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Cardinals hoped Reggie Smith would recharge offense

Posted in Hitters, Pitchers, Trades on October 30, 2013| 2 Comments »

(Updated Oct. 22, 2023)

In 1967, Reggie Smith hit two home runs for the Red Sox in the World Series against the Cardinals. Six years later, the Cardinals traded for Smith, hoping he could provide them with the power they needed.

On Oct. 26, 1973, the Cardinals dealt pitcher Rick Wise and outfielder Bernie Carbo to the Boston Red Sox for Smith and pitcher Ken Tatum.

Smith, a switch-hitting right fielder, and Wise were the key players. The Cardinals, who had the fewest home runs (75) in the National League in 1973, wanted a slugger and Boston needed a starting pitcher to compete with the deep staffs of the Athletics and Orioles in the American League.

In his autobiography, Cardinals general manager Bing Devine said of the deal, “You hated to trade a productive pitcher, but everything else being equal, if you could get a guy who plays every day for a guy who plays every four or five days, you do it.”

Turning pro

Born in Shreveport, La., and raised in Los Angeles, Smith was 16 when he learned to hit from both sides of the plate, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Two years later, he signed with the Minnesota Twins.

Smith played shortstop for a Twins farm club, Wytheville, Va., in the Appalachian League in 1963. Made available in the minor-league draft, he was taken by the Red Sox in December 1963.

Moved to the outfield, Smith hit .320 in 1966 for Toronto, a Class AAA club managed by Dick Williams. In 1967, Williams was the Red Sox manager and he selected Smith, 22, to be their center fielder. The 1967 Red Sox won the American League pennant and faced the Cardinals in the World Series. Smith hit a home run against Nelson Briles in Game 3 and another versus Dick Hughes in Game 6, but the Cardinals prevailed in seven games.

Smith led the American League in doubles in 1968 (37) and 1971 (33). He also was the 1971 league leader in total bases (302) and extra-base hits (65).

The Red Sox moved Smith from center to right in 1972 and he made the American League all-star team for the second time.

Bad vibes

The 1973 season was a troubled one for Smith. His knees ached. He got into a fight with teammate Bill Lee in the dugout. He felt unappreciated.

According to the Associated Press, Smith “became the target of boos in Boston when he missed a pair of routine fly balls in the outfield. The fans felt Smith was loafing, but the outfielder said he couldn’t reach the balls because of bad knees. Smith angrily labeled Boston a racist city and sat out for two weeks.”

In The Sporting News, Peter Gammons wrote of Smith, “He always was burdened with the pressure of becoming Boston’s first black (baseball) star, a role he could not fill. In his final year, he had become embittered with fans who got on him about his occasional lackadaisical play, had entanglements with teammates (most of whom were unsympathetic) and missed a month with injuries.”

Still, in 115 games for the 1973 Red Sox, Smith hit .303 with 21 home runs and had an on-base percentage of .398.

His friend and teammate, Carl Yastrzemski, told the Boston Globe, “I know what Reggie went through. He was hurt and people didn’t believe him. He went out and tried to play hurt, and when he looked bad, they ridiculed him. He was embarrassed. They tell you to go out and play when you’re hurt, and when you do and play badly, they boo the hell out of you.”

Power supply

The Cardinals saw Smith, 28, as a player who could boost their run production and join an outfield with Lou Brock in left and Bake McBride in center. In eight seasons with the Red Sox, Smith had 1,064 hits, including 149 home runs.

“Nobody can be a big home run hitter in our park (Busch Memorial Stadium),” Cardinals manager Red Schoendienst told The Sporting News, “but Smith should help our offense a lot.”

Ted Simmons and Joe Torre tied for the Cardinals’ 1973 season high in home runs, each with 13.

The Sporting News noted, “The addition of Smith should enable the Cardinals to lift some of the pressure off Ted Simmons especially and Joe Torre … All too often last season, especially when Torre was hurt or slumping, the enemy was able to pitch around Simmons.”

For Boston in 1973, Smith hit .290 with 17 homers versus right-handers and .339 with four homers against left-handers. He told the Post-Dispatch, “I’m a lowball hitter left-handed and like the pitch up and away from me right-handed. I’ve learned that because my stroke at bat is quicker left-handed, I hit the long ball more often that way. I hit more line drives right-handed and for better average.”

Regarding the trade to St. Louis, Smith said to the Boston Globe, “I’m happy to be going to the National League because there they challenge a hitter. I’m happy to be going to a club where I am needed … I got awfully tired of people saying that I never lived up to my potential. Everybody expected me to be a Willie Mays or a Hank Aaron. A superstar. Why couldn’t I just be Reggie Smith?”

In Wise, 28, Boston got a starter to join a rotation with Luis Tiant and Bill Lee.

Wise had a 32-28 record, 3.24 ERA, 34 complete games and seven shutouts in two seasons with St. Louis after the Cardinals acquired him from the Phillies for Steve Carlton. Wise was 16-16 for St. Louis in 1972 and 16-12 in 1973, when he started and won the All-Star Game for the National League.

How it turned out

Smith hit .309 for the 1974 Cardinals and had an on-base percentage of .389. He totaled 160 hits (including 23 home runs) and 71 walks. He also produced 100 RBI, the only time he reached that mark in his career.

In his book “Stranger to the Game,” Cardinals pitcher Bob Gibson said, “Reggie Smith was both talented and tough. He improved our lineup in virtually every respect … My affinity for Reggie Smith was a natural because we were very much alike … Smith was a very bright, thoughtful guy who was ready to fight if somebody looked at him wrong. I called him Spike because he reminded me of those spike-collared bulldogs on Saturday morning cartoons.”

(The Cardinals, who were eighth in the 12-team National League in runs scored in 1973, were fourth in runs scored in 1974 but still ranked last in home runs.)

Two years later, in June 1976, the Cardinals traded Smith to the Dodgers for catcher Joe Ferguson and two prospects, outfielder Bob Detherage and first baseman Freddie Tisdale.

In three seasons with St. Louis, Smith hit .293 and had a .371 on-base percentage. With the Dodgers, he played in three World Series (1977, 1978 and 1981). Smith played 17 seasons in the majors and finished with 2,020 hits, 1,092 RBI and a .366 on-base percentage.

An arm injury limited Wise to nine starts and a 3-4 record for the 1974 Red Sox. He won 19 for the Red Sox in 1975 and helped them win the American League pennant. He was the winning pitcher in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series when Carlton Fisk hit his walkoff home run against the Reds. In four seasons with Boston, Wise was 47-32 with a 3.96 ERA.

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Revisiting the deal that made Adam Wainwright a Cardinal

Posted in Pitchers, Trades on October 14, 2013| 1 Comment »

(Updated Dec. 10, 2023)

The Cardinals acquired Adam Wainwright from the Braves in the belief he would develop into an ace for them.

On Dec. 13, 2003, the Cardinals traded outfielder J.D. Drew and catcher Eli Marrero to the Braves for pitchers Jason Marquis, Ray King and Wainwright.

Describing Wainwright as the key player of the trade for the Cardinals, St. Louis general manager Walt Jocketty told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Without him, there wasn’t a deal.”

At the time, Wainwright, 22, was a prospect who posted a 10-8 record and 3.37 ERA for Class AA Greenville (S.C.) in 2003.

“Adam is our No. 1 pitching prospect,” Braves general manager John Schuerholz told the Associated Press.

Said Jocketty to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “We see him as a top-of-the-rotation kind of guy in a couple of years.”

Baseball America magazine said Wainwright had “an ideal combination of size, talent and makeup. He started working off his 92 mph to 93 mph fastball more often at midseason and the positive results were immediate. He also throws a hard curveball and a solid changeup … He has a great work ethic and is one of the most intelligent pitching prospects … He needs to continue to gain confidence … He tends to be too fine with his pitches instead of challenging hitters.”

Slick move

Some thought the Cardinals had given up too much in dealing Drew, 28. In six years with St. Louis, he hit .282 and had a .377 on-base percentage, but he also was injury-prone and eligible for free agency after the 2004 season.

In retrospect, Jocketty took advantage of the Braves, who were desperate to replace the run production supplied by departed free agents Gary Sheffield in right field and Javy Lopez at catcher.

“That was tough to do,” Schuerholz said of including Wainwright in the deal, “but, under the circumstances, we had no choice.”

(Drew and Marrero each would play one season for the Braves. Drew departed through free agency for the Dodgers. Marrero was dealt to the Royals.)

The Cardinals were in the market for pitching and the Braves offered a bonanza.

“We felt that without pitching we weren’t going to have a chance to improve in the standings next year,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa told the Associated Press.

Said Jocketty: “There were a couple deals we could have done. We just felt this was the best overall for us.”

Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz endorsed the deal, though he was concerned whether La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan were best-suited to develop a young arm. “Wainwright is a legitimately bright prospect and a potential steal for the Cardinals,” Miklasz wrote, “but if Duncan and La Russa are around beyond the 2004 season, it may not matter because they can’t develop young pitchers. Perhaps Wainwright will be nurtured and saved by the next regime.”

Good results

The trade helped the Cardinals improve from 85 wins and a third-place finish in 2003 to 105 wins and a first-place finish in 2004. With Marquis contributing 15 wins as a starter and King appearing in 86 games as a left-handed relief specialist, St. Louis won the pennant in 2004 for the first time in 17 years.

Marquis posted 13 or more wins in each of his three seasons with St. Louis, helping the Cardinals to the postseason each time.

King pitched in 163 games in two seasons for St. Louis.

At Class AAA Memphis in 2004, Wainwright was 4-4 with a 5.37 ERA when elbow discomfort caused him to discontinue throwing in June.

He was 10-10 with a 4.40 ERA in 29 starts for Memphis in 2005, though he led the Pacific Coast League in innings pitched (182) and was second in strikeouts (147).

Wainwright was eased into his first big-league season in 2006 by La Russa and Duncan. Used exclusively in relief, Wainwright led all St. Louis relievers in holds (23) and strikeouts (72). In the postseason, he was 1-0 with four saves and 15 strikeouts in 9.2 scoreless innings.

Wainwright spent his entire big-league career with the Cardinals and produced a record of 200-128. He ranks second on the franchise list in strikeouts (2,202) and starts (411) and is third in wins.

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How Cardinals pursued trade for Don Mattingly

Posted in Executives, Hitters, Trades on October 11, 2013| 2 Comments »

(Updated Oct. 23, 2020)

If general manager Dal Maxvill had been willing to part with pitcher Joe Magrane, Don Mattingly might have been a first baseman for the Cardinals instead of spending his entire playing career with the Yankees.

In 1988, Mattingly was feuding publicly with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. That fueled media speculation the Yankees were willing to trade Mattingly, who expressed interest in the Cardinals because of the proximity of St. Louis to his hometown of Evansville, Ind.

“Growing up in Evansville, I was a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals,” Mattingly told the New York Daily News.

The Cardinals admitted interest in pursuing a deal. Media reports suggested the Yankees would want shortstop Ozzie Smith or center fielder Willie McGee in return, but the player New York apparently wanted most was Magrane, who at the time was St. Louis’ prized pitching phenom.

No respect

In August 1988, Mattingly, 27, was a five-time all-star who had earned an American League Most Valuable Player Award, one batting title and three Gold Glove awards, but he became disgruntled with the way he believed Steinbrenner was treating Yankees players.

“The players get no respect around here,” Mattingly said to the Associated Press. “They (management) give you money, that’s it. Not respect. Money is not respect.”

Reports spread quickly that an angry Steinbrenner intended to trade Mattingly. The Cardinals, who had just acquired first baseman Pedro Guerrero from the Dodgers, were willing to move Guerrero to left field and open the job at first base for Mattingly.

“I see where Mattingly wants to go to St. Louis,” Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “That takes care of us. Steinbrenner sure wouldn’t trade him where he wants to go. You know what I mean? He’d say, ‘I’ll show him. I’ll trade him to Seattle.’ ”

Still, baseball writers produced a stream of reports that speculated on a deal between the Yankees and Cardinals.

On Sept. 4, 1988, Rick Hummel of the Post-Dispatch wrote, “The Cardinals have some players in which the Yankees would seem interested. Certainly the Yankees would want a starting pitcher. Joe Magrane probably is unavailable. But Greg Mathews, if he shows he has recovered from elbow surgery, might be.”

Hummel suggested several possible packages to land Mattingly, including Mathews, McGee and catcher Tony Pena, or Mathews and Ozzie Smith.

About a month later, under the Post-Dispatch headline, “Maxvill Says He’ll Pursue Mattingly,” the general manager told Hummel, “I definitely want to talk to them.”

Wizard a Yankee?

Two days later, in a column that rocked Cardinals Nation, Tom Wheatley of the Post-Dispatch opined, “Ozzie Smith must go. And if the Wizard of Oz can be used as bait to land a whopper such as Don Mattingly, all the better.”

Maxvill said he made more inquiries about acquiring Mattingly, but he told Hummel, ‘I don’t think they’re interested in moving him as much as everybody thinks. That’s what I thought before and it’s been reinforced to me.”

Just when it appeared the possibility of a trade had waned, Murray Chass of the New York Times, citing an anonymous American League club executive, reported the Cardinals, Cubs, Padres or Giants were close to making a deal for Mattingly.

Wrote Chass: “If the Cardinals, for example, were really serious about the pursuit of Mattingly, they would have to offer the Yankees Joe Magrane … The Cardinals, however, will not offer Magrane; therefore, no deal.”

Magrane, 24, was the National League earned-run average leader (2.18) in 1988, his second season with St. Louis.

In December 1988, the Post-Dispatch reported why a deal for Mattingly appeared dead: “Maxvill said the New York Yankees never had asked seriously about acquiring (Ozzie) Smith in a Don Mattingly deal. Pitcher Joe Magrane’s name, on the other hand, did come up in discussions with the Yankees. But Maxvill said the Cardinals would be highly reluctant to part with him.”

Magrane achieved a career-high 18 wins for the 1989 Cardinals. Mattingly stayed with the Yankees and completed his 14-season big-league career with them in 1995. He finished with a .307 career batting mark and 2,153 hits.

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How stint in Japan helped sell Cardinals on Ernie Broglio

Posted in Games, Pitchers, Trades on October 7, 2013| Leave a Comment »

(Updated Oct. 7, 2018)

Ernie Broglio was a key player in two Cardinals trades _ the famous one involving Lou Brock and the largely forgotten one that led to him becoming a prominent part of the St. Louis rotation.

On Oct. 7, 1958, the Cardinals acquired Broglio and Marv Grissom from the Giants for Billy Muffett, Hobie Landrith and Benny Valenzuela.

The top names in the deal were relief pitchers Grissom and Muffett. Landrith was a backup catcher, Valenzuela a utility infielder and Broglio a minor-league pitcher.

Referring to managers Solly Hemus of the Cardinals and Bill Rigney of the Giants, columnist Dan Daniel of The Sporting News wrote, “Hemus wanted Grissom and Bill Rigney wanted Muffett, and the rest of it looks like parsley on the boiled potato.”

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch described the trade as “a can of salmon for a can of salmon.”

Regarding Ernest Broglio, he was “not to be confused either with movie Academy Award winner Ernest Borgnine or a plain old imbroglio,” the Post-Dispatch reported.

“Broglio must be suspect because he didn’t make it with the Giants last spring and no club needs pitching more than San Francisco,” the Post-Dispatch concluded.

Dixie delighted

Dixie Walker, who managed Broglio at Class AAA Toronto in 1958, was on good terms with the Cardinals. His brother, Harry Walker, was a Cardinals coach and Dixie worked with Cardinals general manager Bing Devine at Rochester in 1955.

It was on Walker’s advice that Devine pursued Broglio.

In the Giants’ organization since 1956, Broglio had opened the 1958 season with their Class AAA club at Phoenix and posted an 8-1 record. The Giants, though, were seeking a veteran pitcher and they made a deal with Toronto in July 1958 for former big-leaguer Don Johnson. The Giants sent Broglio, along with outfielder Jim King and pitcher Ray Crone, to Toronto.

Broglio, 23, apparently was loaned to Toronto, which wasn’t affiliated with any big-league club.

“Nobody said anything to me at Phoenix except when I was being shipped out,” Broglio said. “I was told I’d be back.”

Toronto throwback

Broglio was an immediate success with Toronto. In his first start for Dixie Walker, Broglio struck out a franchise-record 15 against Buffalo in 11.1 innings. Three days later, Broglio pitched a three-hitter against Montreal.

On Aug. 6, Broglio pitched a two-hit shutout against Havana. The next day, he pitched seven innings in relief.

“A throwback to pitchers of another era _ that is the reputation of Ernie Broglio, workhorse of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ mound corps, who appears to thrive on only two days rest,” Th Sporting News reported.

Broglio was 9-3 for Toronto in the regular season and 2-0 in the International League playoffs. For Phoenix and Toronto combined, Broglio had a 17-4 regular-season record.

Made in Japan

Two weeks after he was traded to St. Louis, Broglio was invited to join the Cardinals on their tour of Japan. The Cardinals were scheduled to play 16 games against Japanese teams in October and November. Broglio took full advantage of the chance to impress his new club.

Described by The Sporting News as “the big surprise,” Broglio was the Cardinals’ biggest winner on the tour, posting a 4-0 record and 1.55 ERA and striking out 30 in 28 innings.

Based on that showing, Hemus tabbed Broglio as the staff’s No. 4 starter entering spring training in 1959.

“I know that wasn’t big-league opposition,” Hemus said, “but he showed me enough to warrant this chance.”

Broglio further impressed the Cardinals by reporting to spring training three pounds under his assigned weight of 195.

“Wildness has been the bane of his six-year career (in the minors),” The Sporting News reported. “If pitching coach Howard Pollet can help Broglio with his control, the Cardinals might have their best rookie pitcher since Johnny Beazley in 1942.”

Broglio earned a spot in the 1959 Cardinals’ rotation and finished the season tied with Larry Jackson for the club lead in shutouts (three). Broglio also ranked second in strikeouts (133) and third in innings pitched (181.1) for the Cardinals.

After losing his first five decisions, Broglio completed the 1959 season at 7-12 with a 4.72 ERA. He was 7-9 in 25 starts and 0-3 in 10 relief appearances.

In six years (1959-64) with St. Louis, Broglio was 70-55, including seasons of 21 wins in 1960 and 18 wins in 1963.

When the Cardinals sent Broglio to the Cubs on June 15, 1964, in a deal involving Brock and others, most thought the transaction favored Chicago, but Broglio hurt his arm and went 7-19 with a 5.40 ERA in three years with the Cubs. Brock became a Hall of Fame player who broke stolen base records, achieved 3,000 hits and ignited the Cardinals to three pennants and two World Series titles.

Previously: Ernie Broglio built great home mark the hard way

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Why Bob Forsch didn’t end his career as a Cardinal

Posted in Pitchers, Trades on August 30, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Bob Forsch might have spent his entire playing career with the Cardinals if management had given him the opportunity. Instead, informed he wasn’t wanted, Forsch took the chance to extend his career with the Astros.

On Aug. 31, 1988, the Cardinals traded Forsch to the Astros for utility player Denny Walling.

Forsch was 9-4 with a 3.73 ERA for the 1988 Cardinals. A fan favorite, he ranked second among all Cardinals pitchers in career games started (401) and third in career wins (163).

In his book “Tales from the Cardinals Dugout,” Forsch said general manager Dal Maxvill called him while the team was in Atlanta and said he planned to trade him to the Astros.

Under baseball rules, Forsch, 38, could have blocked a trade because he was a player with five years of service with one team and 10 years in the majors.

The second-place Astros, chasing the Dodgers in the National League West, were pressing for a decision before midnight on Aug. 31, the last date a player could be acquired and still be eligible for the postseason.

Encouraging him to accept the trade, Maxvill told Forsch he wasn’t in the Cardinals’ plans for 1989. Forsch said he wasn’t ready to quit. When the Astros sweetened the deal by guaranteeing Forsch a contract for 1989, he agreed to the trade.

Maxvill played hardball

“It was better than what I was offered here,” Forsch said to Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “Maxvill made it pretty clear that I wouldn’t have a job here.

“I would have liked to have pitched here some more, but it didn’t look like it was going to work out … Maybe the decision would be easier if I felt they wanted me here.”

In his book, Forsch said manager Whitey Herzog told him he would have a chance to earn a spot with the Cardinals in 1989.

“(But) Dal told me, ‘Well, if you stay here (and reject the trade) you’re not going to pitch again,’ ” Forsch said. “When I heard that, I was a little shocked, to say the least.”

Maxvill said Forsch would be offered a job in the Cardinals organization if he didn’t pitch in 1989.

“Forschie has been great for the Cardinals for a lot of years,” Maxvill said. “He was a great teacher and a great person. We’re sorry to lose him, but I was happy to accommodate him and hopefully he’ll pitch next year.”

Tributes from teammates

A consistent winner and classy competitor, Forsch pitched two no-hitters and appeared in three World Series for the Cardinals. The right-hander produced 10 double-digit win seasons and was 163-127 in 15 years (1974-88) with the Cardinals.

Kevin Horrigan, sports editor of the Post-Dispatch, suggested the Cardinals should retire Forsch’s uniform number 31, but they didn’t. Shortstop Ozzie Smith called Forsch “the consummate professional.” Center fielder Willie McGee said Forsch is “a great person, a great leader and one of the best competitors I have ever played with in any place and at any level.”

Forsch said having former Cardinals coach Hal Lanier as Astros manager “made a lot of difference” in his decision to accept the trade. “I knew Hal real well and really liked him,” Forsch said.

Also, Ken Forsch, Bob’s older brother, pitched for the Astros from 1970-80.

Two days after Bob was dealt to the Astros, the Cardinals were in Houston to begin a three-game series.

When Cardinals broadcaster Jack Buck entered the Astros clubhouse, Forsch asked, “How do I look in blue?”

Replied Buck: “Like your brother.”

Previously: Forsch vs. Forsch: Bob had edge in brotherly matchup

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Why Whitey Herzog saw Pedro Guerrero like Lana Turner

Posted in Hitters, Managers, Pitchers, Trades on August 16, 2013| Leave a Comment »

In the summer of 1988, some looked at Pedro Guerrero and saw a first baseman who was a defensive liability, a star diminished by injuries and a perceived lack of desire.

Whitey Herzog looked at Guerrero and saw Lana Turner.

On Aug. 16, 1988, the Cardinals, desperate to bolster a pop-gun attack, traded pitcher John Tudor to the Dodgers for Guerrero.

Because Guerrero had tendinitis in both knees and had spent most of June and July on the disabled list while recovering from a pinched nerve in his neck, some questioned whether the Cardinals had acquired damaged goods.

Responding to Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about those concerns, Herzog, the Cardinals’ manager, said of Guerrero, “His lower body isn’t the best in the world. His upper body looks like Charlie Atlas and his lower body probably looks like Lana Turner.”

Fortunately for the Cardinals, Guerrero could hit better than Turner, the long-legged actress of the 1940s and ’50s who played sultry roles in films such as “The Postman Always Rings Twice” and “Peyton Place.”

At the time of the trade, critics, such as columnist Scott Ostler of the Los Angeles Times, saw Guerrero as a one-dimensional player.

Wrote Ostler: “When Guerrero isn’t hitting home runs and doubles _ which he hasn’t been doing much of lately _ he hurts you more ways than he helps you. Defense, for instance … The most you can say is that Guerrero sometimes makes the routine plays.”

The next Jack Clark

The Cardinals, though, needed a run-producer and they saw Guerrero as one of their best options. “He’s one of the few hitters in baseball who fits our need,” Herzog said. “He’s an impact player, like Jack Clark.”

St. Louis had tried to replace Clark _ who, as a free agent, departed the Cardinals for the Yankees after the 1987 season _ with Bob Horner, but that didn’t work. With the Cardinals out of contention by August 1988, management devised a plan for how to boost the team’s offense.

They decided to pursue during the impending off-season a pair of players who appeared headed toward free agency: Guerrero and Tim Raines of the Expos.

Guerrero was eligible to become a free agent after the 1988 season and the Dodgers expressed little interest in keeping him. Meanwhile, it widely was anticipated an arbitrator would declare Raines a free agent after ruling that team owners had colluded to limit offers to him when he first became eligible for free agency in November 1986.

Two factors caused the Cardinals to change those plans. First, word leaked that Raines was preparing to accept a three-year contract extension from the Expos. Also, there was speculation the Dodgers might trade Guerrero to the Phillies if they could get left-handed pitcher Don Carman in return.

Dodgers want Tudor

Concerned they might miss out on both Guerrero and Raines, the Cardinals pursued trade talks with the Dodgers. Seeking a left-handed starter to replace the injured Fernando Valenzuela, the Dodgers wanted Tudor, who was the National League leader in ERA at 2.29.

Cardinals general manager Dal Maxvill asked Herzog who he would want in return.

Said Herzog: “There’s only one guy I’d consider trading (Tudor) for.”

Guerrero.

The Cardinals agreed to a deal under one condition: Guerrero would have to accept a contract extension and relinquish his right to become a free agent that winter. Guerrero agreed and got an extension for three seasons at $6.2 million, including a $400,000 bonus, the Los Angeles Times reported.

“Basically, it’s a premier pitcher for a premier hitter,” Herzog said to the Associated Press.

Guerrero, 32, batted .298, with a .374 on-base percentage, in 59 games for the 1988 Dodgers.

Maxvill called Guerrero “an everyday player with outstanding run-producing potential.”

Said Cardinals pitcher Bob Forsch: “If he comes over and wants to play, he can help.”

Guerrero told the Associated Press, “I never thought I’d be a Cardinal. But now I’m here and I’m very happy … I always wanted a chance to play for Whitey.”

Tudor, 34, was going from an also-ran to a contender. He was a key starter for the Cardinals’ pennant-winning teams in 1985 and 1987. “I’ve enjoyed my time here,” Tudor said. “The people have been great to me and, as far as I’m concerned, there are no better fans in the world.”

Tudor was 4-3 with a 2.41 ERA in nine starts for the 1988 Dodgers, who won the World Series championship that year. Injured most of 1989, Tudor became a free agent after that season and returned to the Cardinals in 1990.

Guerrero hit .268 with five home runs and 30 RBI in 44 games for the 1988 Cardinals. He was outstanding in 1989, hitting .311 with 42 doubles and 117 RBI for St. Louis. His on-base percentage that season was .391.

As a Cardinal from 1988 to 1992, Guererro produced 505 hits in 500 games, posting a .282 batting average and .348 on-base percentage, with 44 home runs.

Previously: Redbirds ripoff: How Bob Horner replaced Jack Clark

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