RetroSimba

Larry Jaster and his sparkling September with Cardinals

September 11, 2015 by retrosimba

With complete-game wins in his first three big-league starts, Larry Jaster transformed from a perceived disappointment to a promising starter for the Cardinals.

In September 1965, Jaster was called up to the Cardinals from Class AA Tulsa. The defending World Series champions were out of pennant contention and assessing how to reshape the roster for 1966.

Jaster, a left-hander, impressed the Cardinals and their opponents by showing command of his pitches, stamina, adaptability and the know-how to win.

Jaster, 21, had progressed significantly from spring training, when the Cardinals questioned his commitment to becoming a complete pitcher.

Bonus baby

In 1962, Jaster was a high school senior in Midland, Mich., with a reputation as a talented baseball pitcher and football quarterback. The Tigers were keen on signing him to a professional baseball contract. Duffy Daugherty, football coach at Michigan State, wanted Jaster for his program.

The Cardinals, on the recommendation of scout Mo Mozzali, made the best financial offer: a $50,000 signing bonus. Jaster accepted.

Jaster was underwhelming in his first three seasons in the Cardinals’ system, though he did reach the Class AAA level with Jacksonville in 1964.

At spring training in 1965, Jaster arrived 10 pounds overweight and didn’t pitch effectively enough. When the Cardinals reassigned him to the minor-league camp, Jaster was told by farm director Chief Bender to report to Class AA Tulsa rather than Class AAA Jacksonville.

Jaster objected angrily. “We really had it out,” Bender said to The Sporting News.

According to Bender, the argument included this exchange:

Jaster: “I might as well quit. Give me my release.”

Bender: “Give us back that big bonus and you can have your release.”

After conferring with his wife, Jaster reported to Tulsa. He started poorly, though, and his future with the Cardinals appeared shaky.

Career changer

Desperate to reverse his career spiral, Jaster accepted the guidance of Tulsa manager Vern Rapp and pitching coach Billy Muffett.

“I was told to concentrate on getting the off-speed pitches over the plate and I even surprised myself,” said Jaster, who developed consistent command of a curve and change-up.

When Bender visited Jaster at Tulsa in June 1965, “Larry admitted to me then that being sent to Tulsa was the best thing that ever happened to him,” the farm director said.

Jaster struck out 219 in 210 innings with Tulsa, earning 11 wins and posting a 3.09 ERA. That got him a September look from the Cardinals.

September sensation

On Sept. 17, 1965, Jaster made his big-league debut, pitching an inning of shutout relief for the Cardinals against the Dodgers at St. Louis. Boxscore

Five days later, on Sept. 22, manager Red Schoendienst started Jaster against the Astros in the Cardinals’ 1965 home finale. Jaster responded by pitching a complete-game four-hitter for his first big-league win in a 4-1 Cardinals victory. Boxscore

The Cardinals then embarked on a season-ending road trip to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston.

Pennant pressure

Jaster’s next start came on Sept. 28 against the Giants at Candlestick Park. The Giants and Dodgers entered the day tied for first place in the National League at 92-64, with six games remaining.

Admitting he was nervous to be starting a game with pennant implications, Jaster struck out the first two batters he faced, Jim Davenport and Willie McCovey, and that “helped my confidence,” he told the Associated Press.

Though he wasn’t as sharp as he was in his first start _ Jaster told the Oakland Tribune he was having trouble that night with his curve and change-up _ the rookie frustrated the Giants.

Jaster yielded 10 hits and walked two, but the Giants stranded 11 and the Cardinals prevailed, 9-1, on a complete-game win from the left-hander. Jaster also contributed a two-run single off reliever Dick Estelle, scoring Julian Javier and Tim McCarver.

Praise from Mays

The Giants’ run came on a home run by Willie Mays, his 51st of the season. It was a 410-foot blast to straightaway center field. It barely eluded a leaping Curt Flood, who got a hand on the ball as it sailed over the fence.

Jaster described the pitch hit by Mays as “a high fastball that I got too far over the plate.”

In the ninth, the Giants had two runners on base with two outs and Mays at the plate. Jaster retired Mays on a pop out to third baseman Ken Boyer.

“He’s going to be a good pitcher,” Mays said of Jaster. “He throws strikes and isn’t afraid to get the ball over.”

Said McCarver: “Larry wasn’t hitting the spots like he will, but that good, sneaky fastball was right where he wanted it.” Boxscore

The loss dropped the Giants a game behind the Dodgers, who beat the Reds, 2-1, in 12 innings that day. The Dodgers went on to clinch the pennant, finishing two games ahead of the Giants.

Good command

In his final start, on Oct. 2, in the Cardinals’ penultimate game of 1965, Jaster pitched a complete-game seven-hitter versus the Astros in a 6-3 St. Louis triumph. Houston led, 3-0, after three, but Jaster shut out the Astros over the final six innings. Boxscore

“I used to be a thrower,” said Jaster. “Now I can get the ball where I want it.”

Said Schoendienst: “He’s not overpowering, but he has a pretty good fastball and curve. Most important, he throws strikes. Any time you throw strikes, you have a chance.”

Jaster finished 3-0 with a 1.61 ERA for the 1965 Cardinals.

With the 1966 Cardinals, Jaster had his best season, posting an 11-5 record and 3.26 ERA, including five shutouts against the NL champion Dodgers.

In four years with the Cardinals, Jaster was 32-25 with a 3.17 ERA. He departed the Cardinals when chosen by the Expos in the expansion draft after the 1968 season.

Previously: Hot starts by Kyle Lohse remind Cards of Larry Jaster

Posted in Games, Opponents, Pitchers, Records | 1 Comment »

Rogers Hornsby grew up in a hurry with Cardinals

September 8, 2015 by retrosimba

Rogers Hornsby was a 19-year-old scrawny shortstop from Texas when he was promoted from the lowest levels of the minor leagues to the Cardinals.

Spurned by his teammates and intimidated by big-league cities, Hornsby seemed more outcast and misfit than elite prospect when he left the Class D Denison Railroaders of the Western Association and joined the Cardinals in Cincinnati on Sept. 3, 1915.

At 135 pounds, Hornsby appeared ill-equipped to handle power pitching in the big leagues. Cardinals manager Miller Huggins feared the rookie lacked the strength to generate enough bat speed.

Thus began the Cardinals career of the player who would develop into one of the all-time best hitters in the game.

Big break

Determined to become a professional ballplayer, Hornsby quit high school in Fort Worth and landed a spot with a minor-league club in Hugo, Okla. When the franchise folded, his contract was sold to the team in Denison, Texas.

During spring training in 1915, a Cardinals “B squad” club of prospects and reserves played an exhibition game against the Denison team.

In the book, “My War With Baseball,” Hornsby said, “It was my big break.”

Hornsby impressed Cardinals scout Bob Connery, who tracked the shortstop throughout the season.

The 1915 Cardinals were strapped for cash, especially after fighting the upstart Federal League’s efforts to woo players, and tended to seek inexpensive prospects from low-rung outposts rather than compete financially for top talent from the highest levels of the minor leagues.

Connery recommended Hornsby to the Cardinals. In August 1915, Roy Finley, president of the Denison team, agreed to sell Hornsby’s contract to the Cardinals for $600.

“They told me to meet the Cardinals in Cincinnati (where the club was playing the Reds on Sept. 3),” Hornsby said. “I had never been north before, let alone a big city like Cincinnati.”

Toughen up

When Hornsby arrived, he was a stranger to a team whose veterans saw him as a threat to take someone’s job.

“You didn’t have a bunch of coaches helping the rookies,” Hornsby said. “You had to scratch for everything you got. The veterans on the teams were so jealous of their jobs that most of them wouldn’t give you the time of day.”

In his first week with the Cardinals, Hornsby watched the games from the bench. He looked forward to batting practice, but sometimes was blocked by the veterans. When the club was in St. Louis, Connery was there and he pitched to Hornsby after games.

On Sept. 10, 1915, the Cardinals were playing the Reds at Robison Field in St. Louis. With the Reds ahead, 7-0, in the sixth, Huggins sent Hornsby into the game to replace shortstop Art Butler.

Hornsby went 0-for-2 against King Lear, who pitched a three-hitter in the Reds’ 7-1 victory. Boxscore

Huggins approached Hornsby after the game and said, “They throw a lot harder in the majors than Class D and you don’t have the strength to get the bat around. Try choking up on the bat.”

Fitting in

Hornsby followed his manager’s suggestion.

Four days later, on Sept. 14, Hornsby appeared in his third game, starting at shortstop and batting eighth against the Dodgers at St. Louis. Facing Rube Marquard (who, like Hornsby, would be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame), Hornsby got his first Cardinals hit, a single.

Hornsby was 2-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt in the game, a 6-2 Cardinals triumph. Boxscore

In 18 games with the 1915 Cardinals, Hornsby had 14 hits, batting .246.

Milking his chance

Before Hornsby went home to Texas for the winter, Huggins told him, “I think I’m going to have to farm you out for next year.”

In his book, Hornsby related, “I was just a country boy … so I took him at his word. I thought he meant a real farm and go to work. So I went down to my aunt and uncle’s farm at Lockhart, Texas, and went to work. I also drank all the milk I could and tried to put on some weight.”

When Hornsby reported to spring training in 1916, he was a strapping 160 pounds. Huggins told him to go back to gripping the bat at the knob. Hornsby performed so well Huggins kept him on the Opening Day roster and started him at shortstop before eventually shifting him to third base.

Hornsby was in the big leagues to stay. Second base became his primary position and hitting was his special skill.

Hornsby went on to win seven National League batting titles (six with the Cardinals). He twice won the Triple Crown (leading the league in batting average, home runs and RBI) and twice won the NL Most Valuable Player Award.

His .358 career batting average is best all-time for a right-handed batter and rates second overall to Ty Cobb’s .366.

Hornsby hit .359 with the Cardinals. He has the most career hits by a Cardinals right-handed batter (2,110). The only players with more hits as Cardinals are left-handers Stan Musial (3,630) and Lou Brock (2,713).

Previously: Rogers Hornsby tops Albert Pujols among Cards’ best

Previously: Rogers Hornsby raised bar for second basemen

Posted in Games, Hitters, Prospects | 1 Comment »

The story of Randy Flores and his most significant win

September 5, 2015 by retrosimba

(Updated Dec. 7, 2024)

Randy Flores was the winning pitcher in a Cardinals pennant clincher.

On Oct. 19, 2006, Flores pitched a flawless eighth inning, setting the stage for Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright to lift the Cardinals to a 3-1 win in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series versus the Mets at New York.

Nine years later, Flores, who earned an undergraduate degree in finance and a master’s degree in administration from the University of Southern California, played another prominent role for the Cardinals when he was chosen by general manager John Mozeliak to be scouting director, starting the job on Sept. 1, 2015.

Trusted by Tony

The winner-take-all game to determine the 2006 National League championship was as intense as a New York subway ride at rush hour. In the eighth inning, with the score tied at 1-1 and most of the 56,357 spectators howling for the Mets to take the lead, Cardinals starter Jeff Suppan walked leadoff batter Carlos Beltran.

Next up was Carlos Delgado, a left-handed slugger who’d been walked three times in the game by Suppan.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa replaced Suppan with Flores, a left-hander.

Delgado had hit three home runs against the Cardinals in the series.

Flores struck him out on a slider in the dirt.

Rough vs. righties

Another power hitter, David Wright, was up next. A right-handed batter, Wright had driven in the Mets’ run in the first with one of their two hits in the game against Suppan.

The matchup with Flores favored Wright. Right-handed batters hit .329 versus Flores during the season.

La Russa could have brought in a right-hander to face Wright, but he didn’t because Shawn Green, a left-handed batter, was on deck. Rookie Tyler Johnson was the lone remaining left-hander in the bullpen.

Preferring to stick with his veteran, La Russa gambled and let Flores face Wright.

Flores struck him out on a slider.

Complete the job

Beltran, who had 18 stolen bases during the season and one during the series, hadn’t budged off first base.

Like Delgado and Wright, Green had the proven ability to drive in Beltran with an extra-base hit. Acquired by the Mets from the Diamondbacks in August, Green had produced 31 doubles and 15 home runs during the season.

Flores got Green to ground out to first baseman Albert Pujols, ending the inning and emboldening the Cardinals with his shutdown performance.

In the ninth, Yadier Molina slammed a two-run home run off reliever Aaron Heilman _ “I was running, but I couldn’t feel my feet,” Molina told Sports Illustrated of his trek around the bases _ that gave the Cardinals a 3-1 lead and positioned Flores for the win.

Facing Adam Wainwright in the bottom of the ninth, the Mets loaded the bases with two outs before the rookie struck out Beltran on three pitches, the final one a jaw-dropping curve. Boxscore and Video at about 30-second mark

(Recalling that curve to Beltran, Wainwright said in an interview with the 2016 Cardinals Yearbook, “Before making that pitch, I said to myself that I was going to throw a backdoor breaking ball strike that painted the outside corner … When (the umpire) called it strike three, it was like, ‘Oh my gosh! It worked.’ Exactly what I wanted to happen had happened, and it was sheer elation and surprise.”)

Said Flores to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about earning the win: “The best moment possible, winning Game 7 of the NLCS _ unless you’re talking about Game 7 of the World Series.”

The win was the personal highlight of an outstanding 2006 postseason for Flores. Overall, he pitched 5.2 scoreless innings against the Padres, Mets and Tigers.

Signed by the Cardinals as a free agent in November 2003 after spending the season in the Rockies minor-league system, Flores played five years (2004-08) with St. Louis and was 9-2 with a 4.35 ERA and three saves in 237 appearances.

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Whitey Herzog outwitted Cardinals on Jim Bibby deal

September 2, 2015 by retrosimba

The 1970s was a decade when the Cardinals dealt a significant number of quality starting pitchers, most notably Steve Carlton, Jerry Reuss, Mike Torrez and Jim Bibby.

A 6-foot-5, 235-pound right-hander, Bibby possessed a fastball Whitey Herzog compared with Nolan Ryan’s.

Bibby, traded by the Cardinals to the Rangers on June 6, 1973, pitched a no-hitter for Texas against the Athletics on July 30, 1973. Boxscore

Herzog, manager of the 1973 Rangers, knew Bibby could be special. Bibby pitched in the Mets’ minor-league system when Herzog was their farm director. It was Herzog who encouraged the Rangers to acquire Bibby from St. Louis.

Career challenges

Bibby, 20, signed with the Mets as an amateur free agent in July 1965. The Mets assigned him to their rookie league club at Marion, Va. One of his teammates was another hard-throwing prospect, 18-year-old Nolan Ryan.

After the season, Bibby was drafted into the Army and his baseball career was put on hold. He spent 1966 and 1967 in the military, including a hitch in Vietnam.

When Bibby resumed his baseball career in 1968, Herzog was in his second year overseeing the Mets’ farm system as their director of player development. Over the next two years, Bibby progressed through that system. The Royals tried to trade for him in December 1969, but the Mets declined.

Bibby’s career hit a roadblock when he needed back surgery in 1970. The procedure required removing bone from his hip and attaching it to his spine to strengthen vertebrae. Bibby sat out the 1970 season, the third year in the last five he couldn’t play baseball.

“There were times during that recuperation period when I wondered if it was worth it,” Bibby told The Sporting News. “I thought maybe it just wasn’t meant for me to play baseball, that maybe I should quit and get into something else.”

Bibby persevered and returned in 1971. Herzog assigned him to Class AAA Tidewater and when Bibby’s record reached 14-2 at the end of July he awaited a promotion to the big leagues. “I wonder what more the Mets want me to do or show,” Bibby said. “I feel I’ve proved myself down here.”

Bibby finished 15-6 with a 4.04 ERA in 27 games for Tidewater. He struck out 150 in 176 innings but issued 109 walks.

Terrific at Tulsa

On Oct. 18, 1971, the Mets traded Bibby, pitchers Rich Folkers and Charlie Hudson and outfielder Art Shamsky to the Cardinals for pitchers Chuck Taylor and Harry Parker, outfielder Jim Beauchamp and infielder Chip Coulter.

The Sporting News reported it “came as no surprise” the Mets gave up on Bibby and added, “The big guy throws hard, but that’s about all.”

Bibby, 27, went to spring training in 1972 as a candidate for the No. 5 spot in the Cardinals’ rotation. The role instead went to Al Santorini and Bibby was sent to Class AAA Tulsa.

With his path to the big leagues stalled again, Bibby was becoming best known as the older brother of Henry Bibby, a starting guard for three national championship basketball teams under UCLA coach John Wooden.

At Tulsa, Jim Bibby started well, pitching a four-hit shutout on Opening Day.

In July, Bibby struck out 16 in each of two consecutive starts.

In 27 starts for Tulsa, Bibby was 13-9 with a 3.09 ERA, striking out 208 in 195 innings. He pitched 13 complete games and showed improved control, walking 76.

Winning debut

Bibby was promoted to the Cardinals in September 1972. He made his big-league debut on Labor Day, Sept. 4, getting the start and the win in the second game of a doubleheader against the Expos at St. Louis. Bibby gave up three runs in the first, including a two-run triple to former Cardinal Tim McCarver, followed by five consecutive scoreless innings before yielding another run in the sixth.

The Cardinals won, 8-7. Bibby’s line: 6.1 innings, 7 hits, 4 runs, 5 walks, 5 strikeouts. Boxscore

In six starts for the 1972 Cardinals, Bibby was 1-3 with a 3.35 ERA.

Command issues

At spring training in 1973, Bibby competed with Alan Foster, Mike Nagy and Santorini for the No. 5 spot in the rotation.

In the exhibition opener, a 4-0 Cardinals triumph over the Mets, Bibby displayed a “powder-river fastball,” The Sporting News reported.

Bibby and Nagy became the finalists for the last pitching spot on the Opening Day roster. Both had run out of minor-league options. The Cardinals chose Bibby, trading Nagy to the Rangers “because Bibby throws harder than Nagy,” The Sporting News reported.

Used sparingly, Bibby struggled with his command, walking 17 in 16 innings. In six appearances, including three starts, Bibby was 0-2 with a 9.56 ERA for the 1973 Cardinals.

Whitey’s wisdom

On June 6, 1973, the Cardinals dealt Bibby to the Rangers for Nagy and catcher John Wockenfuss. In two seasons with St. Louis, Bibby was a combined 1-5 with a 5.11 ERA.

Explaining the deal, Cardinals general manager Bing Devine said of Bibby, “There’s his age (28) and Whitey Herzog knows about him. Whitey said Bibby has a better arm than half his pitchers.”

Said Herzog: “What interested us about Bibby was the fastball. I’d say only Nolan Ryan throws consistently harder in this league. Since this is a breaking-ball league, we felt that if Bibby could get the ball over the plate, he might be successful.”

Herzog instructed Bibby to reduce his assortment of pitches, saying, “With your speed and your slider, you don’t need a curveball … Smoke. That’s your strength. Smoke! Use it.”

Following Herzog’s advice and getting the work he craved, Bibby pitched effectively. Red Sox slugger Carl Yastrzemski said of Bibby, “He’s faster than Vida Blue.”

Bibby at his best

On July 30, 1973, Bibby pitched his masterpiece, a no-hitter in a 6-0 Rangers victory at Oakland. Bibby struck out 13 and walked six.

In the ninth, Bibby issued a leadoff walk to Sal Bando, who swiped second. The next batter, Reggie Jackson, worked the count full. Bibby unleashed a fastball Jackson said he never saw for strike three.

“That last one was the best pitch I ever saw,” said Jackson. “Well, really, I didn’t see it. I heard it.”

Bibby retired Deron Johnson on a groundout and got Gene Tenace to pop out, completing the first Rangers no-hitter.

The next year, Bibby earned 19 wins for the 1974 Rangers.

In 12 years with the Cardinals, Rangers, Indians and Pirates, Bibby had a record of 111-101 with a 3.76 ERA. He made two starts for the Pirates in the 1979 World Series, including Game 7, and posted a 2.61 ERA. In 1980, he had 19 wins for the Pirates and was named an all-star.

In 1984, Bibby, 39, was in his second stint with the Rangers. They released him on June 1 and, eight days later, the Cardinals, managed by Herzog, gave him another chance.

The Cardinals assigned Bibby to Class AAA Louisville, which was managed by his former Rangers and Pirates teammate, Jim Fregosi.

Bibby made two relief appearances for Louisville and didn’t allow a run in five innings, though he walked six and gave up five hits. On July 1, the Cardinals released him. Nearly 20 years after he signed with the Mets, Bibby’s pitching career was done.

Previously: Cardinals, Texas deals: Jim Bibby to Fernando Tatis

Posted in Games, Pitchers, Trades | 2 Comments »

Bob Gibson and his final days with Cardinals

August 30, 2015 by retrosimba

In a span of three days, Bob Gibson experienced the emotional swing of being honored for his Cardinals achievements before ending his career on a downturn.

The Cardinals designated Sept. 1, 1975, as Bob Gibson Day. Gibson, 39, was feted in an hour-long ceremony before the Cubs played the Cardinals in front of 48,435 spectators on a Labor Day afternoon at St. Louis.

Two days later, Sept. 3, Gibson yielded a grand slam and took the loss in his final Cardinals appearance.

Nervous ace

Before reporting to spring training, Gibson had said 1975 would be his last year as a player. He began the season in the starting rotation but was shifted to the bullpen during the summer.

The Gibson Day event was an opportunity to salute the Cardinals’ all-time best pitcher. Gibson was the ace on 1960s Cardinals clubs that won three National League pennants and two World Series titles. He is the franchise’s career leader in wins (251), shutouts (56), strikeouts (3,117), complete games (255), innings pitched (3,884.1) and games started (482).

In a ceremony at home plate, the Cardinals declared Gibson’s uniform No. 45 would join the No. 6 of Stan Musial and the No. 17 of Dizzy Dean as the only numbers retired by the franchise. Club owner Gussie Busch presented Gibson with a $32,250 luxury motor home.

Gibson told onlookers, including former teammates Musial and Bill White, “I’m more nervous than I was before a World Series game.”

Then it was Gibson’s turn to address the crowd.

In the book “Gibson’s Last Stand,” author Doug Feldmann wrote, “At first, Gibson was too moved to speak when he approached the microphone down on the field. Several times he stepped toward it again, but had to pause with every attempt, as each standing ovation was louder than the one a moment earlier.”

When he was ready, Gibson told the crowd, “One thing that I’ve always been proud of is the fact that I’ve never intentionally cheated anyone out of what they paid their money to come and see. Most of all, I’m proud of the fact that whatever I did, I did it my way.”

Reflecting on his future as a retired player, Gibson said, “It’s going to be a new life, a strange life for me. I just hope I can be half as successful as I have been in baseball.”

To cap the festivities, Busch got behind the wheel of the motor home and drove Gibson, his mother and his two daughters around the perimeter of the field as the stadium organist played “Auld Lang Syne.” Said Busch to Gibson: “I bet you never had a chauffeur like this before.”

Inspired, the Cardinals went out and beat the Cubs, 6-3, behind Lou Brock (three hits, three steals, two runs) and the pitching of Bob Forsch and Al Hrabosky. The victory moved the second-place Cardinals to within three games of the Pirates in the NL East Division. Boxscore

Tough to take

On Sept. 3, in the finale of the series, the Cubs led, 6-1, before the Cardinals rallied for five runs in the sixth, tying the score at 6-6.

Sensing an opportunity to give his fading star another shot at glory, Cardinals manager Red Schoendienst called on Gibson to relieve starter Ron Reed and hold the Cubs in the seventh.

The move backfired.

The Cubs loaded the bases on a Champ Summers infield single and walks to Jose Cardenal and Andre Thornton. With two outs, Gibson uncorked a wild pitch and Gene Hiser, running for Summers, raced home from third, giving the Cubs a 7-6 lead. Gibson issued an intentional walk to Jerry Morales, reloading the bases.

Pete LaCock, a pinch-hitter, batted next. LaCock, who had lost the starting first base job to Thornton, was best-known as the son of game-show host Peter Marshall of “Hollywood Squares.”

With the count 3-and-2, LaCock stunned Gibson by drilling a fastball over the right-field wall for a home run _ the lone grand slam of his big-league career.

Dejected, Gibson retired the next batter, Don Kessinger, on a groundout and walked off the mound for the final time. Boxscore

“I had reached my absolute limit in humiliation,” Gibson said in his book “Stranger to the Game.” “I said to myself, ‘That’s it. I’m out of here.’ ”

Gibson remained idle while the Cardinals fell out of contention.

On Sept. 15, two weeks after his special day, Gibson said goodbye to his teammates and headed home with 10 games remaining in the season, knowing he’d never pitch again.

Previously: Bob Gibson and his final Opening Day with Cardinals

Previously: How Ron Reed replaced Bob Gibson in Cards rotation

Previously: How Bob Gibson achieved career win No. 250

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents, Pitchers | Leave a Comment »

Why the Cardinals traded Willie McGee to Athletics

August 27, 2015 by retrosimba

Unwilling to reward him sufficiently for being one of their key players of the 1980s, the Cardinals were prepared to let Willie McGee depart as a free agent after the 1990 season, but when the Athletics unexpectedly found themselves in need of a center fielder, the Cardinals suddenly were in position to deal.

On Aug. 29, 1990, the Cardinals traded McGee to the Athletics for outfielder Felix Jose, third baseman Stan Royer and minor-league pitcher Daryl Green.

The Cardinals had been resigned to receiving only a compensation pick in the amateur draft if, as expected, McGee had become a free agent and signed with another club.

General manager Dal Maxvill was delighted when his counterpart, Sandy Alderson of the Athletics, called and expressed interest in trading for McGee. Because McGee figured to become available as a free agent, Maxvill said he hadn’t been receiving attractive trade offers for him.

The Athletics, though, became motivated to deal when their center fielder, Dave Henderson, suffered a knee injury on Aug. 20 and went on the disabled list. Unsure how long Henderson would be sidelined but fearing it could be for the remainder of the season, the defending World Series champions didn’t want to jeopardize a chance at another title by lacking an experienced center fielder.

Right circumstance

Alderson said he and Maxvill talked for several days about a deal for McGee. The Cardinals wanted Jose. The Athletics were reluctant to trade him. Alderson described Jose as being “a powerful switch-hitter” with an “outstanding arm” and “excellent speed.” When Alderson relented, the Cardinals felt fortunate to receive such a prized prospect.

“I feel pretty good about it, really,” Maxvill said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “If we had to move McGee for whatever reasons, we did well. But it was circumstance _ Henderson’s injury _ more than any ability on my own.”

Said Cardinals manager Joe Torre: “We made out very well rather than (McGee) walking off and us getting a draft choice.”

Added Alderson: “With the injury to Henderson, we really looked at the short term rather than the long term potential for us.”

Being a switch hitter added to the Athletics’ interest in McGee. Anticipating they would face the Red Sox and their right-handed aces, Roger Clemens and Mike Boddicker, in the American League Championship Series, the Athletics wanted hitters who could bat left-handed. On the same day they acquired McGee, the Athletics also got Harold Baines, a designated hitter and left-handed batter, from the Rangers.

Athletics manager Tony La Russa told the Los Angeles Times, “Felix Jose has done a fine job for us … but if anyone thinks he gave us a better chance to win than Willie McGee does, I’d have to question that judgment.”

Location added to the appeal of the trade. McGee was born in San Francisco, went to high school in Richmond (10 miles north of Oakland) and had a house about a 25-minute drive from Oakland Coliseum.

“I just didn’t want to trade him to some city just for the heck of it,” Maxvill said. “I made an effort to get him back home to Oakland.”

Said McGee: “If I had any place to go, that was it.”

Late-night goodbye

McGee, 31, was a four-time all-star and fan favorite who had played a central role in the Cardinals winning three National League pennants and a World Series championship in the 1980s. He won the NL Most Valuable Player Award and a batting title in 1985.

After the 1987 season, McGee signed a three-year, $4.1 million contract. With that deal about to expire after the 1990 season, McGee was seeking a contract from the Cardinals for three years and $9 million. The Cardinals, though, were offering no more than $7 million for three years, according to Rick Hummel of the Post-Dispatch.

Maxvill conceded that the Cardinals were unlikely to sign McGee. They had a prospect, Ray Lankford, ready to take over in center field.

After the Cardinals beat the Reds in Cincinnati on Aug. 29, they were preparing to leave the ballpark about 1 a.m. and go to the airport for a flight to Atlanta when McGee, walking in a tunnel at Riverfront Stadium, was approached by Torre and informed of the trade.

McGee, with a smile and with tears welling in his eyes, told Hummel, “I just appreciated the opportunity to play in St. Louis. There were some of the best people and some of the best managers there.” He added that playing for the Cardinals since 1982 had been “a beautiful nine years of my life.”

McGee’s departure left shortstop Ozzie Smith as the lone remaining Cardinals player from their 1982 World Series championship team.

Saying he and McGee “were like brothers,” Smith added, “It’s a sad ending to a great time in baseball history for St. Louis.”

Batting champ

McGee hit .335 in 125 games for the 1990 Cardinals. He ranked second in the NL in batting at the time of the trade. At the end of the season, McGee had the best batting average in the NL and was declared the league’s batting champion because he had 542 plate appearances with the 1990 Cardinals, exceeding the requisite number (502) needed to qualify for the title.

McGee hit .274 in 29 games for the Athletics. With 31 hits for Oakland and 168 for St. Louis, McGee led the major leagues in hits in 1990, with a total of 199.

After the season, McGee became a free agent and signed with the Giants for four years and $13 million. After stints with the Giants and Red Sox, McGee, again a free agent, returned to the Cardinals for the 1996 season and was reunited with La Russa. McGee’s second stint with St. Louis lasted four years. He retired after the 1999 season.

Jose was the Cardinals’ starting right fielder in 1991 and 1992. He batted .298 overall for St. Louis, with an on-base percentage of .352. The Cardinals traded him to the Royals in the deal that brought them first baseman Gregg Jefferies.

Royer hit .258 in parts of four seasons (1991-94) with the Cardinals. Green pitched in the Cardinals’ farm system in 1991 and never reached the big leagues.

Previously: Five fabulous facts about Willie McGee

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