June 30, 2006

The Old Trading Deadline

June 15 used to be a particularly important day in baseball. The date once marked the old trading deadline, a date that remained in effect for several decades until the current deadline for making trades (July 31) became standard operating procedure. As a young fan in the 1970s and eighties, I used to wait anxiously on this day, wondering whether one of my favorite teams—the Yankees, Pirates, or A’s—would do something to strengthen themselves for the second-half pennant run. I remember how disappointed I was one year when all the Yankees could do was trade power-hitting catcher Cliff Johnson to the Indians for a middling left-handed reliever named Don Hood. “Heathcliff” was one of my favorite Yankees, despite having injured Rich “Goose” Gossage with an ill-advised punch in the shower room of the New York clubhouse.

Thirty years ago, the most memorable trading deadline of my lifetime took place, consuming the back pages of newspapers for days. Ever controversial in the ways that he ran a ballclub, Oakland A’s owner Charlie Finley sold off three star players as part of a blockbuster housecleaning. Finley sent Gold Glove left fielder Joe Rudi and ace reliever Rollie Fingers to the Boston Red Sox for $1 million apiece, and No. 1 starter Vida Blue to the New York Yankees for $1.5 million.

The moves signaled that the A’s had conceded the American League West while allowing to Finley rid himself of three players he had no intention of signing once they became free agents at the end of the 1976 season. At the same time, the trade figured to have major ramifications on the American League East pennant race, where the defending league champion Boston Red Sox were trying to stave off the new-and-improved New York Yankees and the always formidable Baltimore Orioles.

Alas, Fingers and Rudi would not be able to help the Red Sox, while Blue would not rejoin former teammate Jim “Catfish” Hunter in New York. Why? Three days after the player sales, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn voided the moves, saying they were “not in the best interests of baseball.” Kuhn ordered the players to return to Oakland, but owner Finley would not allow manager Chuck Tanner to use any of them in a game until June 27. Finley’s decision might well have cost the A’s the postseason, considering they lost the AL West by just a pair of games.

Finley’s finagling aside, the June 15th trading deadline had its share of watershed moments. Let’s consider a few other blockbusters that were allowed to take place during the sixties, seventies, and eighties, thereby altering the outcomes of a few pennant races.

*On June 15, 1964, the St. Louis Cardinals made one of their best trades ever, acquiring outfielder Lou Brock from the Chicago Cubs for pitchers Ernie Broglio and Bobby Shantz and outfielder Doug Clemens. In the short term, Brock would hit .348 over the balance of the season, setting the table for run producers like Ken Boyer and Bill White and helping the Cardinals win the National League pennant and the World Series in 1964. Over the long haul, Brock would become a major player in two more World Series, set the all-time stolen base record, and reach the 3,000-hit mark.

*At the trading deadline in 1969, the New York Mets made one of their best trades ever by acquiring first baseman Donn “Big Train” Clendenon from the Montreal Expos for infielder Kevin Collins and pitchers Steve Renko, Bill Carden, and Dave Colon. Renko would become a decent starting pitcher for the Expos, but he was certainly expendable from the Mets’ perspective, given their depth of young pitching at both the major league and Triple-A levels. As for Carden and Colon, they would never even reach the majors. In the meantime, Clendenon would begin his Mets career as a platoon player before becoming the team’s everyday first base, hit 12 home runs over the second half of the season, and add three more in the World Series, helping the Mets to their first World Championship.

*On June 15, 1976, the same day as Finley’s failed fire sales, the New York Yankees acquired veteran starters Doyle Alexander and Ken Holtzman, reliever Grant Jackson, and backup catcher Ellie Hendricks from the Baltimore Orioles for left-handers Scott McGregor, Tippy Martinez, and Rudy May, and catcher Rick Dempsey. The trade would have little impact on the 1976 pennant race, but would provide a stark contrast in long-term results. Holtzman would quickly fall into disfavor under Billy Martin, Alexander would depart as a free agent after winning 10 games, Jackson would be lost in the 1976 expansion draft, and Hendricks would struggle as Thurman Munson’s backup before returning to Baltimore. In the meantime, Dempsey, McGregor, and Martinez would all become mainstays with the Orioles, helping the Birds to the American League pennant in 1979 and a World Championship in 1983.

*At the deadline in 1977, the Mets made arguably their worst trade ever by dealing franchise pitcher Tom Seaver just moments before the stroke of midnight. In an unpopular move, the Mets sent Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds for four lesser players: infielder Doug Flynn, outfielders Steve Henderson and Dan Norman, and pitcher Pat Zachry. Seaver would go on to win 75 games for the Reds in five and a half seasons. Flynn (second base), Henderson (left field), and Zachry (starting pitcher) would be given important roles in New York, but all three players would flame out as Mets regulars. Flynn couldn’t hit, Henderson had no power, and Zachry never pitched as well as his 1976 Rookie of the Year Award indicated he would.

*On June 15, 1983, the Mets rebounded from the Seaver disaster by acquiring first baseman and onetime National League MVP Keith Hernandez from the St. Louis Cardinals for pitchers Neil Allen and Rick Ownbey. In a classic case of dumping a player for a return of 60 cents on the dollar, Cards GM-manager Whitey Herzog rid himself of Hernandez because of the player’s unpublicized cocaine problem. (At the time of the deal, much of the New York media marveled at how cheaply the Mets had acquired Hernandez, but none of the writers seemed to know about the drug problem.) To the surprise of some members of the Cardinals, Hernandez would resurrect his career in New York. Solidifying the team at first base and cementing the No. 3 spot in the batting order, Hernandez would help the Mets win the World Series in 1986.

The Rumor Mill

In their continuing search for veteran outfield help, the Yankees really just need to find the 2006 equivalent of Mel Hall: a platoon player who can bash right-handed pitching. Of course, it would help if the new Mel Hall could field a little bit better and draw a few more walks than the old version, but when the trade pickings are slim, you have to settle. The Hall comparison fits well with the hottest name on the Yankee rumor mill, that being the Cubs’ Jacque Jones. Like Hall, Jones can’t hit lefties and doesn’t draw walks, and he throws even more erratically from his post in right field. But he figures to come cheap, given Chicago’s interest in unloading the balance of his three-year contract (which includes an average salary of $4.5 million in 2007 and ’08), and will probably cost no more than two grade-B prospects. The Cubs will likely ask for Melky Cabrera, but might end up settling for a package of lefty Sean Henn and right-hander Steven White… If the Yankees can pull off a deal for Jones, they’ll platoon him in right field with Bernie Williams, which should be an acceptable arrangement until Gary Sheffield returns in mid-September. The acquisition of Jones might also result in a parting of the ways with both Carlos Pena and Erubiel Durazo, who remain stuck in neutral at Triple-A Columbus… While Jacque Jones has moved to the head of the list among trade candidates, the Yankees are also developing a list of contingency plans. Plan B is Washington Nationals property Ryan Church, who continues to struggle at Triple-A New Orleans and can be had for a song. Plan C is Seattle’s Raul Ibanez, whose surprisingly good season in the great Northwest has lifted his trade value to unprecedented heights. And Plan D is more or less keeping the status quo (not the best of ideas), with a rejuvenated Bernie Williams receiving the bulk of the playing time in right field, backed up by late-inning caddy Bubba Crosby…

While the Yankees don’t really need an All-Star outfielder, there continue to be murmurs of a major deal brewing with the Phillies. Earlier in the week, a Philadelphia writer suggested the Phillies might have to settle for Jaret Wright as compensation for Bobby Abreu. If that deal happened, it would be the greatest Yankee steal since Col. Ruppert procured Babe Ruth from the Red Sox for a large sum of CASH. I understand that Phillies fans are frustrated over Abreu’s perceived lack of clutch hitting and that Phillie management would love to unload the remainder of his slightly bloated contract, but they have to acquire more than Clyde Wright’s boy for their best all-round player. GM Pat Gillick is smart enough to realize that he’ll have to demand either super-prospect Philip Hughes, or a package featuring secondary prospects like Eric Duncan, Sean Henn, Matt DeSalvo, and T.J. Beam…

It’s a little hard to swallow, given that Atlanta hasn’t missed the playoffs since the administration of the original George Bush, but the first sign of a Braves’ surrender is upon us. And no, it’s not the overblown John Smoltz trade rumors, which started after he mentioned to a reporter that he’d be willing to consider a trade to a contender. According to whispers out of Georgia, the Braves are now shopping Marcus Giles, a sure sign that the gap between themselves and the Mets—and between themselves and the wild card—is simply too great. Giles’ knack for injury is part of the reason for Atlanta’s thinking, along with the belief that the younger and cheaper Wilson Betemit could fill the hole at second base. Unfortunately for the Braves, few pennant contenders need second basemen; one of those teams is the Mets, but it’s unlikely that the Braves want to be seen as helping their Eastern Division rivals. Still, a prime suitor could be found in the National League Central, where the Cardinals realize their major league roster needs fortification. Aaron Miles has played decently at second base, but the Cardinals believe they can do better. And then there’s a possibility north of the border; the Blue Jays not only need a second baseman but have some young minor league talent that Atlanta would find useful… There’s been some talk that the A’s might have interest in Giles, in part because of the injury problems that continue to plague their own talented second baseman, Mark Ellis. According to one rumor, the A’s have already offered right-hander Joe Blanton straight-up for Giles. Given the age of Smoltz and the uncertain future of Mike Hampton, that’s an offer the Braves will have to give some serious consideration…

While the Cardinals make efforts to improve their middle infield, their top priority remains left field. They’ve targeted Pittsburgh’s Craig Wilson as their No. 1 choice, but Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield is not a wheeler-dealer type who will make a move quickly. He has asked about St. Louis’ top pitching prospect Anthony Reyes, which gives you a sense that he is looking for someone to overpay for Wilson. Littlefield needs to be careful here; if he fails to trade Wilson because of overpricing, he will lose him to free agency. There is no chance that the “Blond Bomber,” who remains dissatisfied with his playing time, will return to Pittsburgh in 2007…

If you’re looking for more reasons why Allard Baird is no longer the general manager in Kansas City, just consider the asking price he placed on the Yankees when they inquired about veteran outfielder Reggie Sanders. Baird wanted Philip Hughes, the Yankees’ top pitching prospect and one of the top 10 pitching prospects in the game. When general managers make such outrageous trade proposals, they don’t really succeed in driving up the asking price, just in ticking off other general managers. They develop reputations for being difficult to deal with, which leads other GMs to think twice before even picking up the phone. And now Baird has no phone to answer.

We’ve almost hit July, and yet no managers have become extinct this season. That doesn’t mean the trend will continue. If the Phillies don’t start to make a run at the Mets in the NL East, Pat Gillick may have no choice but to fire Charlie Manuel, whose game strategy is questioned almost nightly by the Philly faithful. (Why does he continue to bat Jimmy Rollins leadoff, the talk show hosts want to know?) The same can be said of the Cubs and Dusty Baker. While the Cubs don’t need to make a playoff push to keep Baker in the Wrigley Field dugout, they do need to show some semblance of improvement over the next two months. Baker’s handling of his starting pitchers and his odd placement of batters in his lineups continue to undermine what had been such a favorable reputation in San Francisco. Was Baker really an effective manager in the Bay Area, or he was simply the recipient of the good fortune of having Barry Bonds in his lineup every day?… One manager who appears safe is Eric Wedge, despite the Indians’ lofty status as the Great Underachievers of 2006. GM Mark Shapiro continues to believe in Wedge as a manager; if the GM makes changes, it will involve some minor trades, possibly involving platoon first baseman Eduardo Perez and third baseman Aaron Boone, or a major deal centered on closer Bob Wickman.

Remembering Moe

The culture of baseball is a little less rich today. We lost one of the all-time colorful characters earlier this month when Moe Drabowsky died from bone marrow cancer at the age of 70. Drabowsky was a journeyman pitcher for much of the 1960s and early 1970s, but gained far more acclaim for his extraordinary abilities as a practical joker. In fact, Moe—and how can you not love the name Moe Drabowsky?—might have been the greatest prankster the game has ever known.

Let’s consider some of Drabowsky’s most comical stunts:

*Moe regularly ordered Chinese food from the bullpen phone, once placing a direct call to Hong Kong for some takeout. I doubt that Drabowsky’s orders were ever actually delivered to the bullpen, but the habit was reminiscent of a moment in Seinfeld when Elaine ordered Chinese food and had it delivered to a janitor’s closet.

*Unlike most other pranksters, Drabowsky wasn’t satisfied with giving hotfoots to teammates and other players; he once found a victim in Commissioner Bowie Kuhn. Laying out a trail of lighter fluid from the trainer’s room to the clubhouse, Drabowsky set the commissioner’s foot on fire. And by using the long trail of lighter fluid, he made it more difficult for Kuhn to find out who had been the perpetrator.

*Drabowsky enjoyed dressing up in a gorilla suit and throwing rocks at opposing relief pitchers. I doubt that he ever hit them, of course. Either way, the other team’s pitchers must have loved that.

*In a game between the Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City A’s, Drabowsky pulled off what is generally considered his most famous practical joke. With A’s pitcher Jumbo Jim Nash mowing down Drabowsky’s Orioles to the tune of a two-hitter, the troublemaking right-hander called Kansas City’s bullpen, impersonated the voice of A’s manager Alvin Dark, and ordered reliever Lew Krausse to begin warming up. With Baltimore relievers howling in the bullpen, Nash became so unnerved at the site of warm-up activity that he lost his composure and began getting shelled by Orioles hitters. Nash lost the game—and Drabowsky claimed the official scorer should have credited him with the win.

*After the 1968 season, Drabowsky departed the Orioles when he was left unprotected in the expansion draft and was taken by the Kansas City Royals. Drabowsky exacted some “revenge” in 1969, when he arranged for a six-foot-long boa constrictor to be delivered to the clubhouse of the American League champion Orioles during the World Series. Coincidentally or not, the Orioles went on to lose the Series in five games to the upstart New York Mets.

*On at least one occasion, Moe felt motivated to set off a cherry bomb in Chief Nok-A-Homa’s tee-pee at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta. I’m pretty sure the chief wasn’t in the tee-pee when the firecracker went off.

Such hijinx overshadowed Drabowsky’s pitching abilities, which were certainly respectable. At one time a highly touted young starter with the Chicago Cubs, Moe became an effective reliever for the Orioles during the mid-1960s. In Game One of the 1966 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he became downright Herculean. Relieving Dave McNally early in Game One, Drabowsky came on to pitch six and two-thirds innings of one-hit ball and set a World Series record for relievers by striking out 11 Los Angeles Dodgers. Buttressed by Drabowsky, the Orioles won Game One, setting the tone for a surprising four-game sweep of Los Angeles.

It was the hallmark moment in a career filled with hotfoots, six-foot snakes, and crank phone calls.

Thanks, Moe, for making the game fun.

Quick Hits

As baseball fans, we love the game so much that the season tends to fly by—much more quickly than we’d like. Perhaps that’s why it seems impossible that Delmon Young’s 50-game minor league suspension has ended already. At first, I thought that the International League had reduced the suspension, but no, the 50 games have simply come and gone. Somehow, I think that it felt more like a hundred and 50 games to Young, who remains the Devil Rays’ No. 1 prospect but may have seen his major league debut pushed back from this September to sometime in 2007…

While the Angels continue to fight the Indians for the right to be called baseball’s biggest underachiever this summer, their front office continues to slump, a carryover from an unproductive offseason. Earlier in the month, the Angels made room on their roster for a rehabbing Bartolo Colon by demoting rookie right-hander Jered Weaver to Triple-A Salt Lake City, despite the fact that the 23-year-old right-hander had won all four of his starts while spinning a 1.37 ERA. The Angels explained that Weaver was a victim of the numbers game, but it makes no sense for a disappointing last-place team to demote its hottest starting pitcher. At the same time, the Angels sent out a dangerous message to all players in their organization—that guaranteed salaries and payroll issues matter more than the ability to produce. At the very least, the Angels could have kept Weaver on the roster by using him in middle relief, a philosophy often espoused by Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver (no relation). As the “Earl of Baltimore” correctly reasoned, the relatively low-pressure job of middle relief provides an excellent, low-stress way of indoctrinating a young pitcher into the major leagues…

Finally, the transactions of June 19 were not kind to journeyman players. Four vagabond veterans were given their walking papers that Monday, either designated for assignment or outright released. The group included Red Sox first baseman J.T. Snow (designated for assignment), Twins third baseman Tony Batista (released), Rangers reliever Antonio “Six Finger” Alfonseca (released), and Reds reliever Rick White (designated for assignment). The one-dimensional Batista might have hit the end of the road, but don’t be surprised if the other three find jobs with teams that fancy themselves as contenders.

Pastime Passings

Walt Kellner (Died on June 19 in Tucson, Arizona; age 77): Kellner pitched briefly in the major leagues, appearing for the Philadelphia A’s in 1952 and ’53. Kellner’s Philadelphia teammates included his brother, Alex, who was also a pitcher. On September 27, 1952, the Kellner brothers appeared in the same game, as the A’s lost to the New York Yankees, 3-0.

Moe Drabowsky (Died on June 10 in Little Rock, Arkansas; age 70; bone marrow cancer): A journeyman who pitched for eight teams in 17 seasons, the colorful Drabowsky gained a reputation as one of the game’s most ingenious pranksters. At one time a highly touted young starter with the Chicago Cubs, Drabowsky became an effective reliever midway through his career. In addition to the Cubs, Drabowsky pitched for the Milwaukee Braves, Kansas City A’s, Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals, and Chicago White Sox before retiring at the end of the 1972 season. Drabowsky finished his career with a record of 88-105 and an ERA of 3.71.

Bill Fleming (Died on June 4 in Reno, Nevada; age 92): Fleming, who played in the 1940s, pitched for the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs over a six-year career. Primarily a reliever, he went 16-21 with a 3.79 ERA.

Ron Jones (Died on June 4; age 42; natural causes): A onetime highly regarded phenom with the Philadelphia Phillies, Jones played well in short stints, batting .272 with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs in 239 major league at-bats. His career short-circuited by two major knee injuries, the left-handed hitting outfielder played from 1988 to 1991 before retiring. At the time of his death, Jones was a business partner of former major leaguer Charlie Hayes in running the Big League Baseball Academy out of Houston, Texas.

Royce Lint (Died on April 3 in Portland, Oregon; age 85): Lint pitched one season in the major leagues, appearing in 30 games for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1954. The 33-year-old Lint won two of five decisions while registering an ERA of 4.86. Lint spent most of his professional career pitching in the minor leagues, where he won 154 games over 15 seasons.

Bruce Markusen is the author of the new book, The Team That Changed Baseball: Roberto Clemente and the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates, just released by Westholme Publishing and now available at most major bookstores. The book tells the story of the team that featured major league baseball’s first all-black lineup. A freelance writer and broadcaster, Bruce Markusen serves as an advisor and consultant to museums that feature exhibits about baseball and other sports. To contact him about exhibit consultation, send an e-mail to bmark@telenet.net.