RetroSimba

Mark Worrell and his Cardinals clout

June 9, 2018 by retrosimba

(Updated April 19, 2019)

In his brief stint with the Cardinals, Mark Worrell provided a lasting impression with his hitting instead of his pitching.

On June 5, 2008, in the second game of a doubleheader between the Cardinals and Nationals in Washington, Worrell hit a three-run home run in his first major-league plate appearance.

Worrell, no relation to Cardinals reliever Todd Worrell, was regarded as a premier pitching prospect, but didn’t last long with St. Louis.

After four relief appearances for the 2008 Cardinals, Worrell was returned to the minors, got traded after the season and hurt his arm.

His place in franchise lore, though, was secured as one of 10 Cardinals to hit a home run in his first plate appearance in the major leagues.

The list:

_ Eddie Morgan, pinch-hitter, April 14, 1936, vs. Cubs.

_ Wally Moon, center fielder, April 13, 1954, vs. Cubs.

_ Keith McDonald, pinch-hitter, July 4, 2000, vs. Reds.

_ Chris Richard, left fielder, July 17, 2000, vs. Twins.

_ Gene Stechschulte, pinch-hitter, April 17, 2001, vs. Diamondbacks.

_ Hector Luna, second baseman, April 8, 2004, vs. Brewers.

_ Adam Wainwright, pitcher, May 24, 2006, vs. Giants.

_ Mark Worrell, pitcher, June 5, 2008, vs. Nationals.

_ Paul DeJong, pinch-hitter, May 28, 2017, vs. Rockies.

_ Lane Thomas, pinch-hitter, April 19, 2019, vs. Mets.

Climbing the ladder

Worrell, a starting pitcher at Florida International University, was selected by the Cardinals in the 12th round of the 2004 amateur baseball draft and established himself as a quality reliever. In 2005, Worrell played for Class A Palm Beach, led all minor leagues in saves with 35 and was named Cardinals minor-league pitcher of the year.

Worrell led the Texas League in saves, with 27 for Class AA Springfield in 2006, and he struck 66 batters in 67 innings for Class AAA Memphis in 2007.

In 21 games for Memphis in 2008, Worrell had a 1.88 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 24 innings before he was called up to the Cardinals.

Worrell had an unorthodox pitching motion. “As he begins his delivery, Worrell bends over and then springs up to throw sidearm while stepping almost toward first base,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

“In the end, his success is the ball on the edge and not the middle of the plate,” said Cardinals manager Tony La Russa.

Power pitcher

Worrell made his major-league debut on June 3, 2008, in the Cardinals’ first visit to Nationals Park and pitched a scoreless ninth inning in a 6-1 St. Louis victory. Boxscore

Two nights. later, Worrell made his second appearance when he relieved rookie starter Mike Parisi in the fifth. Parisi allowed eight runs in four innings and also got his first major-league hit, a two-run double against Nationals starter Tim Redding.

After Worrell pitched a scoreless fifth, the Cardinals batted in the sixth against Redding, looking to chip away at an 8-3 deficit. With runners on first and third, two outs, Worrell made his first major-league plate appearance and hit a 3-and-2 fastball from Redding into the left field stands for a three-run home run.

“Look at these pitchers! That’s a home run,” Nationals television broadcaster Bob Carpenter exclaimed as the ball carried over the fence. Video

“I let two different pitchers drive in five runs and a guy that had never swung a bat in the big leagues hit a three-run homer off me,” Redding said to the Washington Times. “Other than those two outcomes, I felt good.”

Worrell pitched a scoreless sixth and exited with the Nationals ahead, 8-6. The Cardinals rallied with two runs in the ninth to tie the score at 8-8 and went ahead, 9-8, with a run in the 10th, but the Nationals got a two-run home run from Elijah Dukes against Ryan Franklin in the bottom half of the inning and won, 10-9. Boxscore

Arm ailment

Worrell made his third appearance for the Cardinals on June 12 against the Reds and was the losing pitcher, yielding two runs in two-thirds of an inning. Boxscore

After one more appearance, in which he gave up three runs to the Phillies, Worrell was sent back to Memphis. His record in four games with the Cardinals was 0-1 with a 7.94 ERA, but his slugging percentage was 2.000.

On Dec. 4, 2008, the Cardinals traded Worrell and a player to be named to the Padres for shortstop Khalil Greene. Three months later, the Cardinals sent the Padres pitcher Luke Gregerson to complete the deal.

At spring training with the Padres in 2009, Worrell injured his right elbow and needed reconstructive surgery, sidelining him for the season.

Two years later, Worrell returned to the major leagues with the 2011 Orioles and yielded eight earned runs in two innings over four appearances for a 36.00 ERA.

In his last big-league appearance, on July 24, 2011, Worrell gave up a three-run home run to Mike Trout, the first in the big leagues for the Angels rookie. Trout, 19, became the first teen to hit a home run in the major leagues since 2007, according to the Los Angeles Times. Boxscore

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents, Pitchers | 2 Comments »

Joe Hoerner: Consistently good for 1968 Cardinals

June 6, 2018 by retrosimba

A closer for a rotation that often completed what it started, Joe Hoerner still served a valuable role for the 1968 National League champion Cardinals and supported the staff with a stellar season.

On June 1, 1968, Hoerner struck out six Mets in a row, tying the National League record for consecutive strikeouts by a reliever.

Hoerner went on to post an 8-2 record with 17 saves and a 1.47 ERA for the 1968 Cardinals. The left-hander ranked second in the National League in saves to the 25 by Phil Regan of the Cubs and his ERA was second on the club to the 1.12 achieved by Bob Gibson.

Led by Gibson’s 28, Cardinals starters pitched 63 complete games in 1968. Hoerner only was needed for 49 innings and he usually was effective, allowing no earned runs in 40 of his 47 appearances.

“Joe is almost as much of a machine out there as Bob Gibson,” Cardinals reliever Wayne Granger said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “He just goes out there and does the job time after time.”

Overcoming adversity

Hoerner, son of an Iowa farmer, made his professional baseball debut in the White Sox minor-league system in 1957. A year later, Hoerner was diagnosed with muscle weakness near his heart. Because any strain on the muscle impaired Hoerner’s circulation, doctors advised him to change his pitching delivery from overhand to sidearm.

“I took four pills a day for a long time to strengthen the muscle, but I haven’t been bothered since then,” Hoerner told the Post-Dispatch in 1968.

Hoerner, 26, made his major-league debut in September 1963 with the Houston Colt .45s. The Cardinals acquired him in November 1965 and he pitched for them in 1966 (5-1 record, 13 saves,1.54 ERA) and 1967 (4-4, 14 saves, 2.59 ERA).

After the Cardinals won Game 7 of the 1967 World Series against the Red Sox, Hoerner was celebrating with his teammates in the locker room at Boston’s Fenway Park when a champagne bottle he was holding exploded, severing a tendon in the middle finger of his pitching hand.

“If we win many more pennants, my fingers won’t stand it,” Hoerner said.

Tough to hit

Hoerner recovered from the injury and yielded no runs in his first nine appearances in 1968.

On June 1, the Cardinals played the Mets at Shea Stadium in New York. The Mets led, 4-1, before the Cardinals rallied for three runs in the seventh against Nolan Ryan, tying the score at 4-4.

Hoerner, the third Cardinals pitcher of the game, was brought in to pitch the seventh and retired the Mets in order. The Cardinals took the lead, 5-4, with a run in the eighth, but the Mets tied the score on Ed Charles’ pinch-hit home run in the bottom half of the inning.

In the ninth, Hoerner struck out Al Weis, Ron Swoboda and Don Bosch. After Mike Shannon hit a home run against Cal Koonce in the 10th, putting the Cardinals ahead, 6-5, Hoerner struck out Greg Goossen, Jerry Buchek and Jerry Grote, sealing the win. Boxscore

Hoerner’s six consecutive strikeouts came against right-handed batters.

Hoerner was effectively consistent during the 1968 season. He was 4-1 with a 1.05 ERA in home games and 4-1 with a 1.93 ERA in away games. Left-handed batters hit .189 against him and right-handed batters hit .194.

In the 1968 World Series against the Tigers, Hoerner earned a save in Game 3 with 3.2 scoreless innings in relief of Ray Washburn boxscore and was the losing pitcher in Game 5 when he faced four batters, retired none and was charged with two runs. Boxscore

Hoerner and Cardinals teammate Dal Maxvill owned a successful travel agency in St. Louis for several years.

Posted in Games, Pitchers, Records | 4 Comments »

How Cardinals made pitch to sign Mike Shannon

June 3, 2018 by retrosimba

(Updated July 15, 2020)

When the time came for Mike Shannon to choose a career path in either baseball or football, it put Bing Devine and Dan Devine at odds with one another.

On June 11, 1958, Shannon passed on a football future at the University of Missouri and signed a professional baseball contract with the Cardinals.

Missouri head coach Dan Devine was upset with the Cardinals and their general manager, Bing Devine, for taking a gifted quarterback away from college football.

“I’m bitterly disappointed and disillusioned by the mechanics of the signing for reasons I don’t want to discuss publicly,” Dan Devine said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The next day, Bing Devine called Dan Devine to discuss the matter and the conversation ended on “an amicable note,” the Post-Dispatch reported.

Cardinals courtship

Thomas Michael Shannon, called Mike, was born in St. Louis on July 15, 1939. His father, Tom, was a police officer who earned a law degree and became a prosecuting attorney for the city of St. Louis.

Mike Shannon was a multi-sport athlete at Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis. He was the quarterback on the football team and his running back was Dick Musial, son of the Cardinals’ Stan Musial.

In 1957, Shannon accepted a football scholarship to the University of Missouri from head coach Frank Broyles. At that time, freshmen weren’t eligible to play for the varsity. After the 1957 season, Broyles left Missouri for Arkansas, and Dan Devine replaced him.

Shannon played quarterback in Missouri’s intrasquad spring game in April 1958 and threw a 23-yard touchdown pass. Dan Devine had big plans for Shannon in his sophomore season.

When Shannon returned home to St. Louis for the summer, he joined a baseball team in the Ban Johnson League for top amateurs. The hometown Cardinals were well aware of Shannon since his high school days and kept track of him.

On June 8, 1958, a part-time Cardinals scout, George Hasser, watched Shannon in a game at Heman Park in St. Louis and filed a glowing report to full-time Cardinals scout Joe Monahan.

The next night, Monahan, Hasser and Cardinals farm director Walter Shannon (no relation) went to see Mike Shannon play in a game at Scott Air Base. He worked out for the Cardinals at Busch Stadium on June 10. The next day, Shannon signed a $50,000 contract with them.

Years later, Shannon told the Post-Dispatch, “Back then, there wasn’t any money in football. If there would have been, I would have stayed with football. I enjoyed it at Mizzou and I would have played three years there. I think I had a lot more ability as a football player than a baseball player.”

Special talent

Before the deal was announced, Bing Devine called Missouri athletic director Don Faurot to inform him Shannon wouldn’t be returning to school. “I told Don that I know Missouri can’t score touchdowns with our expressions of regret, but baseball is our business,” Bing Devine told the Post-Dispatch.

Missouri athletic staff were stung by baseball’s ability to lure athletes away from the school before their eligibility expired. Shannon was the second football player to leave Missouri and sign with the baseball Cardinals in 1958. Running back Charlie James was the other. Also, soon after Shannon turned pro, Missouri basketball player Sonny Siebert signed a baseball contract with the Indians.

Dan Devine said Shannon had “the greatest potential of any back we had on our squad … He showed me more ability in the spring than any kid I ever worked with … Potentially one of the greatest.”

Dan Devine and Bing Devine were not related, but Dan caustically referred to “cousin Bing” when talking to Missouri booster groups about how the Cardinals wooed Shannon.

St. Louis broadcaster Jay Randolph said years later he asked Frank Broyles about Shannon and the coach replied, “If he had stayed in school, he may have won the Heisman Trophy” as college football’s best player, the Post-Dispatch reported.

Shannon, who turned 19 a month after signing with the Cardinals, was assigned to their Class D minor-league team in Albany, Ga., in June 1958 and batted .322 with 54 RBI in 62 games as an outfielder.

In February 1959, Shannon married Judith Ann Bufe and they began a family.

Shannon spent four more seasons (1959-62) in the minor leagues until getting promoted to the Cardinals in September 1962. He was an outfielder and third baseman for them until a kidney ailment caused him to quit playing in August 1970. In 21 games in three World Series with the Cardinals, Shannon produced 19 hits, including three home runs.

In 1972, Shannon began a successful second career as a Cardinals broadcaster.

Two of Shannon’s sons, Tim Shannon and Michael Shannon, followed in their father Mike’s football footsteps. Tim played for the University of Southern California and Michael played for Indiana State.

Posted in Hitters, Prospects | 8 Comments »

How J.D. Drew found a home with Cardinals

May 31, 2018 by retrosimba

Confident in their ability to get a deal done, the Cardinals made a bold decision to pursue outfielder J.D. Drew.

On June 2, 1998, the Cardinals, with the fifth overall pick, chose Drew in the first round of baseball’s draft.

Drew was a top talent but his hardball contract demands made him a risky selection. The Phillies drafted him in 1997 with the second overall pick of the first round, but were unable to sign him.

The Cardinals, though, made him their prime draft target in 1998.

“He may be the best player to come out of the last two drafts,” Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “He has a chance to be a franchise player.”

Phooey on Philly

While at Florida State in 1997, Drew won the Golden Spikes Award given to the nation’s best amateur baseball player. Drew became the third NCAA Division I player all-time to produce 100 hits, 100 RBI and 100 runs in a season.

After the Tigers chose pitcher Matt Anderson with the first pick of the 1997 June draft, the Phillies took Drew. Represented by agent Scott Boras, Drew wanted $10 million to sign. The Phillies offered $2.6 million. When the sides couldn’t reach a compromise, Drew signed with the St. Paul Saints, an independent team. Drew batted .341 in 44 games for St. Paul in 1997.

Drew’s rejection of the Phillies “made him about as popular locally as road construction on I-95,” wrote Paul Hagen of the Philadelphia Daily News.

In 1998, Drew returned to St. Paul. Because he hadn’t played for a team affiliated with organized baseball, Drew was able to re-enter the June draft. Giving no indication he’d concede on his contract demands, most teams determined using a high pick on Drew was a gamble.

The first four picks of the 1998 draft were outfielder Pat Burrell to the Phillies, pitcher Mark Mulder to the Athletics, outfielder Corey Patterson to the Cubs and pitcher Jeff Austin to the Royals.

Go for it

The Cardinals were delighted Drew was available when it became their turn to pick. Scouting director Ed Creech watched Drew play for St. Paul and recommended the Cardinals sign him.

“Drew was the No. 1 guy on our draft board,” Jocketty said. “We know he might be tough to sign, but we feel we’ve got a lot to sell here in St. Louis.”

Said manager Tony La Russa: “It’s an aggressive call.”

Unimpressed, Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz wrote, “If the Cardinals don’t sign No. 1 draft choice J.D. Drew, that’s their problem, and their fault, and I’ll have no sympathy. The Cardinals know Drew’s holdout history. They know Drew’s financial demands. They know his agent, Scott Boras. Let the buyer beware.”

Boras was an infielder in the Cardinals’ minor-league system in the 1970s before becoming an agent for players. Among his clients was Rick Ankiel. In 1997, Ankiel was considered the best left-handed high school pitcher in the draft, but he wasn’t chosen in the first round because it was believed he wanted between $5 million and $10 million to sign. The Cardinals snatched him in the second round and negotiated with Boras on a deal Ankiel signed for $2.5 million.

The Cardinals and Boras had setbacks as well. In February 1998, Andy Benes, who wanted to stay in St. Louis, was declared a free agent and went to the Diamondbacks after Jocketty and Boras failed to reach a timely contract agreement for the pitcher.

Risk rewarded

On July 3, a month after he was drafted, Drew, 22, signed a four-year contract with the Cardinals for a guaranteed $7 million. The deal included incentive clauses that positioned Drew to net an additional $2 million.

“I believe this organization has unique insight on talent,” Boras said. “The decisions they make are not conventional, but you win in this game by being unconventional.”

Said Jocketty: “We take risks because we have a high regard for talent.”

In Philadelphia, Drew’s signing was mocked and criticized. “This signing is going to have a negative effect on the industry,” Phillies general manager Ed Wade said to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Labeling Boras as the “sports world’s top-ranked terrorist,” Inquirer columnist Jayson Stark snarked, “So, the great J.D. Drew got his money. Yippee for him.”

Looking ahead to when the Cardinals and Phillies would play in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Daily News declared, “Here’s an idea for the Phillies’ promotions department: Boo Drew Night.”

Said Drew: “I hope once everyone gets to know me as a person and as a player, they will accept me for what I am.”

Hot start

The Cardinals assigned Drew to their Class AA club in Arkansas. In his first game, he singled and doubled. In his second game, he hit two home runs.

After batting .328 in 19 games for Arkansas, Drew was promoted to Class AAA Memphis and hit .316 in 26 games.

In September 1998, the Cardinals called up Drew to the big leagues and he batted .417 (15-for-36) with five home runs.

The dazzling start heightened expectations to dizzying heights and Drew strained to deliver. Albert Pujols, not Drew, developed into the Cardinals’ franchise player.

In six seasons with St. Louis, Drew batted .282 and had an on-base percentage of .377. His best year for the Cardinals was 2001 when he hit .323 with 27 home runs in 109 games.

On Dec. 13, 2003, the Cardinals dealt Drew to the Braves for pitchers Adam Wainwright, Jason Marquis and Ray King.

Posted in Hitters, Prospects | 4 Comments »

Why Cardinals could gamble on Brian Jordan

May 28, 2018 by retrosimba

The departure of Jack Clark enabled the Cardinals to take a chance on Brian Jordan.

On June 1, 1988, the Cardinals chose Jordan with a supplemental pick between the first and second rounds of baseball’s amateur draft. Jordan was a junior at the University of Richmond and excelled there at football and baseball.

Though Jordan was an intriguing talent as an outfielder, there was a genuine risk he would pursue a full-time career in professional football. The Cardinals, however, were in a position to take that risk because they had three picks among the top 30 in the draft.

When Clark, their top slugger, became a free agent and signed with the Yankees after the 1987 World Series, baseball’s basic agreement with the players’ union required the Cardinals to be compensated with two additional draft picks _ one in the first round and another in the supplemental round.

Using the Yankees’ first-round pick, the 22nd overall, as compensation for Clark, the Cardinals took University of Illinois pitcher John Ericks. With their first-round pick, the 23rd overall, the Cardinals got Virginia Tech pitcher Brad Duvall.

After 26 players were drafted in the first round, four supplemental selections were made before the start of the second round. The Indians, Orioles and Giants selected before the Cardinals, with the 30th overall pick of the draft, took Jordan.

Oh, Canada

The selection of Jordan received little public notice. Instead, the headlines went to the Cardinals’ first-round picks, Ericks and Duvall. Ericks struck out 108 in 87.1 innings as a junior at Illinois. Duvall, a Virginia Tech senior, was touted by Cardinals director of scouting Fred McAlister as “kind of a country boy who brings it. You should see him pitch,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

On June 28, 1988, Jordan still hadn’t signed and the Post-Dispatch speculated he “may return to Richmond to play football” rather than play in the Cardinals’ system. A week later, on July 7, more than a month after he was drafted, Jordan signed with the Cardinals after it was agreed he could play football at Richmond his senior season.

The Cardinals dispatched Jordan to their Class A farm club in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and he got into 19 games, batting .310. After bruising a bone in his right foot, he returned to school.

Jordan had a solid senior season for Richmond’s football team, got invited to play in the Senior Bowl and suffered an ankle injury. The Buffalo Bills selected him in the seventh round of the 1989 NFL draft.

Sidelined by the injured ankle, Jordan was limited to playing in 11 games for the Cardinals’ Class A St. Petersburg affiliate in 1989 before he reported to Bills training camp in July.

Hanifan helps

The Bills waived Jordan on Sept. 4, 1989, and he was signed by the Atlanta Falcons the next day. On Sept. 9, the Falcons placed Jordan, a defensive back, on injured reserve because of a broken foot.

After the Falcons lost nine of their first 12 games in 1989, head coach Marion Campbell resigned and an assistant, Jim Hanifan, was named interim head coach. Hanifan was head coach of the NFL St. Louis Cardinals from 1980-85.

One of Hanifan’s first moves after replacing Campbell was to place Jordan on the active roster. Jordan made his NFL debut on Dec. 3, 1989, against the defending Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers. Hanifan gave him his first NFL start on Dec. 24 in the season finale against the Detroit Lions. Jordan lined up at strong safety and made three tackles.

Falcons vs. Cardinals

The Cardinals, eager to evaluate Jordan on the diamond, invited him to their major-league spring training camp in 1990. Liking what they saw, they assigned him to their Class AA Arkansas club to start the 1990 season.

“This is going to be a big year for him,” said Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog. “If he does well in Double-A, then he’s going to have to decide between the two sports.”

Jordan’s baseball season, however, was a bust. He batted .160 in 16 games for Arkansas and injured his right wrist in May. After a stint on the disabled list, Jordan was sent to Class A St. Petersburg. He played in nine games, batted .167 and was sidelined for the remainder of the season when it was discovered he’d broken a bone in his wrist.

Jordan reported to training camp with the 1990 Falcons, who hired Jerry Glanville as head coach, earned a starting job and played in all 16 regular-season games, intercepting three passes.

The Cardinals again invited Jordan to their major-league spring training camp in 1991, though general manager Dal Maxvill openly wondered whether football was gaining the upper hand.

“He’s making more money with them (Falcons) now,” Maxvill said. “Obviously, we’re trying to get as good a look as possible. Hopefully, he’ll have some success and develop a real love for (baseball) because I can see him very shortly, if he’s in the $400,000 to $500,000 range, saying, ‘I’m going to pass on baseball.’ ”

Let’s make a deal

The Cardinals sent Jordan, 24, to their top farm club, Class AAA Louisville, to start the 1991 season. He batted .264 in 61 games before reporting to Falcons training camp.

Jordan was a starter for the 1991 Falcons, played in all 16 games and had two interceptions.

When he went to spring training in 1992, Jordan hoped to earn a spot on the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster. Instead, he was sent to Louisville, but, soon after the season opened, Cardinals outfielder Felix Jose and first baseman Andres Galarraga got injured and Jordan was called up to St. Louis.

After batting .281 in May, the Cardinals gave Jordan a $2.3 million three-year contract, with the stipulation he quit playing football.

With his NFL career ended, Jordan went on to play seven seasons for St. Louis and batted .291. His best St. Louis seasons were 1996 (.310, 104 RBI) and 1998 (.316, 25 home runs, 91 RBI).

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments »

Why Cardinals made big investment in Ray Sadecki

May 25, 2018 by retrosimba

(Updated Dec. 24, 2018)

At 17, Ray Sadecki threw with as much velocity as anyone on the Cardinals’ major-league pitching staff.

An amateur free agent, Sadecki was pursued by most big-league teams. Cardinals scout Runt Marr, who followed Sadecki for two years, recommended the club invest in the left-handed pitcher from Kansas City, Kansas.

On June 1, 1958, Sadecki signed with the Cardinals for a bonus of $50,000 and a three-year contract totaling another $18,000.

High interest

Sadecki was an exceptional prospect. At 16, he pitched four no-hitters, two in high school and two in summer league games. In his senior year at Ward High School, Sadecki was 9-0 and pitched another no-hitter. Marr said Sadecki averaged two strikeouts per inning over two high school seasons and twice struck out 21 batters in seven-inning games.

At the state high school baseball tournament at Eldorado, Kansas, in 1958, 12 of the 16 major-league teams sent scouts to watch Sadecki. Marr was joined by Cardinals minor-league director Walter Shannon. They saw Sadecki win the state championship game, capping a 17-0 season for Ward High School.

After graduating, Sadecki met with representatives from the Athletics, Pirates and Yankees. He worked out for the Orioles in Kansas City and went to Cleveland to throw for the Indians, who offered a $50,000 bonus. Sadecki returned home briefly before heading to St. Louis for a workout with the Cardinals.

Frank Sadecki, Ray’s father, asked bidders for a “$55,000 trust fund or insurance type deal that would provide a salary for life,” United Press International reported.

Hard thrower

The Cardinals announced Sadecki’s signing while he was pitching on the sidelines in a workout at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

In his book “October 1964,” author David Halberstam wrote, “Frank Sadecki, an immigrant’s son who had not been permitted to play baseball by his father, took the $10,000 check for the first part of the bonus and showed it to his own father. The old man looked at it and broke into tears of both pleasure and anguish; the boy, he said, is making that much money just for playing a game, while he had had to work so hard all his life for so much less.”

Cardinals manager Fred Hutchinson, who pitched 10 years in the big leagues, compared Sadecki with Cardinals ace Sam Jones, who led the National League in strikeouts in 1958.

“He’s very smooth,” Hutchinson told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “We won’t have to do a thing with his delivery. We’ll have to develop a curveball. He throws as hard as Sam Jones does.”

In The Sporting News, Bob Broeg wrote Sadecki “has the potential of developing into one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in the game.”

After receiving mentoring from Cardinals pitching coach Al Hollingsworth in St. Louis, Sadecki was assigned to their farm club in Winnipeg.

Wild thing

Sadecki “felt some resentment from career minor-league players because he’d made so much money before he’d even thrown his first pitch,” Halberstam wrote.

On June 19, 1958, Sadecki made his pro debut, pitching a four-hitter in a win against St. Cloud. He struck out 11, walked 10 and hit a two-run home run.

Games with high totals of strikeouts and walks were commonplace for Sadecki in 1958. On July 21, he pitched a three-hitter in a win over Duluth-Superior, striking out 14 and walking 11. Facing Minot on July 29, Sadecki won a four-hitter, striking out 13 and walking nine.

Sadecki finished the 1958 season with a 9-7 record, 3.34 ERA and 11 complete games for Winnipeg. In 132 innings, he struck out 174 and walked 129.

Though he’d pitched a full schedule of high school and minor-league baseball that year, the Cardinals sent Sadecki to their Florida Instructional League for more work in October 1958.

On Oct. 15, in his debut for the Florida Instructional League Cardinals, Sadecki combined with teammates Roland Passaro and Jerry Lock on a no-hitter against the Athletics.

A month later, Cardinals pitching instructor Johnny Grodzicki said Sadecki “could be one of the game’s great left-handers. Control is his only problem.”

The Post-Dispatch called Sadecki “one of the best prospects, but he also is one of the wildest.”

VIPs impressed

On Dec. 6, with Cardinals general manager Bing Devine, manager Solly Hemus and talent evaluator Eddie Stanky in attendance, Sadecki pitched a no-hitter against the Florida Instructional League Yankees at St. Petersburg. Sadecki struck out 12, walked nine and hit a batter in a 3-0 victory.

“We won’t rush him no matter how good he looks … but we do believe that Sadecki, with his unusual speed and fine curve, can make it a quick trip to the majors,” Devine said.

Hemus, who had replaced Hutchinson as Cardinals manager, said Sadecki “throws hard and gets a lot of stuff on the ball for a boy of his age.”

Sadecki finished the Florida Instructional League season with a 5-3 record and 2.50 ERA. In 72 innings, he struck out 89, yielded 36 hits and averaged seven walks per game.

Soon after Sadecki turned 18 on Dec. 26, 1958, the Cardinals invited him to their 1959 major-league spring training camp.

Fast track

Cardinals pitching coach Howie Pollet liked what he saw from Sadecki at spring training. “We won’t try to change Sadecki’s delivery in any way,” Pollet said. “Whoever taught the boy taught him well. He has one of the finest basic, or fundamental, styles of pitching I’ve ever seen … Wherever Sadecki pitches the coming season, we’ll impress on his manager never to try to change the boy’s style. Just concentrate on having the boy practice spot control.”

In four innings pitched in Cardinals spring training games, Sadecki yielded no earned runs, two hits, two walks and struck out four.

Hemus said Sadecki “has the equipment to be a great pitcher.”

On March 26, 1959, the Cardinals sent Sadecki to their minor-league training camp at Daytona Beach, Fla., and he was assigned to Class AAA Omaha.

Sadecki was 13-9 with a 4.06 ERA for Omaha in 1959. He had 175 strikeouts and 145 walks in 193 innings.

In May 1960, Sadecki, 19, made his major-league debut with the Cardinals. He went on to earn 135 wins in 18 big-league seasons, including eight (1960-66 and 1975) with the Cardinals.

Sadecki was 68-64 for St. Louis and his best year was 1964 when he led the Cardinals in wins (20) during their run to a National League pennant. He also earned a win in Game 1 of the World Series against the Yankees.

Posted in Pitchers, Prospects | 17 Comments »

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