RetroSimba

(Updated Jan. 13, 2025)

One of the first issues Walt Jocketty faced as Cardinals general manager in 1994 involved who to keep at second base. The leading candidates were Geronimo Pena and Luis Alicea. Jocketty picked Pena, trading Alicea to the Red Sox.

Fifteen months later, Jocketty reacquired Alicea to be the second baseman for the 1996 Cardinals.

On March 17, 1996, the Cardinals signed Alicea, who was waived by the Red Sox, to a one-year contract for $500,000.

The 1996 Cardinals, in their first season with Tony La Russa as manager, tried to attract a free-agent second baseman. They pursued Craig Biggio and Tony Phillips, but couldn’t land either.

They arrived at spring training with Pena, Jose Oquendo, Mike Gallego and David Bell as candidates for the second base job, but their options soon dwindled.

Pena (knee) and Gallego (hamstring) got injured. Oquendo no longer was effective. Bell wasn’t ready to be a starter.

The Cardinals caught a break when Alicea became available.

Turnover in Boston

Alicea started at second base for the 1995 division champion Red Sox. He batted .270, produced a .367 on-base percentage and led American League second basemen in turning the most double plays (103). In the Division Series versus the Indians, Alicea batted .600 (6-for-10).

After the 1995 postseason, the Red Sox acquired Wil Cordero from the Expos and projected him to be their second baseman in 1996.

“I asked to be traded,” Alicea told Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “but it didn’t happen.”

Instead, Alicea went to spring training with the Red Sox in 1996. They determined he was too expensive to keep as a utility player and placed him on waivers.

The Cardinals were grateful.

First time around

Alicea was a first-round draft choice of St. Louis in 1986. Cardinals scouting director Fred McAlister recalled to Cardinals Yearbook in 1988, “I knew we were going to take him the first day I saw him. He can run, throw, fields good and I think he’s going to hit … He’s a smart little player.”

He became the Cardinals’ second baseman in April 1988 after Tommy Herr was traded but Alicea wasn’t ready, hitting .212 in 93 games.

Alicea spent the 1989 and 1990 seasons in the minors and Jose Oquendo took over as the Cardinals’ second baseman from 1989-91.

In 1992 and 1993, Alicea reclaimed the role as the Cardinals’ primary second baseman. He had his best Cardinals season in 1993 when he batted .279 and produced a .362 on-base percentage for manager Joe Torre.

Geronimo Pena (54 starts) and Alicea (48 starts) shared the second base job with the Cardinals in 1994. After that strike-shortened season, Jocketty replaced Dal Maxvill as general manager and asked Cardinals talent evaluators to assess the second base situation.

“At that time, the consensus was that Pena was the better guy,” Jocketty said.

On Dec. 7, 1994, the Cardinals traded Alicea to the Red Sox for pitcher Nate Minchey and outfielder Jeff McNeely.

With Alicea gone, Pena went into the 1995 season as the projected starter at second, but he was a bust. Pena went on the disabled list three times in 1995 and was limited to 25 starts. Oquendo got the most starts at second base for the 1995 Cardinals and batted .204.

Looking for help

Before starting spring training in 1996, the Cardinals signed Mike Gallego, who had become a free agent after playing for Tony La Russa with the Athletics. The Cardinals figured some combination of Pena, Gallego, Oquendo and Bell would be adequate at second base.

However, midway through spring training, Oquendo was released. According to Hummel, Oquendo “saw there was no job for him this year,” so he and the Cardinals “mutually agreed to part ways.”

Pena also was offered his release, but opted to stay with the organization and accept an assignment to Class AAA Louisville.

Said La Russa: “I feel bad for Pena … If he stays healthy, he’s a good player.”

With Gallego headed to the disabled list, the Cardinals were left only with Bell _ until Alicea became available.

Alicea got the most starts (104) at second base for the 1996 Cardinals, who won a division title and advanced to the National League Championship Series.

Alicea had a career-best 26 doubles for the 1996 Cardinals, hitting .258 and producing a .350 on-base percentage, but his 24 errors were the most committed by a NL second baseman that season.

After the season, the Cardinals signed a free agent, Delino DeShields, to be their second baseman in 1997. Alicea became a free agent and joined the Angels.

In two stints over six seasons with the Cardinals, Alicea batted .252.

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(Updated March 2, 2019)

Willie Crawford was acquired by the Cardinals from the Dodgers to strengthen the bench, but he exceeded expectations and became their starting right fielder, giving a good performance for a bad team.

On March 2, 1976, the Cardinals traded second baseman Ted Sizemore for Crawford. The deal accommodated Sizemore, who was being displaced as the starting second baseman and wanted to play close to his home in California.

Crawford, who spent 12 seasons as a role player with the Dodgers, wanted to play regularly, but with Lou Brock in left, Bake McBride in center and Reggie Smith in right the 1976 Cardinals were set with starting outfielders.

Platoon player

In 1964, Crawford, a high school standout in Los Angeles, was signed by Dodgers scout Tommy Lasorda, the future Hall of Fame manager.

A left-handed batter, Crawford played in two World Series (1965 and 1974) for the Dodgers. He and Sizemore were teammates for two years. Sizemore won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1969, but was dealt to the Cardinals for slugger Dick Allen after the 1970 season.

No. 2 man

Sizemore was the Cardinals’ starting second baseman from 1971-75. Batting primarily in the No. 2 spot, he led the National League in sacrifice bunts (25) in 1973 and was second (with 21) in 1975.

In 1974, when Lou Brock had 118 stolen bases, he said, “You have to have the right man batting behind you. I do: Ted Sizemore.”

Sizemore said to the Los Angeles Times, “To bat behind a base stealer, you have to be patient, willing to take pitches and sacrifice your average, be able to make contact with two strikes, be adept in the subtle ways of hindering a catcher, and be satisfied that by helping to get that man to second base, you are doing what your team must do to win.”

By 1976, Sizemore was expendable because the Cardinals planned to shift Mike Tyson from shortstop to second base and play Don Kessinger at shortstop until Garry Templeton was ready to take over the position.

Anatomy of a deal

Sizemore told Cardinals general manager Bing Devine he intended to go to spring training in 1976 and beat out Tyson for the starting second base spot, but then changed his mind, “expressing his desire to be traded to Los Angeles if such a deal could be made,” Devine told United Press International.

Devine said he approached Dodgers executive Al Campanis and proposed a trade of Sizemore for Crawford. Because the Dodgers had Davey Lopes at second base and Bill Russell at shortstop, they projected Sizemore, 30, as a utility player.

The Cardinals and Dodgers also discussed a deal of Reggie Smith for Bill Russell, Campanis confirmed to the Los Angeles Times. The newspaper noted such a swap would give Crawford a chance to claim the Cardinals’ right field job and enable the Dodgers to move Davey Lopes to shortstop, opening up second base for Sizemore.

However, Campanis said the Cardinals opted “to stand pat (with Smith) until later in the spring,” the Los Angeles Times reported. “The Cardinals also expressed the opinion the Dodgers would have to part with more than Russell” for Smith.

(Three months later, in June 1976, the Cardinals sent Reggie Smith to the Dodgers for catcher Joe Ferguson and two minor-leaguers.)

Crawford, 29, told the Los Angeles Times he “never had the type of communications” with Dodgers manager Walter Alston “that I should have, but I don’t leave with ill feelings. I simply feel there was a need for a change of scenery. I was in a rut.”

Times columnist Jim Murray wrote, “Willie’s is a classic case of arrested athletic development. A big-muscled, powerful young man … Willie Crawford … has the body and configuration that must be used every day to stay at peak efficiency.”

Hot hitter

Crawford quickly fit in with the 1976 Cardinals. During spring training, The Sporting News reported, Crawford took over retired pitcher Bob Gibson’s role of “clubhouse and on-field needler.”

Over the first two weeks of the 1976 regular season, Crawford was used exclusively as a pinch-hitter by manager Red Schoendienst. On April 25, Schoendienst moved Reggie Smith to third base, replacing struggling rookie Hector Cruz, and put Crawford in right field. Crawford responded by batting .438 in April and .326 in May. After the Cardinals traded Smith to the Dodgers, Crawford got the most starts in right.

Strong season

Crawford completed the 1976 season with a .304 batting mark and .360 on-base percentage. His batting average against right-handers was .313.

Crawford hit nine home runs and produced 50 RBI, but consistent run production was a weakness. Crawford hit .225 with runners in scoring position, according to baseball-reference.com.

After the 1976 Cardinals finished 72-90, Schoendienst was fired and the club looked to make other changes.

Planning to move Cruz to right field in 1977, the Cardinals traded Crawford, pitcher John Curtis and utility player Vic Harris to the Giants for pitchers Mike Caldwell and John D’Acquisto and catcher Dave Rader in October 1976.

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(Updated Nov. 10, 2023)

When Walt “No Neck” Williams played in the Cardinals’ system, he was hailed as the best hitter in the minor leagues and was said to have the potential to be the next Minnie Minoso.

Though he impressed the Cardinals, he never played for them at the major-league level.

The Cardinals were stocked with premier outfielders such as Lou Brock and Curt Flood, with prospects such as Bobby Tolan waiting in reserve. When the Cardinals acquired Roger Maris from the Yankees in December 1966, Williams was deemed expendable.

On Dec. 14, 1966, the Cardinals traded Williams and reliever Don Dennis to the White Sox for catcher Johnny Romano and minor-league pitcher Leland White.

Rushed to majors

At 19, Williams signed with the Houston Colt .45s, got sent to the Class A level of the minor leagues and batted .341 in 1963.

At spring training in 1964, Williams, 20, impressed the Colt .45s _ he nailed three runners at home with his outfield throws _ and opened the regular season in the major leagues.

Williams told The Sporting News it was during this time someone in the front office gave him the nickname of “No Neck.”

At 5 feet 6 and 190 pounds, Williams was described by one writer as “built along the lines of a fireplug,” creating a perception his head was touching his shoulders.

In his book “Five Seasons,” Roger Angell wrote that Williams had “the shoulders and chest of a heavyweight prizefighter. At the plate, he stands with his arms and shoulders raised high, peering at the pitcher over his left biceps, and waggles the bat fiercely.”

Williams, hitless in nine at-bats for the Colt .45s, was placed on waivers in May 1964 and claimed by the Cardinals, who assigned him to Class A Winnipeg.

Coached by Cardinals

Williams batted .318 at Winnipeg, went to the Florida Instructional League after the season, got guidance from manager George Kissell and hit .320 for the instructional league team.

In 1965, Williams was moved up a level to Class AA Tulsa and hit safely in his first 18 games. Williams finished the 1965 season with a .330 batting average, 36 stolen bases and 106 runs scored.

In 1966, Tulsa joined the Class AAA Pacific Coast League and Williams, playing left field, had another stellar season there. He led the league in batting average, hitting .330 for the second consecutive season, and produced 54 doubles and 25 steals with 107 runs scored.

Asked about the 1966 team in a 1981 interview with the Tulsa World, Williams said, “That year was one of the high moments of my career. The thing I remember about that 1966 team was that we had six or seven guys hitting over .300 but nobody was envious of the other. It was just a fun season.”

Change in plans

Cardinals general manager Bob Howsam and manager Red Schoendienst considered promoting Williams to St. Louis during the 1966 season, The Sporting News reported, but opted to have him stay at Tulsa, knowing he was unlikely to get at-bats on a club featuring outfielders Brock, Flood and Mike Shannon.

Based on his minor-league success, Williams was rated likely to win a spot with the 1967 Cardinals until the club acquired Maris on Dec. 8, 1966. The Cardinals planned to move Shannon to third base and start Maris in an outfield with Brock and Flood.

A week later, Williams was dealt to the White Sox.

“Williams should be a crowd pleaser,” Howsam said. “When you take a look at our outfield picture, you can see why we could afford to deal him.”

Hit man

The White Sox expected Williams to contend for the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 1967. “We picked up the best hitter in the minor leagues,” said White Sox general manager Ed Short.

Comparisons were made to Minoso, an all-star outfielder who six times batted better than .300 for the White Sox in a career that led to election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

“White Sox officials believe they may just have another Minnie Minoso in No Neck Williams,” The Sporting News declared.

Les Moss, manager of the White Sox’s Class AAA Indianapolis team, had seen Williams play for Tulsa and said, “He’s the nearest thing to Minnie in his hustle, desire and aggressiveness that I’ve seen around anywhere. He’s no power hitter, but he can whack that ball. He’s an excellent leadoff man.”

Said Tulsa manager Charlie Metro: “The White Sox got themselves a fine-looking prospect. He not only was the best hitter in the league, but he’s a pretty fair outfielder … He overcomes mistakes with his speed.”

No fooling around

Williams hit .358 in spring training for the 1967 White Sox and was named Opening Day starting left fielder by White Sox manager Eddie Stanky.

“He’s really an aggressive hitter,” Stanky said. “He doesn’t fool around up there at the plate. He attacks the ball. He’s one of the few players who can tie into a high pitch and whack it for a line drive.”

Williams, 23, hit .240 as a White Sox rookie. He went on to play 10 years in the majors for the Colt .45s, White Sox, Indians and Yankees, batting .270 overall. His best season was in 1969 when he hit .304 for the White Sox and ranked third among American League right fielders in assists.

Looking back at his time in the majors, Williams told the Tulsa World, “I felt they never gave me a chance to relax to see me really play at my best.”

Neither of the players acquired by the Cardinals for Williams contributed much. Romano, a backup to catcher Tim McCarver, hit .121 in 24 games for the 1967 Cardinals and was released after the season. White, a left-hander, never appeared in a big-league game for St. Louis.

With Brock, Flood and Maris in the outfield and Shannon at third base, the 1967 Cardinals won the National League pennant and World Series championship.

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