Cardinals general manager Dal Maxvill dealt for Gregg Jefferies, believing the error-prone third baseman could transform into a first baseman and provide consistent hitting.
On Feb. 22, 1993, the Cardinals acquired Jefferies and outfielder Ed Gerald from the Royals for outfielder Felix Jose and infielder Craig Wilson.
Jefferies, who made 26 errors at third base for the 1992 Royals and never played first base in the major leagues, was tabbed to replace departed free agent Andres Galarraga.
Seeking contact
The deal was made because the Cardinals were looking to cut down on the number of runners stranded in scoring position. Jose, who usually batted third or fourth, too often stranded a runner at third base with less than two outs because of his inability to make contact consistently. “That killed us more than anything last year,” Cardinals manager Joe Torre said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Jefferies struck out a mere 29 times in 604 at-bats for the 1992 Royals and said he took pride in driving in runners from third by making contact.
“Having somebody with thunder in the lineup is going to help,” said Cardinals pitcher Bob Tewksbury. “It’s not thunder like Jack Clark, but (Jefferies) is going to hit the ball hard a lot.”
Said Torre: “Jefferies is a legitimate good hitter. Felix probably scared people more, but he would swing and miss too often.”
Jefferies never balked at learning to play first base and said, “I take as much pride in my defense as I do in my offense … It will be nice taking throws from (shortstop) Ozzie Smith. I can get used to that.”
Though Jefferies was 5 feet 10, short by most first baseman standards, Maxvill noted Steve Garvey, an all-star first baseman with the Dodgers and Padres, was the same height. “I don’t think that’s a factor,” Maxvill told the New York Times. “Most throws from infielders are in the dirt rather than high.”
Maxvill and Royals general manager Herk Robinson discussed a Jefferies-for-Jose deal at the 1992 winter meetings, but it wasn’t until Maxvill agreed to include Wilson that the deal was made shortly before the start of spring training.
“We feel he’s a more consistent and more disciplined hitter (than Jose),” Maxvill said of Jefferies. “… We think he can win a batting championship.”
Big numbers
The move paid off spectacularly.
Jefferies, 26, had a career year for the 1993 Cardinals, hitting .342 with 16 home runs, 83 RBI and 46 stolen bases. He committed only nine errors.
Jefferies placed third in the 1993 National League batting race, behind the Rockies’ Galarraga (.370) and the Padres’ Tony Gwynn (.358). Jefferies struck out 32 times in 612 plate appearances.
After hitting .325 for the Cardinals in strike-shortened 1994, Jefferies became a free agent and signed with the Phillies. In two years with the Cardinals, Jefferies had a .335 batting average and a .401 on-base percentage.
Freese, an infielder, hit 14 home runs as a Pirates rookie in 1955 and batted .283 for them in 1957.
In 31 appearances against the Cardinals for the Reds and Phillies from 1949-1956, Herm Wehmeier was 0-14 with a 4.89 ERA.
Only three players _ Frankie Frisch, Julian Javier and Tommy Herr _ have been the everyday second basemen on three Cardinals pennant winners. Javier started for the National League championship clubs of 1964, 1967 and 1968.
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