RetroSimba

Cards rookie Enos Slaughter set torrid extra-hit pace

May 14, 2012 by retrosimba

Discovered at a tryout camp in Greensboro, N.C., at age 18 in the autumn of 1934, Enos Slaughter made a rapid rise through the Cardinals’ system. From almost the first day Slaughter arrived at the Cardinals’ major-league spring training site in Daytona Beach, Fla., in 1938, manager Frankie Frisch deemed the rookie the starting right fielder.

Confident and talented, Slaughter collected an extra-base hit in each of his first five regular-season games for the 1938 Cardinals.

Slaughter, a left-handed batter, had an extra-base hit in each of five games against the Pirates and Cubs from April 19 through April 23 in 1938. Slaughter, who would turn 22 on April 27, had three doubles, a triple and a home run in that stretch, with a batting average of .435 and a slugging percentage of .783.

In a report about Slaughter in The Sporting News in May 1938, J. Roy Stockton wrote: “The farm system and the scouts can take pride in his development and point to him as a shining example of how rapidly a young man can advance in the club’s great organization if he has the stuff.”

Slaughter, a native of Roxboro, N.C., was a standout high school player. He attended the Cardinals’ tryout camp as a second baseman. He had trouble fielding grounders consistently, but displayed a strong arm, speed and hitting ability. The Cardinals signed Slaughter and converted him into an outfielder.

In his first professional season, 1935 at Class D Martinsville (Va.), Slaughter had 25 doubles, 11 triples and 18 home runs in 109 games. He went to Class B Columbus (Ga.) in 1936. Playing for manager Eddie Dyer, Slaughter hit .325 with 31 doubles and 20 triples in 151 games.

At Class AA Columbus (Ohio) in 1937, Slaughter put together a season that earned him his chance at the major-league roster the following year. Slaughter hit .382 and compiled a .609 slugging percentage, with 245 hits, 42 doubles, 13 triples and 26 home runs in 154 games.

While at Columbus, manager Burt Shotton gave Slaughter the nickname “Country.” Wrote The Sporting News: “It appealed to the youngster who loves the cows and chickens and the earth which his family has tilled through many generations.”

At spring training in 1938, Frisch was seeking a right fielder to replace Don Padgett, who hit .314 but committed 11 errors in 1937, and join an outfield of Joe Medwick in left and Terry Moore in center. Slaughter was the immediate choice.

“Enos hits to all fields, has made a goodly share of extra-base blows and has shown as strong a punch against left-handers as against the supposedly easier right-handers,” The Sporting News reported.

In his major-league debut, in the Cardinals’ 1938 opener at home against the Pirates on April 19, Slaughter, batting third, was 3-for-5 with a double, starting his extra-base streak. Boxscore

The next day, Slaughter hit his first big-league home run, a two-run shot in the ninth inning off Jim Tobin of the Pirates. Boxscore

The 1938 Cardinals lost their first three games and appeared headed to a fourth consecutive loss when they trailed the Cubs, 5-2, heading into the ninth inning at Chicago on April 22. Slaughter rescued the Cardinals, hitting a bases-loaded triple and scoring the winning run on an error, giving St. Louis a 6-5 victory. Boxscore

Asked to explain the difference between minor-league and big-league pitching, Slaughter replied, “It’s the better control that makes the pitchers harder to hit up here.”

Slaughter finished his rookie season with a .276 batting mark, .438 slugging percentage, 20 doubles, 10 triples and eight home runs.

He played 13 years for the Cardinals in a 19-season major-league career that earned him induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.

Previously: Hornsby, Musial, Slaughter, Brock all singled for hit No. 2,000

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Luis Arroyo was a pleasant surprise for Cardinals

May 11, 2012 by retrosimba

Luis Arroyo was the most unlikely of Cardinals pitchers to open a season with wins in each of his first six starts.

Arroyo, a rookie left-hander who barely made the 1955 Opening Day roster and nearly got knocked out in the first inning of his first start, posted a 6-0 record and 1.56 ERA through eight appearances (including two relief stints) and earned a spot on the National League all-star team.

Arroyo, a native of Puerto Rico, signed a professional contract in 1948 and joined the Cardinals’ organization in 1950. He hurt his left arm and sat out the 1952 and 1953 seasons. He re-emerged in 1954 as a prospect, posting an 8-6 record and 2.49 ERA for Class A Columbus (Ga.) and an 8-3 record and 2.35 ERA for Class AA Houston.

Arroyo, who credited Cardinals scout and retired catcher Gus Mancuso with teaching him an improved curve, pitched a no-hitter for Houston and had strikeout totals of 17 in one game and 15 in another. His combined record for Columbus and Houston in 1954 was 16-9 with a 2.42 ERA.

Invited to join the 1955 Cardinals in spring training, Arroyo pitched poorly, yielding 14 earned runs in 18 innings. However, the Cardinals, managed by Eddie Stanky, were desperate for left-handed pitching and placed Arroyo, 28, on the season-opening roster.

His big-league debut occurred on April 20, 1955, with a start against the Reds at Cincinnati. It almost ended soon after it began.

In the Reds’ half of the first, Johnny Temple led off with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Wally Post walked. When Arroyo ran the count to 3-and-0 against the next batter, Gus Bell, Stanky sent coach Dixie Walker to confer with the pitcher.

Arroyo, reported The Sporting News, “came within one pitch of being yanked and sent to the minors.”

Walker told Arroyo, “You’ve been pitching scared all spring. There’s no use being nervous out there. You either do or you don’t _ that’s all there is to it. Get the ball over and get ’em out.”

Arroyo struck out Bell. On the third strike, Temple was thrown out attempting to steal third base. Ted Kluszewski grounded out to second, ending the inning.

In the third, Arroyo got another break. Temple was on second when Kluszewski singled, but Temple was thrown out trying to score.

Gaining confidence, Arroyo shut out the Reds for 7.2 innings before being relieved. He earned the win in the Cardinals’ 3-0 victory. Boxscore

Unimpressed, Reds manager Birdie Tebbetts told reporters he’d be surprised if Arroyo still was in the major leagues in July.

After two relief appearances, Arroyo returned to the rotation and won each of his next five starts. Two of those wins were against the Pirates, one came against the Phillies and two more were against the Reds.

After Arroyo beat Cincinnati for the third time, Tebbetts said, “He’s looking like one of the league’s better left-handers, who, I am sorry to say, will be around all year, at least.”

Arroyo’s six-game winning streak was snapped on June 6 at Brooklyn. Arroyo took a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the ninth, but Gil Hodges walked and Jackie Robinson followed with a home run for a 5-4 Dodgers victory. Boxscore

Arroyo accounted for eight of the Cardinals’ first 26 victories. After getting the win in the Cardinals’ 5-3 triumph over the Giants at St. Louis on June 25, Arroyo’s record was 9-2 with a 2.02 ERA.

In The Sporting News, Bob Broeg wrote of Arroyo, “He’s got a lively fastball, a pitch that moves away from right-handed hitters, causing them to pop up, and he’s got a good enough curve, change and control, too.”

Selected to the all-star team, Arroyo was the only one of seven NL pitchers not used by manager Leo Durocher in a game Stan Musial decided with a 12th-inning home run off Boston’s Frank Sullivan.

Arroyo’s second half of the 1955 season wasn’t as successful as his first half. He lost his final four decisions, and five of the last six. He finished at 11-8 with a 4.19 ERA in 35 games (24 starts). Arroyo and Harvey Haddix were Cardinals co-leaders in complete games (nine apiece) and only Haddix (12) had more wins for St. Louis.

In 1956, with Fred Hutchinson as manager, the Cardinals restructured their rotation. Arroyo was sent to Class AAA Omaha after spring training. He was 1-0 in five games for Omaha before the Cardinals traded him to the Pirates for pitcher Max Surkont.

Unable to repeat the success of his rookie season, Arroyo bounced from the Pirates to the Reds. He was in the Reds’ minor-league system when the Yankees purchased his contract in July 1960.

The move revived his career. Arroyo helped the 1960 Yankees win the American League pennant, posting a 5-1 record with seven saves and a 2.88 ERA in 29 games. A year later, Arroyo enjoyed his best big-league season. He was named AL Fireman of the Year by The Sporting News, with a 15-5 record, 29 saves and a 2.19 ERA in 65 games for the league-champion Yankees. Arroyo also was the winning pitcher in Game 3 of the 1961 World Series against the Reds.

Arroyo had one other claim to fame. According to Baseball Digest, he was the first major-league reliever to ride to the mound from the bullpen on a motorized cart. The bullpen cart was introduced at a Yankees-Red Sox game shortly before the 1961 All-Star Game at Fenway Park.

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Ted Simmons excels at 4-hit games as Cardinals catcher

May 7, 2012 by retrosimba

(Updated Aug. 27, 2015)

An indicator of how special a hitter Ted Simmons was is the number of four-hit games he had for the Cardinals.

Simmons achieved four hits in a game 19 times as a Cardinal.

Simmons had more four-hit games (six) against the Cubs than any other opponent.

Here is a look at Simmons’ five most notable four-hit games as a Cardinal:

_ Cardinals 11, Pirates 0, Aug. 14, 1971, at Pittsburgh: Simmons caught Bob Gibson’s only career no-hitter and went 4-for-6 with a RBI and two runs scored. It was Simmons’ first four-hit game in the big leagues.

Simmons is the only Cardinals catcher to achieve four hits in a game in which he caught a no-hitter.

Simmons’ four hits came against three pitchers: a RBI-single off Bob Johnson in the first, a fifth-inning double off Bob Moose, and singles in the sixth and eighth innings off Bob Veale. Boxscore

In the book “The Ted Simmons Story,” Simmons said of the no-hit game by Gibson, “I’d never seen anything like it. I guess it will always remain my biggest thrill in baseball.”

_ Cardinals 2, Cubs 1, Sept. 30, 1972, at Chicago: In an admirable display of durability and productivity, Simmons was 4-for-7, scored the winning run, caught all 16 innings, made 15 putouts and committed no errors in a game that took 4:49 to complete.

In the 16th, Simmons led off with a double against Tom Phoebus and scored on Ted Sizemore’s single to left, breaking the 1-1 tie. Boxscore

_ Cardinals 8, Reds 0, June 13, 1973, at Cincinnati: Simmons came stunningly close to catching another no-hitter while collecting four hits.

Rick Wise held the Reds hitless until Joe Morgan singled to center with one out in the ninth. Wise settled for a one-hitter and the win.

Morgan singled sharply on a 2-and-1 belt-high fastball. Simmons had called for a curve.

“You have to go with your pitcher _ he’s the man who’s going for the no-hitter,” Simmons said to The Sporting News. “He wanted to challenge them with his best pitch. I thought when Pete Rose (first batter in the ninth) flied out, the no-hitter was in the bag. Rick had pinpoint control. He was painting the outside corners on both right- and left-handed batters.”

Simmons was 4-for-5, including a two-run single off Jack Billingham in the Cardinals’ seven-run third inning. Boxscore

_ Cardinals 8, Braves 7, May 4, 1976, at Atlanta: Simmons was 4-for-5 with three RBI, including the game-winning hit.

With the score 7-7 in the 12th, Simmons hit a one-out double to the right-center field gap off Adrian Devine, scoring Bake McBride from first. Boxscore

It was Simmons’ second four-hit game in four days. As the starting left fielder, he had four hits on May 1 against the Dodgers.

_ Cardinals 8, Braves 5, June 9, 1980, at Atlanta: Simmons played an integral role in assuring Whitey Herzog’s first game as St. Louis manager was a success. Simmons was 4-for-4 and scored three runs.

In the 10th, with the score tied 5-5 and Larry Bradford pitching, Keith Hernandez walked and Simmons followed with a single to center. Bradford was replaced by Gene Garber, who yielded a three-run home run to the first batter he faced, George Hendrick. Boxscore

Previously: The story of how Ted Simmons became a Cardinal

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The story of Herm Wehmeier, 0-14 vs. Cardinals

April 30, 2012 by retrosimba

(Updated Feb. 19, 2023)

In a classic example of the adage “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em,” the pitcher who posted the worst career record against the Cardinals got traded to them and enjoyed the best stretch of his big-league tenure.

In 31 appearances against the Cardinals for the Reds and Phillies from 1949-1956, Herm Wehmeier was 0-14 with a 4.89 ERA.

(Yovani Gallardo has the second-worst career mark versus the Cardinals. In 19 starts against the Cardinals, Gallardo was 1-11 with a 6.45 ERA.)

Wehmeier’s 14th loss to St. Louis occurred May 9, 1956, in the Cardinals’ 3-0 victory over the Phillies. Boxscore

Two days later, on May 11, 1956, the Cardinals traded pitchers Harvey Haddix, Stu Miller and Ben Flowers to Philadelphia for Wehmeier and pitcher Murry Dickson. The deal was unpopular with many Cardinals fans. Haddix won 20 in 1953 and 18 in 1954. Though his record in 1955 fell to 12-16, many saw him as a pillar of St. Louis’ rotation.

Cardinals coach Terry Moore, who was the Phillies’ manager when Philadelphia acquired Wehmeier from the Reds in 1954, recommended Wehmeier to St. Louis general manager Frank Lane. According to The Sporting News, Lane said he sought Wehmeier “because he can be depended upon to trouble Brooklyn and Milwaukee, teams the Cards must stop to win.”

Cardinals pitching coach Bill Posedel was successful in working with Wehmeier. Reporting for The Sporting News, Bob Broeg wrote, “Wehmeier began to work with a high leg kick, similar to Paul Derringer’s, and … he concentrated on letting up on his fastball and curve when the opposition would expect the Wehmeier of old to try to bust his fastball by ’em.”

The results were impressive. Wehmeier won eight of nine decisions for the 1956 Cardinals from July 21 to Sept. 11. He saved his best for his last start of the year.

On the morning of Saturday, Sept. 29, the next-to-last day of the 1956 season, the Braves held first place in the National League, a half-game ahead of the Dodgers.

That day, the Dodgers swept a doubleheader against the Pirates. The Braves entered their night game at St. Louis knowing they needed to win to keep a share of first place. Milwaukee started its ace, Warren Spahn, against Wehmeier.

(In his autobiography, “I Had a Hammer,” Hank Aaron called Wehmeier “my worst nightmare,” because in 1955 he batted .105 against him, with two singles in 19 at-bats.)

Spahn and Wehmeier dueled into the 12th inning with the score tied 1-1. In the bottom of the 12th, Rip Repulski lashed a double against Spahn, scoring Stan Musial from second and giving the Cardinals a 2-1 victory. Boxscore

In Aaron’s book, Spahn said, “Beyond a doubt, that Saturday game in St. Louis was the most heartbreaking moment I had in 21 years of baseball.”

The loss dropped the Braves a game behind the Dodgers, who clinched the pennant the next day. The win capped a successful season for Wehmeier. The right-hander finished 12-9 with a 3.69 ERA for St. Louis. It would be the most single-season wins he’d post in his big-league career.

Wehmeier was named the Cardinals’ 1957 Opening Day pitcher by manager Fred Hutchinson. The assignment was especially important for Wehmeier because he would be facing the Reds in Cincinnati.

A Cincinnati native, Wehmeier had been an outstanding athlete at Western Hills High School. When he signed with the Reds at age 18, he was billed as a hometown hero. Instead, plagued by wildness and high expectations, Wehmeier was a bust. In nine seasons with the Reds, Wehmeier was 49-69. He issued more walks (591) than strikeouts (478) and became a target of fan hostility.

“He was one of the greatest natural athletes we ever had in Cincinnati,” Reds general manager Gabe Paul said. “But never in my long baseball experience have I heard a man booed as bitterly as was Wehmeier. Nothing he could do was right. Even when he won, they booed him.”

Wrote Broeg: “One of Wehmeier’s troubles as a Red was that the former Cincinnati high school hero tried too hard. The more red-necked he became and the harder he tried to throw, the wilder he became, either walking himself into trouble or getting the ball up where power hitters and others could swing for the fences.”

When Wehmeier took the mound in the Cardinals’ 1957 opener, his mother, father, sister and brother were in the stands. What they witnessed must have stunned many Reds fans. Wehmeier pitched a complete game and got the win in the Cardinals’ 13-4 victory. Boxscore

Wehmeier was winless in May and June, but recovered to win five consecutive decisions from Aug. 24 to Sept. 15. He finished the 1957 season at 10-7 with a 4.31 ERA.

In May 1958, Wehmeier was sent to the Tigers in a waiver deal. He suffered an elbow injury soon after and, at 31, his playing career was done. His big-league record: 92-108. For St. Louis, Wehmeier was 22-17.

Wehmeier scouted for the Reds for three years (he recommended they sign another phenom from Western Hills High School, Pete Rose) and then left baseball. He worked for a trucking company in Texas.

In May 1973, Wehmeier, 46, was testifying during a theft trial in federal court in Dallas when he suffered a fatal heart attack. In an obituary, The Sporting News reported, “Wehmeier was on the witness stand testifying for the government when he collapsed. The case involved theft of merchandise from a shipping company of which Wehmeier was an official.”

Previously: An interview with former Cardinals pitcher Al Jackson

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Larry Jaster and his hot start for 1968 Cardinals

April 26, 2012 by retrosimba

In 1968, Larry Jaster made a conversion from reliever to starter for the Cardinals.

Jaster began the 1968 season in the bullpen. A 24-year-old left-hander, Jaster was 1-1 with a 2.13 ERA in seven relief appearances until he moved into the rotation in late May.

Here is how he did in his first four starts that season:

_ Cardinals 2, Dodgers 1, May 20, 1968, at St. Louis: Jaster pitched a two-hitter, yielding singles to Wes Parker and Paul Popovich, and stopped the Cardinals’ four-game losing streak.

The Dodgers scored an unearned run in the first. Willie Davis walked, took second on a passed ball by Tim McCarver, was bunted to third and scored on a groundout by ex-Cardinal Ken Boyer.

Jaster had pitched five consecutive shutouts against the Dodgers in 1966. After he baffled the Dodgers again with his first start of 1968, frustrated Los Angeles manager Walter Alston stormed into the clubhouse, grabbed a box of bubble gum and threw it across the room “as players and the chewy pellets scattered,” The Sporting News reported. Boxscore

_ Phillies 1, Cardinals 0, May 25, 1968, at St. Louis: Lack of run support led to Jaster taking a loss, even though he held Philadelphia to one earned run in 7.1 innings.

The Phillies scored in the sixth when a sacrifice fly by Don Lock drove in Johnny Callison from third.

St. Louis was held to five singles by ex-Cardinal Larry Jackson and reliever Turk Farrell. The Cardinals had two on with one out in the ninth when Farrell relieved and got Phil Gagliano to pop out and Dave Ricketts to line out. Boxscore

_ Cardinals 2, Mets 0, May 31, 1968, at New York: Outdueling Tom Seaver with a dazzling curve to complement his fastball and changeup, Jaster pitched a two-hitter, walking none.

The Mets were hitless until Greg Goossen singled between short and third with two outs in the eighth.

“It wasn’t a bad pitch. The pitch (a curve) was lower than waist high,” Jaster said to The Sporting News.

A ninth-inning single by Don Bosch accounted for New York’s other hit.

“I think I would have got the perfect game if I had got past Goossen,” Jaster said. Boxscore

_ Cardinals 3, Astros 1, June 5, 1968, at Houston: Jaster allowed one earned run in eight innings. Wayne Granger pitched the ninth for the save. Bob Aspromonte drove in Jim Wynn from third with a single for Houston’s run. Boxscore

Jaster was 4-2 with a 0.98 ERA after the win over Houston. He won just once after July 23, losing eight of his last nine decisions and finishing 9-13 with a 3.51 ERA.

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Ron Plaza was mentor to Steve Carlton, Jose Cruz

April 23, 2012 by retrosimba

(Updated March 27, 2018)

Ron Plaza never played a game in the major leagues, but he influenced several Cardinals big-leaguers.

Plaza was a manager in the Cardinals’ farm system for six years, posting a 432-329 record. He also was an infielder in the Cardinals’ organization for 11 years.

St. Petersburg was the site of Plaza’s biggest success as a Cardinals minor-league manager. Replacing Sparky Anderson, Plaza managed St. Petersburg to a 96-43 record and the Florida State League championship in 1967. He was named winner of the Class A league’s Manager of the Year Award.

The other Cardinals farm clubs managed by Plaza were Billings (1963), Winnipeg (1964), Cedar Rapids (1965-66) and St. Petersburg (1968).

Among the players Plaza managed in the Cardinals’ system was pitcher Steve Carlton, who would earn election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Pitching for Plaza’s 1964 Winnipeg club, Carlton was 4-4 with a 3.36 ERA.

In the June 15, 1968, edition of The Sporting News, Carlton cited Plaza, Clyde King, Hal Smith, Grover Resinger and Billy Muffett as Cardinals instructors who had a positive influence on him. “I had good instructors all along the line,” Carlton said.

Future Cardinals who played for Plaza on the 1967 championship St. Petersburg team were outfielders Boots Day (70 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 136 games) and Jose Cruz (.278 batting average in 78 games) and pitcher Santiago Guzman (16-3, 1.74 ERA in 23 starts).

In 1968, pitcher Reggie Cleveland, who would go on to a 13-year major-league career, was 15-10 with a 2.77 ERA in 27 starts for Plaza’s St. Petersburg team.

After the 1968 season, Plaza was selected to the coaching staff of the Seattle Pilots, an American League expansion team managed by Joe Schultz, who had been a coach for the Cardinals from 1963-68. Plaza had played for three Cardinals farm clubs managed by Schultz: 1959 Omaha, 1961 Charleston and 1962 Atlanta.

In his book “Ball Four,” Pilots pitcher Jim Bouton wrote about Plaza.

The Pilots were relocated to Milwaukee after one season in Seattle and became the Brewers. Schultz and Plaza weren’t retained.

Plaza joined manager Sparky Anderson’s coaching staff with the 1978 Reds. He remained a Reds coach through 1983, serving under managers John McNamara and Russ Nixon.

In 1986, Plaza became a coach for manager Jackie Moore with the Athletics. After Moore was fired in June, Plaza served out the season for Moore’s replacement _ Tony La Russa.

As a player in the Cardinals’ organization, Plaza’s best year was 1956 when he hit .297 in 121 games as a second baseman for Class AAA Rochester, managed by Dixie Walker.

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