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Hometown kid Kerry Robinson made good with Cardinals

December 8, 2020 by retrosimba

Kerry Robinson encountered multiple roadblocks and detours before he got a chance to play for his hometown Cardinals, completing a family quest his father began several decades earlier.

Robinson, 27, signed a minor-league contract with the Cardinals on Dec. 7, 2000, after becoming a free agent.

An outfielder with speed who hit for contact from the left side, Robinson was a St. Louis native who followed the Cardinals as a youth. His father, Rogers Robinson, spent 11 seasons as an outfielder and first baseman in the Cardinals’ farm system but never played in the majors.

Kerry Robinson was drafted and signed by the Cardinals in 1995 and played in their farm system before he was acquired by the Rays in 1997. Three years later, when he rejoined the Cardinals, Robinson was ticketed for the minor leagues, but he set his sights higher.

All in the family

Robinson was born in St. Louis in October 1973. His mother, Lois, was a special education teacher and his father, Rogers, was a pharmaceutical salesman, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Before Kerry came along, Rogers Robinson was a professional baseball player. A St. Louis native and left-handed batter, Rogers Robinson had two stints in the Cardinals’ farm system: 1957-61 and 1964-69. He had a career batting average of .298, with 1,348 hits in 1,256 games, according to baseball-reference.com.

Rogers Robinson twice reached the Class AAA level (1961 and 1964) and hit .300 or better in six seasons. He twice had seasons of more than 80 RBI and he hit 15 or more home runs five times.

Kerry Robinson attended several Cardinals games at Busch Memorial Stadium as a youth. He also developed into a standout baseball, hockey and football player at Hazelwood East High School in St. Louis. As a senior, he scored 29 goals for the hockey team and hit .557 for the baseball team.

“I’m a big hockey fan,” Robinson told the Post-Dispatch. “That’s probably my favorite sport, with football next and then baseball.”

Baseball was the sport Robinson excelled in when he went to college at Southeast Missouri State. He had a 35-game hitting streak, an Ohio Valley Conference record, his senior season.

While working toward a degree in sports management, Robinson spent time as a public relations intern for the NFL Rams, but his future was in baseball. The Cardinals chose him in the 34th round of the June 1995 amateur baseball draft.

Winding road

Robinson adapted quickly to professional baseball. In 1995, his first season, he hit .296, with 74 hits in 60 games, for Johnson City.

At spring training the next year, Robinson caught the attention of Cardinals manager Tony La Russa. “Tony said, ‘If you keep hitting like you are now, you’ll be playing here.’ ” Robinson told the Post-Dispatch.

Assigned to Peoria in 1996, Robinson hit .359 and had an on-base percentage of .422. He also had 50 stolen bases. He got promoted to Class AA Arkansas in 1997 and did well again, hitting .321, swiping 40 bases and producing an on-base percentage of .386.

At 24, his career was on the rise, but it took a turn when the Rays selected him in the American League expansion draft in November 1997.

Called up to the Rays in September 1998, Robinson went hitless in three at-bats, got waived and was claimed by the Mariners, who sent him back to the minors. Traded to the Reds in July 1999, Robinson was called up in September, used as a pinch-runner and was hitless in one at-bat.

Released by the Reds in March 2000, Robinson considered quitting, but instead signed with the Yankees, his fifth organization. He went to their Columbus farm club, hit .318 and had 37 stolen bases.

Granted free agency after the 2000 season, Robinson returned to the Cardinals, who assigned him to Class AAA Memphis.

Opportunity knocks

Though he was a non-roster player, Robinson was determined to make an impression at Cardinals spring training camp in 2001.

“My dream is to play in Busch Stadium this season, even if it’s only one game, or one at-bat,” Robinson told columnist Bernie Miklasz. “I grew up watching baseball at Busch Stadium and I want to be on that field.”

Robinson hit so well throughout spring training that after he was reassigned to the minor-league complex the Cardinals brought him back to play in big-league exhibition games.

Robinson opened the 2001 season with Memphis, batted leadoff and hit .325 in 10 games. When Mark McGwire went on the disabled list on April 18, 2001, the Cardinals called up Robinson to fill a reserve outfield spot while Craig Paquette and Bobby Bonilla moved to first base to substitute for McGwire.

Asked about getting to the big leagues with the Cardinals after his father had tried so long to do the same, Robinson told the Post-Dispatch, “I’m sort of living out his dream. I’m so proud I can do that.”

Welcome to the club

On April 24, 2001, Robinson got his first major-league hit, an infield single for the Cardinals against the Expos’ Masato Yoshii. Boxscore

A month later, Robinson got his first major-league start in the outfield and got a two-run single for his first RBI, giving the Cardinals the lead in a victory against the Brewers. Boxscore

After getting two hits in a start in center versus the Reds on June 4, 2001, Robinson was hitting .368 for the season.

“He’s got a nice calmness about him,” La Russa said. “It’s like he hasn’t been intimidated at all. He’s really had some good at-bats in clutch situations. When he puts it in play, he runs like hell.”

Bernie Miklasz noted, “Robinson is a polished hitter. He knows how to work pitchers, he can draw walks, he makes contact.”

Going deep

On June 17, 2001, Robinson entered a game against the White Sox after McGwire was ejected for arguing a called third strike. Batting in the cleanup spot, Robinson hit his first major-league home run. Boxscore

Robinson hit .285 and had 11 stolen bases for the 2001 Cardinals. In the decisive Game 5 of the National League Division Series against the Diamondbacks, he batted for McGwire in the ninth inning and executed a sacrifice bunt. Boxscore

Robinson hit .260 for the Cardinals in 2002 and .250 in 2003.

Though optioned twice to the minors during the 2003 season, Robinson came back and hit .356 for the Cardinals in August. A highlight was a walkoff home run to beat the Cubs on Aug. 28, 2003. Boxscore and Video

Bernie Miklasz wrote, “Robinson’s hunger and energy are good for the team.”

“He’s an igniter for us,” said La Russa. “He’s got a good idea about being aggressive with a ball in the strike zone, not taking those pitches.”

In March 2004, the Cardinals traded Robinson to the Padres for outfielder Brian Hunter, who was released two months later and never played a game for them.

Posted in Games, Hitters | 4 Comments »

How Darrell Porter left Royals for Cardinals

December 5, 2020 by retrosimba

In 1980, catcher Darrell Porter received treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, slumped in the second half of the season and had a terrible World Series for the Royals. The Cardinals signed him anyway.

On Dec. 7, 1980, Porter agreed to a five-year, $3.5 million offer to be the Cardinals’ catcher, supplanting one of the franchise’s best players, future Hall of Famer Ted Simmons. According to the Associated Press, the deal made Porter baseball’s highest-paid catcher.

A free agent who had spent his career in the American League with the Brewers and Royals, Porter, 28, had a bond with Whitey Herzog, who had the dual role of Cardinals manager and general manager. Herzog was Porter’s manager with the Royals from 1977-79 and was credited with reviving Porter’s career.

With Porter again at a crossroads, Herzog gave him another chance.

Helped by Herzog

Born in Joplin, Mo., and raised in Oklahoma City, Porter was 18 when he was selected by the Brewers in the first round of the June 1970 amateur baseball draft. He made his debut in the majors a year later in September 1971.

In six seasons with the Brewers, Porter, a left-handed batter, hit .229. He reached a low point in 1976 when he hit .208. Porter was “beset with personal problems, principally a divorce,” during the 1976 season, the Associated Press reported.

On Dec. 6, 1976, the Brewers traded Porter to the Royals, and Herzog went to work on getting him to fulfill his potential.

“I’ve played for quite a few managers, but I’ve never respected one more than Whitey,” Porter told The Sporting News. “He gave me back a lot of confidence.

“Whenever I would get discouraged and feel like I didn’t belong in the major leagues, Whitey would tell me, ‘You’re my catcher. You’ll come back and feel OK tomorrow.’ Just the way he said it made me believe in myself.”

Porter helped the Royals win division titles in 1977 and 1978. His breakout season came in 1979 when he hit .291 and had an on-base percentage of .421. He led the league in walks (121), scored 101 runs and drove in 112. According to The Sporting News, Porter joined Mickey Cochrane of the 1932 Athletics as the only American League catchers with 100 runs, 100 walks and 100 RBI in a season.

Though Porter excelled, the Royals failed to win a division title for the first time in four years, and Herzog was fired. According to columnist Dick Young, when Porter heard the news, he called Herzog and cried.

Destructive demons

At spring training the next year, Porter left camp and was admitted to The Meadows, a facility in Wickenburg, Ariz., to get help for his addictions.

Dick Young suggested, “Porter would not have retrogressed had Herzog still been there for him to turn to.”

Porter admitted he was “a drug addict and an alcoholic” who “almost destroyed myself.”

“From this day forward, I will be facing the greatest challenge of my life,” Porter said.

Porter returned to the Royals’ lineup in May 1980. He spent a month as the designated hitter, batting .314 with 26 RBI in 22 games in May. When he went back to catching, his hitting declined. He hit .224 in August and .109 in September. For the season, Porter hit .249 with 51 RBI.

The 1980 Royals won the franchise’s first American League pennant and advanced to the World Series against the Phillies.

The Royals lost four of six games to the Phillies and Porter was part of the reason. In Games 1 and 5, both one-run losses for the Royals, Porter was thrown out at home attempting to score. He hit .143 for the Series.

Afterward, Porter, who became a free agent, told The Sporting News, “I can’t picture myself ever leaving Kansas City.”

Asked whether the Royals would attempt to keep Porter, club owner Ewing Kauffman said, “Depends on how silly other clubs are in offering him money. The Darrell Porter of the last four months is not the same as the Darrell Porter of a year ago.”

Royals flushed

The bidding for Porter came down to the Royals and Cardinals.

In his book, “White Rat: A Life in Baseball,” Herzog said, “I wanted Porter a lot. The big question mark was drugs, but knowing Darrell as I did, I was sure that if he said he was OK, he was OK.”

On Dec. 5, 1980, two days before the start of the baseball winter meetings, Herzog told Porter’s financial advisor, Frank Knisley, he’d withdraw the Cardinals’ offer if he didn’t receive an immediate answer.

“I wasn’t going to leave my offer out there while they shopped,” Herzog told the Kansas City Times. “I wanted an answer before the meetings or I’d pull out, take our offer off the board.”

Knisley called Royals general manager Joe Burke “and asked him if he could give me what the Cardinals were offering, or if he could come close,” Porter told the Associated Press. “Joe said no. He said what he had in mind was a three-year contract. It was for so much less that there really was no decision.”

Porter added, “It would have cost me over a million dollars to stay with the Royals. I stopped being a fool when I left The Meadows.”

Burke told the Kansas City Star, “We’d love to have Darrell Porter, but when you stop and analyze it, Darrell had a bad year and we were still able to win.”

Stepping on Simmons

While Porter was on a honeymoon cruise in the Caribbean, he and the Cardinals reached an agreement on Dec. 6 and it was announced at the start of the baseball winter meetings on Dec. 7.

With Porter as catcher, Herzog said he planned to move Ted Simmons to first base and shift Keith Hernandez from first base to left field.

Herzog spoke with Simmons on Dec. 5 about moving to first base, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

“I like Ted Simmons,” Herzog said. “I think he’s a winner … but Darrell Porter is my catcher.”

Porter said, “I don’t want to cause any problems, that’s for dang sure. Ted could help me a whole lot.”

Initially, Simmons told the Post-Dispatch, “I would think I’ll be playing a lot of first base and it’ll be just fine with me, but I don’t know if it will be just fine for Keith. You’re taking a Gold Glove and putting him somewhere where he might not win another one.”

Regarding Porter replacing him, Simmons said, “There’s going to come a time when you’re not going to be able to catch forever. It certainly isn’t bad judgment to find someone who is qualified and capable, and I presume he is.”

Simmons later said to the Post-Dispatch his understanding of Herzog’s decision was he would play first base only once in a while. Simmons said he didn’t want to play first base every day, in part because he couldn’t compare with Hernandez, and would prefer to be traded.

Herzog responded, “I think we can win with Ted Simmons at first base, but if he wants to be traded, we’ll trade him.”

Series standout

On Dec. 12, 1980, Simmons was dealt to the Brewers, creating an uproar among the Cardinals’ fan base and a backlash against Porter.

Porter told The Sporting News, “I just hope the fans don’t resent me all year.”

He also was starting to feel homesick. “When I get to thinking about leaving Kansas City, I get real depressed,” he told the Associated Press.

Two years later, Simmons and the Brewers were matched against Porter and the Cardinals in the 1982 World Series. Porter helped the Cardinals get there. In the National League Championship Series versus the Braves, Porter had five hits and five walks in 14 plate appearances and was named most valuable player. He followed up with eight hits, a walk and five RBI in the World Series and again was selected most valuable player when the Cardinals prevailed.

In his book, “You’re Missin’ a Great Game,” Herzog said, “Porter’s style was the kind that turns chumps into champions.”

In five seasons with St. Louis, Porter hit .237, but Herzog saw attributes beyond batting average. In the book “Whitey’s Boys,” Herzog said, “He was the kind of guy who could hit .220 and help a team just about as much as a guy who hit .300 and didn’t pull the ball. When he got a hit, everybody advanced two bases, and when he made an out, they advanced one base. He could do more a lot of times making an out than a guy who hit a clunker to left field.”

As for Porter’s catching, Herzog said, “He had a knack of knowing how his pitchers got people out. He didn’t catch as much against the hitter as he caught to the strength of the pitcher.”

After the 1985 World Series, when Porter allowed a critical passed ball in Game 6 Video, he became a free agent, signed with the Rangers and played his last two seasons with them.

Posted in Hitters | 6 Comments »

Lindy McDaniel was marathon man in relief for Yankees

December 2, 2020 by retrosimba

At an age when many pitchers are finishing their careers, Lindy McDaniel was establishing a personal standard for endurance.

On Aug. 4, 1973, McDaniel, 37, pitched 13 innings in relief and got the win for the Yankees in a game against the Tigers.

It was the most innings McDaniel had pitched in a game since entering the majors at 19 with the Cardinals in 1955. His previous high was 9.2 innings for the Cardinals in a start against the Dodgers at Brooklyn in June 1957.

“He is one of the best-conditioned athletes I have ever managed,” the Yankees’ Ralph Houk told The Sporting News.

McDaniel entered the game in the second inning and pitched through the 14th. He allowed one run, a home run by Mickey Stanley in the fifth, and held the Tigers scoreless over the last nine innings, the equivalent of a complete-game shutout.

Yankee dandies

The bullpen combination of McDaniel, a right-hander, and left-hander Sparky Lyle helped the Yankees contend in the American League East in 1973. “I don’t see any club in the division stronger in the bullpen than we are,” Houk said.

The Sporting News noted, “McDaniel and Lyle are as different as day and night. Lindy is the austere, quiet lay preacher who is all business at all times. Sparky is the bon vivant, the fun-loving Rover boy of loud laughter and practical jokes. Yet they have one similarity: neither frets about his day’s work when it is over, nor does either get too carried away by success.”

Entering their Saturday night game at Detroit, the Yankees (60-51) were tied with the Tigers (58-49) for second place, a half-game behind the Orioles (57-47).

The starting pitchers were left-handers, Fritz Peterson for the Yankees and Woodie Fryman for the Tigers.

In the first inning, the Tigers scored a run. While fielding a groundball for the third out, Peterson felt discomfort in his thigh. When he went out to pitch the second, Peterson threw one pitch to the first batter, felt pain in his leg and removed himself from the game.

Houk brought in McDaniel to relieve.

Good stuff

The Yankees reached Fryman for a run in the third, tying the score at 1-1, and Stanley’s home run against McDaniel put the Tigers back in front, 2-1, in the fifth.

Facing a Tigers lineup featuring Al Kaline, Willie Horton and Frank Howard in the third through fifth spots in the order, McDaniel kept them in check.

“The secret is velocity,” McDaniel told The Sporting News. “I can’t succeed without it. My velocity is better than it had been in a long time. If I have good velocity, I can be successful without a good forkball. A fastball and slider are enough, but when I also have the good forkball, I really can do a job. Without velocity, I can’t go to the fastball when my forkball is off.”

In the ninth, the Yankees had Hal Lanier on first with two outs, when Matty Alou came to the plate to face John Hiller, the Tigers’ closer. The matchup appeared to favor Hiller, the American League saves leader and a left-hander. Alou, who batted from the left side, drove a pitch to the wall in left-center for a double, scoring Lanier with the tying run.

The Tigers threatened in the 12th, loading the bases with two outs, but McDaniel got Tony Taylor to fly out to end the inning.

Oh, what a night

As the game entered the 14th, Houk decided he would lift McDaniel in the bottom half of the inning. Lyle was warming and ready in the bullpen.

Horace Clarke changed Houk’s thinking when he led off the top of the 14th with a home run, his first since September 1972, against Hiller. “I surprised myself as much as everyone in the park,” Clarke told the Detroit Free Press.

With the Yankees ahead, 3-2, Houk stayed with McDaniel to pitch the bottom half of the 14th. “I felt he deserved it,” Houk said.

McDaniel delivered, retiring the Tigers in order. Boxscore

The win boosted McDaniel’s record for the season to 9-3.

“I’m specializing in wins this year and letting Sparky take care of the saves,” McDaniel said to the Detroit Free Press.

McDaniel’s line for the game: 13 innings, 48 batters faced, 6 hits, 1 run, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts.

“Did you ever see anything like that in your life?” Houk asked.

Dick Young of the New York Daily News wrote, “Of all the wondrous things this night, the most magnificent was the job turned in by Lindy McDaniel.”

Joe Falls of the Detroit Free Press offered, “It was the most amazing night of his baseball life.”

McDaniel’s 13 innings in relief represented a personal best, but not a baseball best. On June 17, 1915, Zip Zabel of the Cubs pitched 18.1 innings of relief in a win against the Dodgers. Boxscore

According to the New York Daily News, the American League mark for most innings pitched in relief in a game was established by Eddie Rommel, who went 17 innings for the Athletics in a win versus the Indians on July 10, 1932. Boxscore

Durable winner

The Yankees and Tigers eventually fell out of contention, and the Orioles won the division title, finishing eight games ahead of the runner-up Red Sox.

McDaniel had a 12-6 record with 10 saves and a 2.86 ERA. He asked for a chance to start and Houk granted the request. As a starter in 1973, McDaniel was 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA. As a reliever, he was 12-4 with a 2.60 ERA.

Traded to the Royals after the 1973 season for Lou Piniella, McDaniel pitched two seasons for Kansas City. Though primarily a reliever, he made a few starts as well. On June 23, 1974, when he was 38, McDaniel pitched a three-hitter for the Royals in a 4-1 win versus the defending World Series champion Athletics. Boxscore

Posted in Games, Pitchers | 4 Comments »

How Lance Berkman became available to Cardinals

November 29, 2020 by retrosimba

(Updated Dec. 9, 2020)

Lance Berkman wanted to return to the National League, and the Cardinals were willing to give him the chance.

On Dec. 4, 2010, the Cardinals and Berkman agreed to terms on a one-year contract for $8 million. The Cardinals projected Berkman to be their right fielder in 2011 and join Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday in the heart of the batting order.

A switch-hitter who became a free agent after the 2010 season, Berkman, 34, hadn’t played the outfield regularly since 2004. He split the 2010 season with the Astros and Yankees, playing first base and designated hitter, and disappointed at the plate, hitting .248 with 14 home runs and 58 RBI in 122 games combined for the two teams.

The Cardinals, though, were confident Berkman in 2011 would be more like the player they’d been accustomed to seeing in his prime with the Astros.

“Lance’s talent, his character and what he brings to the club makes us a better team and changes the makeup of the clubhouse,” Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “It’s a big add.”

Houston hitter

While with the Astros from 1999 to 2010, Berkman hit .296 and had an on-base percentage of .410. He produced more than 100 RBI in a season six times, slugged 30 or more home runs five times and also scored more than 100 runs five times with Houston. In addition, Berkman twice led the National League in doubles, 55 in 2001 and 46 in 2008, and was No. 1 in RBI in 2002 (128).

Berkman was tough on the Cardinals. He hit .313 against them for his career, with an on-base percentage of .415. In 13 postseason games versus the Cardinals, Berkman had 12 RBI.

He played the outfield from 1999 to 2004 before moving to first base.

Before the 2010 season, Berkman had arthroscopic knee surgery. He missed the first two weeks of the season before joining the Astros on April 20. Scouts said Berkman wasn’t fully recovered when he returned to the lineup and “the lack of leg strength hurt his swing,” the New York Daily News reported.

Berkman hit .245 with 13 home runs for the 2010 Astros, who dropped out of contention early. His batting average against left-handers was .188.

Berkman’s contract gave the Astros the option to bring him back for 2011 at a salary of $15 million, or pay him a $2 million buyout and let him become a free agent. A more appealing option was to trade him for prospects.

The Yankees, who had Mark Teixeira at first base, were interested in Berkman as a designated hitter. Berkman agreed to waive the no-trade clause in his contract if the Yankees would pay him the $2 million buyout after the season and allow him to become a free agent.

On July 31, 2010, the Astros dealt Berkman to the Yankees for Mark Melancon and Jimmy Paredes.

Trying on pinstripes

The Yankees were contending with the Rays for the American League East title and hoped Berkman would give them an edge.

“Berkman long has been considered a tough out, a smart, patient hitter who always has a high on-base percentage,” wrote New York Daily News columnist John Harper.

It was an adjustment for him trying to play for a contender in the American League after spending his whole career in the National League.

“When you’re a veteran _ I’m 34, which isn’t necessarily ancient but definitely getting toward more yesterdays than tomorrows in the game _ you start to see the window for an opportunity to win, and feel the rush of the playoffs, close,” Berkman said.

“I really feel like I had to do something with my career. I felt like I needed to either retire, or get into a situation where you’re scared again, where if you fail, then you’re a bum. I want that situation. I want to see what I’ve got.”

Berkman wasn’t much of an upgrade for the Yankees. He hit .255 for them, with one home run. His batting average versus left-handers was .111.

The Yankees got to the American League Championship Series before being eliminated by the Rangers.

Right stuff

Berkman became a free agent and got offers from two American League clubs, the Athletics and White Sox, to be a first baseman and designated hitter. The Athletics offered a two-year contract, according to the Post-Dispatch.

The Cubs also wanted Berkman as a first baseman.

The Cardinals countered with an invitation to play the outfield.

In his book, “If These Walls Could Talk,” author Stan McNeal said the Cubs “came close” to landing Berkman, “but after the Cardinals offered $4 million, Berkman told St. Louis if the team upped it to $8 million with no incentives, he wouldn’t bother with the Cubs.”

“I didn’t want to limit myself to first base or designated hitter,” Berkman told the Post-Dispatch. “I know I can run around in the outfield. I don’t foresee that as an issue.

“It worked out how I wanted. I love the National League.”

The Cardinals, who had Albert Pujols at first base, planned to feature a 2011 starting outfield of Matt Holliday in left, Colby Rasmus in center and Berkman in right. The club viewed Berkman as a player who would “reshape its lineup and its personality,” the Post-Dispatch reported.

It turned out to be an ideal fit.

In his book, author Stan McNeal said, “In the off-season after signing with St. Louis, Berkman retained a personal trainer for the first time and strengthened his knees and lost 20 pounds.”

Berkman hit .301 for the 2011 Cardinals and led the club in walks (92) and on-base percentage (.412). He hit 31 home runs, drove in 94 runs and scored 90. He also was a leader in the clubhouse.

Berkman’s return to prominence earned him the 2011 National League Comeback Player of the Year Award.

The Cardinals (90-72) qualified for the postseason as a wild-card entry, beat the Phillies and Brewers, and won the National League pennant.

Berkman excelled in the World Series against the Rangers. He had a team-high 11 hits, including a run-scoring, two-out single in the 10th inning of Game 6 to tie the score and set the stage for David Freese’s walkoff home run in the 11th. Boxscore and Video

Among Cardinals regulars, Berkman was the leader in batting average (.423) and on-base percentage (.516) in the seven-game World Series.

Limited to 22 games in 2012 because of knee injuries, Berkman became a free agent after the season and completed his playing career with the 2013 Rangers.

Posted in Hitters | 4 Comments »

The story of Lindy McDaniel and his first win for Cardinals

November 26, 2020 by retrosimba

Though the Cardinals put Lindy McDaniel on their team because they had to, he showed he deserved to be there.

A right-hander who developed into a quality reliever and pitched 21 seasons in the major leagues, McDaniel was 19 when he got to the big leagues with the Cardinals as a teammate of Stan Musial in 1955. He was 39 when he pitched his final game with the Royals as a teammate of George Brett in 1975.

In addition to Cardinals (1955-62) and Royals (1974-75), McDaniel pitched for Cubs (1963-65), Giants (1966-68) and Yankees (1968-73). 

McDaniel led the National League in saves three times: twice with the Cardinals (1959 and 1960) and once with the Cubs (1963). He had a career record in the majors of 141-119 with 174 saves.

One of his most important wins was his first. It came when he was 20 years old and it helped convince the Cardinals his spot on the club was warranted.

Prime prospect

McDaniel was 19 when he signed with the Cardinals for $50,000 on Aug. 19, 1955. Because of the amount he received, the Cardinals were required by a baseball rule at the time to keep McDaniel on the big-league club for at least the next two years.

The Cardinals signed McDaniel on the recommendation of scout Fred Hawn, who called him “the best pitching prospect, maybe the best player, I’ve ever scouted for the Cardinals.,” the St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported. “His fastball and his curve are alive and he gets them over the plate.”

An amateur baseball standout in Oklahoma, McDaniel had been pursued by the Cardinals since he was 16 in 1952. He attended the University of Oklahoma for a year, but left to join the Cardinals, “fulfilling a childhood ambition to play with Dizzy Dean’s old club and alongside his idol, Musial,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

The Phillies, Dodgers, Reds, Yankees, Indians and Red Sox also wanted to sign McDaniel, but “when I found out the Cardinals were interested, I told the others not to bother,” McDaniel said to The Sporting News. “They’re a team of the future with a young staff. I’ll get more chances to pitch with them than with other clubs.”

When Lindy and his father, Newell McDaniel, an alfalfa and cotton farmer, went to St. Louis for the contract signing, Lindy let his dad do most of the talking.

“He don’t talk much,” Newell said to the Post-Dispatch. “You won’t get much out of him. He concentrates on training. He’s one of those boys just born that way, not interested in girls or anything. Exercises every night before retiring. He’s a fanatic.”

According to The Sporting News, Lindy invested part of the signing bonus in purchasing a 160-acre farm near his home in Hollis, Okla., and turning it over to his father to tend.

Teen dream

McDaniel reported to the Cardinals on Sept. 1, 1955, and he made his debut in the majors the next day at Chicago. McDaniel, 19, entered in the seventh inning with the Cubs ahead, 11-1, and the second batter he faced, Walker Cooper, 40, hit a home run. McDaniel regrouped and didn’t allow another run over two innings. Boxscore

“That boy may never have to go down to the minors,” Cardinals manager Harry Walker told the Post-Dispatch.

On Sept. 19, 1955, McDaniel got his first start in the majors against the Cubs at St. Louis. He gave up a grand slam to Ernie Banks, making him the first player in the majors to hit five in one season. McDaniel gave up five runs, 10 hits and four walks in seven innings, but didn’t get a decision after the Cardinals rallied to win. Boxscore

McDaniel made four September appearances for the 1955 Cardinals and was 0-0 with a 4.74 ERA. According to The Sporting News, he “demonstrated he might be just more than ornamental in 1956.”

On his way

The Cardinals changed managers after the 1955 season, hiring Fred Hutchinson, a former pitcher, to replace Harry Walker.

McDaniel didn’t pitch much at spring training in Florida, but Hutchinson told The Sporting News, “I saw enough of him to know he had good stuff.”

As the Cardinals headed north from Florida to open the season, they were scheduled to play an exhibition game against the White Sox at Oklahoma City. McDaniel was supposed to pitch before a big crowd in his home state, but the game was canceled because of bad weather.

In the Cardinals’ final exhibition game at Kansas City two days before the season opener, McDaniel pitched two scoreless innings against the Athletics.

After losing two of their first three games of the regular season, the Cardinals were home to play the Braves on April 21, 1956, a Saturday afternoon.

With the Braves ahead, 5-3, McDaniel made his first appearance of the season, entering in the fifth inning in relief of starter Willard Schmidt.

Hutchinson “appeared to be taking a long gamble by bringing in a kid” whose “total professional experience consisted of 19 innings last September,” the Post-Dispatch reported, but Hutchinson “had been impressed with Lindy’s poise and potential.”

McDaniel rewarded his manager’s faith in him, retiring 12 of the 15 Braves batters he faced and pitching five scoreless innings. The Cardinals rallied for a 6-5 victory, giving McDaniel his first win in the majors.

A turning point came in the eighth inning. Eddie Mathews led off with a single and Hank Aaron walked, but catcher Bill Sarni made a snap throw to first baseman Wally Moon, picking off Aaron. McDaniel struck out Bobby Thomson and got Joe Adcock to ground out, ending the threat. He retired the side in order in the ninth.

“The kid did great,” Hutchinson said. Boxscore

Plate umpire Babe Pinelli told the Sporting News, “He showed one of the best curves I’ve ever seen and I’ve been in baseball 40 years. He doesn’t scare. He looks nerveless.”

Family affair

The win gave McDaniel a considerable boost. He was 4-0 with a 2.83 ERA entering June. Hutchinson tried him as a starter, but it didn’t work out. McDaniel finished the season at 7-6. He was 5-2 with a 2.58 ERA in 32 relief appearances and 2-4 with a 5.25 ERA in seven starts.

The next year, the Cardinals signed Lindy’s brother, Von McDaniel, 18, for $50,000 and he joined Lindy on the big-league club.

Von won his first four decisions with the 1957 Cardinals, finished 7-5 and flamed out.

Lindy was 66-54 with 66 saves in eight seasons with the Cardinals before he was traded with Larry Jackson and Jimmie Schaffer to the Cubs for George Altman, Don Cardwell and Moe Thacker on Oct. 17, 1962.

Posted in Games, Opponents, Prospects, Records | 4 Comments »

Cecil Cooper got miscast in his stint with Cardinals

November 23, 2020 by retrosimba

The Cardinals had the right idea, but the wrong position in mind, when they acquired strong-hitting Cecil Cooper from the Red Sox.

On Nov. 30, 1970, the Cardinals chose Cooper in the Rule 5 draft. Cooper, 20, was the Midwest League batting champion in 1970, but the Red Sox didn’t put him on their 40-man major-league winter roster, leaving him eligible to be drafted by another organization.

The Cardinals took advantage of the opportunity to obtain a left-handed hitter who was tailored for the AstroTurf and spacious dimensions of Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis.

Cooper ran well and consistently hit line drives to all fields, but his best position was first base. The Cardinals wanted him for the outfield.

Cards call

A standout high school player in Texas, Cooper was 18 when he was selected by the Red Sox in the sixth round of the June 1968 amateur draft. Assigned to a Class A farm club in Jamestown, N.Y., Cooper impressed, batting .452 with 38 hits in 26 games.

Though he continued to hit well, Cooper stayed in Class A the next two seasons. He hit .297 as the first baseman for Greenville, S.C., in 1969 and .336 for Danville, Ill., in 1970. Cooper primarily played first base for Danville but he also appeared in the outfield in 47 games.

The Cardinals were looking for backup outfielders for the 1971 season. When Cooper was left unprotected, the Cardinals paid the required $25,000 fee to draft him and put him on their 40-man major-league winter roster as an outfielder.

Either the Cardinals thought Cooper had a good chance to make the leap from Class A to the major leagues, or they figured the Red Sox wouldn’t want him back. Under the rules of baseball, if a player claimed in the Rule 5 draft is not kept on the major-league roster throughout the following regular season, he must be offered back to the team that lost him for $12,500.

Plenty of competition

The Cardinals went into 1971 spring training with a starting outfield of Lou Brock in left, Matty Alou in center and Jose Cardenal in right. Seven other players listed as outfielders on the big-league roster were competing for backup spots. In addition to Cooper, others in the mix were Jim Beauchamp, Bob Burda, Jose Cruz, Leron Lee, Luis Melendez and Jorge Roque.

Of the backup outfielder candidates, Burda, Cooper, Cruz and Lee batted from the left side. Another left-handed batter, Joe Hague, was the starting first baseman. Beauchamp, Burda and Cooper could back up Hague as well as play the outfield, but only Cooper lacked big-league experience.

“The Cardinals tried to make an outfielder out of me,” Cooper told The Sporting News.

When the Cardinals began playing intra-squad games, Cooper swung “a pretty stout bat,” according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

In a game with eight position players in the field and batters taking their cuts against a pitching machine, Cooper hit a three-run triple. In an intra-squad game versus pitchers, he had a triple against Santiago Guzman and a double off George Lauzerique. He also substituted for Alou in center field.

“I’m very happy to get this shot with St. Louis and I hope to make the most of it,” Cooper told the Post-Dispatch. “I’ve got to work on my fielding and my throwing.”

Cooper didn’t fare so well in Grapefruit League exhibition games. He had one hit in 11 at-bats. He also walked and scored a run against the Reds. Meanwhile, his competition hit much better: Beauchamp, .408, and Burda, .438.

The Cardinals opened the 1971 season with Beauchamp, Burda, Lee and Melendez in reserve roles. Cruz and Roque were sent to the minors. Cooper was offered back to the Red Sox.

If the Red Sox had said no thanks, the Cardinals could have kept Cooper and assigned him to the minors, but the Red Sox paid the $12,500 to get him back.

Hot hitting

To his dismay, Cooper was assigned by the Red Sox to Winston-Salem, a Class A team, though he already had proven he could play at that level.

“That got me mad, depressed and frustrated,” Cooper said. “I told them, ‘I’m going home,’ and stayed away for five days. I wasn’t going to quit, but I wanted to get away and think. They told me I was lazy, that I didn’t want to play.”

Cooper took out his frustrations on opposing pitchers. He hit .379 in 42 games for Winston-Salem and got promoted to Class AA Pawtucket. In his first six games for Pawtucket, Cooper had 14 hits in 23 at-bats. He went on to hit .343 for Pawtucket, and in September, five months after the Cardinals rejected him, the Red Sox brought him to the major leagues.

“They aren’t likely to let him get away again,” The Sporting News declared. “Cooper is a hitter of promise.”

Cooper’s first hit in the big leagues was noteworthy, It came on Sept. 11, 1971, against Joe Coleman of the Tigers. Coleman held the Red Sox hitless until Cooper singled to lead off the eighth. Swinging at the first forkball he’d ever seen, Cooper tapped the ball toward third. Aurelio Rodrigeuz tried to make a backhand scoop, but the ball rolled under his glove and was ruled a hit. “I thought it would be an error the way I hit it,” Cooper told the Boston Globe. Boxscore

Cooper hit .310 for the Red Sox in 1971 and figured to be their first baseman in 1972, but they traded for Danny Cater and gave him the job. In 1973, Carl Yastrzemski moved from the outfield to first base and he remained the Red Sox’s first baseman through 1976, relegating Cooper to the role of backup and designated hitter.

“Boston never gave me a chance to show what I could do,” Cooper told The Sporting News. “I feel the Red Sox did me an injustice.”

Everyday excellence

In December 1976, the Red Sox traded Cooper to the Brewers for George Scott and Bernie Carbo. Given the chance to play every day, Cooper thrived as the first baseman. He was named to the American League all-star team five times and twice won a Gold Glove Award for fielding. In 1980, he led the league in total bases (335) and RBI (122). He was the RBI leader again in 1983 (126), and twice topped the league in doubles: 44 in 1979 and 35 in 1981.

The Brewers got to the World Series for the only time in 1982 and faced the Cardinals. Though the Cardinals won the championship in seven games, Cooper hit .286 with six RBI.

In Game 5, with the Brewers clinging to a 3-2 lead, the Cardinals had runners on first and second, two outs, in the seventh when Darrell Porter hit a ball sharply to the right side of the infield. Cooper dived, snared the ball and threw to pitcher Mike Caldwell covering first to retire Porter. The Brewers went on to a win, their third of the Series. Boxscore

“That play changed the whole game,” Cardinals second baseman Tommy Herr told the Post-Dispatch. “Cooper has played great first base the whole Series.”

Cooper batted .298 with 2,192 hits and 1,125 RBI in 17 seasons in the majors.

He became Astros manager late in the 2007 season, and managed them in 2008 (86-75) and 2009 (70-79).

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents, Trades | 7 Comments »

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