game 1 of the 1968 World Series, he struck out 17 Tigers batters.

In a 2018 interview with Joe Schuster of Cardinals Yearbook, Willie Horton recalled how he became the 17th strikeout victim: “On the last pitch, he had me set up for a slider, so I was looking for a ball off the edge of the plate, maybe even six inches outside. I set up for a pitch out there, so if it broke I would have hit it, but it just stayed in on me and I couldn’t do anything with it. I learned later he had a backdoor slider. I can’t think of another right-handed pitcher who would try to throw a backdoor slider, because you can make so many mistakes with it. He had one _ and that shows how great he was.”

On Oct. 28, 1968, Gibson was named unanimous winner of the National League Cy Young Award. Two weeks later, on Nov. 13, he was named recipient of the NL Most Valuable Player Award.

In the book “Late Innings,” Gibson told author Roger Angell, “I was never that good again … I’d like to think I’d really perfected my pitching to that point.”

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Carl Sawatski hit homers in a pinch for Cardinals

Posted in Games, Hitters, Records on August 12, 2013| Leave a Comment »

(Updated May 6, 2026)

Carl Sawatski had one special skill as a ballplayer. He could hit with power against right-handed pitching. In 11 big-league seasons, Sawatski hit 58 home runs _ all against right-handers.

In 1961, Sawatski delivered four home runs as a pinch-hitter for the Cardinals.

George Crowe also hit four pinch-hit home runs in a season for the Cardinals. Crowe did it twice, in 1959 and again in 1960.

When Sawatski, a catcher who batted left-handed, was acquired by the Cardinals from the Phillies in December 1959 for Bobby Gene Smith and Bill Smith, a headline in The Sporting News declared, “Sawatski to Supply Power Behind Platter.”

Cardinals manager Solly Hemus said, “We got Sawatski for his bat. He’s not outstanding with the glove, but he’s improving.”

A backup to catcher Hal Smith, Sawatski hit .229 with six home runs (one as a pinch-hitter) in 78 games for the 1960 Cardinals.

The next season, Sawatski, 33, produced the kind of hitting the Cardinals expected. As a pinch-hitter, Sawatski hit .282 (11-for-39) with four home runs and 14 RBI for the 1961 Cardinals. Overall, he batted .299 with 10 homers.

Sawatski’s four pinch-hit homers were one behind the 1961 National League leader, Jerry Lynch of the Reds.

(Dave Hansen of the 2000 Dodgers and Craig Wilson of the 2001 Pirates share the major-league record for pinch-hit home runs in a season. Each hit seven.)

A look at Sawatski’s four pinch-hit home runs in 1961:

Denting Drysdale

_ April 19, Dodgers 7, Cardinals 2, at Los Angeles: With the Dodgers ahead, 3-0, Sawatski, pinch-hitting for Hal Smith, led off the third inning with a home run off starter Don Drysdale. It was one of four homers Sawatski hit against the Hall of Fame pitcher in his career. Boxscore

Cubs crusher

_ June 5, Cardinals 10, Cubs 8, at St. Louis: Pinch-hitting in the seventh for shortstop Alex Grammas, Sawatski hit a two-run homer off Joe Schaffernoth, giving the Cardinals a 6-5 lead and sparking a six-run Cardinals inning. Boxscore

Happy hooker

_ June 20, Reds 4, Cardinals 3, at Cincinnati: In the seventh inning, Sawatski, pinch-hitting for second baseman Bob Lillis, erased a 2-0 Reds lead with a three-run home run off starter Jay Hook. It was one of three homers Sawatski hit off Hook in his career, but the Reds scored a run in the bottom of the ninth, tying the score, and won with a run in the 11th. Boxscore

Doing it all

_ Aug. 6, Cardinals 3, Phillies 2, at St. Louis: In the seventh, with the Phillies ahead, 2-0, Sawatski, pinch-hitting for catcher Chris Cannizzaro, hit a two-run home run with two outs off starter Jim Owens. Sawatski stayed in the game at catcher. In the ninth, he hit the game-winning single off Jack Baldschun with one out and the bases loaded. Boxscore

After the 1961 season, the Cardinals needed to decide which of their players to expose to the expansion draft being conducted by the Mets and Colt .45s.

According to The Sporting News, “Sawatski, who was believed to be on the fence at one time because of his defensive shortcomings, was regarded as a sure bet to stay among the untouchables. The Birds need (Sawatski’s) big bat, especially as a weapon for coming off the bench.”

Sawatski hit one pinch-hit homer in 16 at-bats for the Cardinals in 1962 and was homerless in 31 pinch-hit at-bats for them in 1963, his final season in the majors.

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