On December 16, 1988, the Cardinals traded outfielder Curt Ford and catcher Steve Lake to the Phillies for Thompson. A former second-round pick of the Braves in 1979, Thompson was expected to serve as a backup for outfielders Vince Coleman, Willie McGee, and Tom Brunansky.

“He definitely adds a lot to the club,” said Cardinals general manager Dal Maxvill, who was the Braves’ first base coach during Thompson’s rookie season in Atlanta in 1984. “Defensively, he’s a solid center-field type guy and we haven’t had anybody like that for a while, whether it be a Ford, a (Jim) Lindeman, or a (John) Morris, who could come in and play center field on a regular basis if Willie were to injure himself or for some reason couldn’t play. He’s got some pretty good pinch-hitting numbers too. He’s a definite plus.”^[1]

Thompson had a .342 average (25 for 73) as a pinch-hitter.^[2] He also had 105 stolen bases in 134 career attempts, good for a 78% success rate.

“He’s run up some pretty good numbers,” Maxvill said. “I particularly like his stolen-bases-to-getting-caught numbers. It looks like he knows when to run and when not to.”^[3]

Upon breaking into the majors with the Braves in 1984, Thompson received limited playing time, appearing in just 98 games over two years despite a .302 batting average over that span. Following the 1985 season, the Braves traded Thompson and Steve Bedrosian to Philadelphia for Ozzie Virgil and Pete Smith.

As the St. Louis Post-Dispatch described it, “When Thompson was acquired, he was heralded as the second coming of former Phillies star center fielder Garry Maddox. … It didn’t help matters that Virgil had been popular in Philadelphia and that Smith had been a first-round draft pick.”^[4]

Thompson got off to a slow start, drew boos from the Philadelphia faithful, and was demoted to Triple-A for two months in 1986.

“He put a lot of pressure on himself because he had heard about the fans up there,” Thompson’s wife, Annette said.^[5]

“I finally got my opportunity (but) I put too much pressure on myself and I messed up,” Thompson said. “But I got my act together.”^[6]

Despite his rough welcome to Philadelphia, Thompson got his career back on track. In 1987, his nine triples and 46 stolen bases each ranked sixth in the National League, and his .302 batting average over 527 at-bats ranked ninth in the league.

In 1988, Thompson batted .288 with a team-leading .354 on-base percentage despite injuring his right knee when he ran into Wrigley Field’s brick wall chasing a fly ball. He played two more months before he underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair torn cartilage on Sept. 12.^[7]

“He’s a good kid, plays hard, and hustles all the way,” Maxvill said. “He’s definitely a Whitey Herzog kind of player.”^[8]

Thompson agreed.

“It’s a positive move for me,” he said. “I know the type of game Whitey likes to play, and I like that style of ball. I play with what I call aggressive hustle; I’m not afraid to take the extra base.”^[9]

The Phillies, however, felt that they had better options for their everyday lineup. In November 1988, they signed former Cardinals second baseman Tom Herr and made plans to move Juan Samuel to center field.

“I’m happy, in a way,” Thompson said. “I knew that with Sammy going to the outfield I wasn’t going to get any playing time at all because he’s an everyday player. I don’t know how it’s going to work over there (in St. Louis) because they have Vince Coleman in left, Willie McGee in center, and Tom Brunansky in right. From what I hear, though, I’ll get to play and there have been some rumors that McGee could be traded. The way I look at it, it’s a two-for-one deal so hopefully it will all work out.”^[10]

Phillies general manager Lee Thomas, the Cardinals’ former director of player development, outlined two reasons for the trade.

“First, I think Milt felt like he had to play fairly regularly, and although I can’t speak for the Cardinals, I think he’ll play more there than he would have here,” Thomas said. “He’s a line-drive hitter who will fit in well at Busch Stadium. Second, Curt Ford can pull the ball and if Milt has a weakness, that was probably it, even though he’s a very fine player.”^[11]

The 28-year-old Ford had just completed his third full season in St. Louis. A 1981 fourth-round draft pick out of Jackson State University, Ford hit .285/.325/.408 with three homers, 26 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases in 228 at-bats in 1987.

In 1988, however, Ford suffered an early-season wrist injury that limited his effectiveness on the field. In 128 at-bats, he hit just .195/.239/.266.

“We look at Milt as more capable of being an everyday player than Curt could have been,” Maxvill said.^[12]

The Phillies and manager Nick Leyva appreciated Ford’s ability to play all three outfield spots as well as the infield. Thomas also indicated that they considered Ford a power threat, though he had just six career home runs in St. Louis.

“He’s the type of guy who can play second base, third, first, and the outfield, and he’s the kind of guy who, if you send him up to bat with two on when you’re behind by three in the bottom of the ninth, is a threat to hit one out,” Thomas said. “He can get around on a Todd Worrell-type fastball and there aren’t too many guys who can do that.”^[13]

Lake gave the Phillies the right-handed hitting catcher they had been seeking since Lance Parrish signed with the Angels. Lake had just completed his third season in St. Louis, and the highlight of that tenure came early in the 1987 season, when he hit .300 for six weeks while filling in for the injured Tony Pena.

“Steve did a great job for us as a backup guy,” Maxvill said. “We probably never would have won (the National League pennant) in ’87 if it hadn’t been for the way he stepped in when Tony Pena got hurt.”^[14]

On July 7, in the second game of a double-header that had been delayed by rain, Lake hit a two-run, ninth-inning homer to send the game into extra innings. By the time Jack Clark hit a 10^th-inning RBI single to win the game, it was 3 a.m.

Lake hit .251/.289/.346 that season and even received the start in Game 7 of the World Series while Pena served as the designated hitter. Lake took advantage of the opportunity, hitting a second-inning RBI single that briefly gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.

In 1988, however, Lake took just 54 at-bats as he was slotted into a third-string role behind Pena and Tom Pagnozzi.

“I’m excited,” Lake said after the trade. “The Cardinals are a great organization, but it had gotten kind of frustrating. I could play in the seventh game of the World Series one year, but couldn’t play a Sunday afternoon game in New York the next season. I was getting kind of antsy to get in a situation where I could platoon or at least play a little more regularly. I think I had proven I could be a backup catcher in the majors; now it’s time to see if I can do more.”^[15]

The Phillies planned to platoon the right-handed hitting Lake with Darren Daulton.

“I look at it this way: Darren Daulton will get a chance to play against right-handers and Steve Lake against left-handers unless somebody beats him out,” Thomas said. “He’s not going to play 120 or 130 games, but he handles pitchers well and he has a chance to throw runners out.”^[16]

That chance was all Lake could ask for.

“I knew at the end of the year that the Cardinals wouldn’t be keeping three catchers, and I also heard that Philadelphia was looking for catching after they traded Lance Parrish, so I was just hoping,” Lake said. “Every day for two months I’d pick up the paper and hope.”^[17]

Lake spent four seasons in Philadelphia, though he never appeared in more than 58 games in a season. In 1993, he returned to the Cubs, where he played the final season of his career. He retired with 476 games played in a career that spanned 11 major-league seasons.

Ford played two seasons in Philadelphia. He hit just .218 in 142 at-bats in 1989, and was just 2-for-18 in 1990. After the 1990 season, Ford continued his career in Triple-A and independent baseball. He retired after playing the 1997 season in the Texas-Louisiana League.

Thompson spent four seasons in St. Louis. In 1989, he hit .290/.340/.393 with four homers, 68 RBIs, and 27 stolen bases in 545 at-bats, playing well enough to garner three points in the NL MVP voting.

Thompson’s batting average dropped to .218 in 1990, though he rebounded by hitting a career-high .307 in 1991. In 326 at-bats, he hit six homers, drove in 34 runs, and stole 16 bases. In Thompson’s final season in St. Louis in 1992, he hit .293/.350/.404 and stole 18 bases, though he took just 208 at-bats.

After the 1992 campaign, Thompson signed a free-agent contract to return to Philadelphia. He retired following the 1996 season with a .274 career batting average. In 13 major-league seasons, Thompson appeared in 1,359 games and compiled 18.6 wins above replacement, per Baseball-Reference.com.

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[1] Jeff Gordon and Kevin Horrigan, “Cards Acquire Milt Thompson,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 17, 1988.

[2] Jeff Gordon and Kevin Horrigan, “Cards Acquire Milt Thompson,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 17, 1988.

[3] Jeff Gordon and Kevin Horrigan, “Cards Acquire Milt Thompson,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 17, 1988.

[4] Vahe Gregorian, “Newcomer Thompson Likes Herzog’s Style Of Ball,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 20, 1988.

[5] Vahe Gregorian, “Newcomer Thompson Likes Herzog’s Style Of Ball,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 20, 1988.

[6] Vahe Gregorian, “Newcomer Thompson Likes Herzog’s Style Of Ball,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 20, 1988.

[7] Vahe Gregorian, “Newcomer Thompson Likes Herzog’s Style Of Ball,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 20, 1988.

[8] Jeff Gordon and Kevin Horrigan, “Cards Acquire Milt Thompson,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 17, 1988.

[9] Vahe Gregorian, “Newcomer Thompson Likes Herzog’s Style Of Ball,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 20, 1988.

[10] Paul Hagen, “Phillies Dealt Two Cards for Thompson,” Philadelphia Daily News, December 17, 1988.

[11] Paul Hagen, “Phillies Dealt Two Cards for Thompson,” Philadelphia Daily News, December 17, 1988.

[12] Jeff Gordon and Kevin Horrigan, “Cards Acquire Milt Thompson,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 17, 1988.

[13] Paul Hagen, “Phillies Dealt Two Cards for Thompson,” Philadelphia Daily News, December 17, 1988.

[14] Jeff Gordon and Kevin Horrigan, “Cards Acquire Milt Thompson,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 17, 1988.

[15] Paul Hagen, “Phillies Dealt Two Cards for Thompson,” Philadelphia Daily News, December 17, 1988.

[16] Paul Hagen, “Phillies Dealt Two Cards for Thompson,” Philadelphia Daily News, December 17, 1988.

[17] Paul Hagen, “Phillies Dealt Two Cards for Thompson,” Philadelphia Daily News, December 17, 1988.

The post Why the Cardinals traded for Milt Thompson in 1988 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

Cardinals general manager Dal Maxvill declined the trade proposal in early April, hopeful that his club could re-sign Brunansky and keep in him an outfield that included Vince Coleman, Willie McGee, and Milt Thompson, and had highly regarded prospect Ray Lankford waiting in Triple-A.

The issue, however, was Brunansky’s desire for a limited no-trade clause similar to the one included in his current deal, which he had signed with the Twins. The Cardinals had a team policy against no-trade clauses.

On April 5, Bernie Miklasz wrote in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Brunansky could be traded for Smith.

“Who’s the most likely guy to leave here?” Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog asked. “Bruno. He wants a smaller park to hit in, he knows the Cowboy (California Angels owner Gene Autry) wants him. He’s from California. He knows he can get $2.5 million a year from the Cowboy.”[1]

Herzog made clear that if Brunansky was traded, it wasn’t because his manager didn’t appreciate him.

“I like Bruno. He’s a dream to manage,” Herzog said. “You can’t find a better son of a gun. I’d like to keep him, but I’m just talking facts here.”[2]

At the time, Brunansky said he hadn’t heard anything from his agent regarding a deal, nor had the Red Sox reached out to him.

“I’m sure before they’d go for a trade like that, the Red Sox would at least want to talk to me,” he said. “They know I’m in my final year, and I’m sure they’d like to lock me up in a new contract instead of seeing me walk away.”[3]

By early May, with negotiations between Brunansky and the Cardinals at an impasse, Maxvill called Red Sox general manager Lou Gorman. It didn’t take long to finalize the exchange of pending free agents. On May 4, 1990, they made the deal official.

“We tried to work around this somehow, but it just couldn’t be done,” Maxvill said.^[4]

Brunansky said he had met with both Maxvill and Herzog and encouraged them to make a trade that would help the team.

“The no-trade was the whole thing,” Brunansky said. “We never got to the point of talking any money. For me to stay here, I would need some kind of security. I wasn’t going to sign here for three years, buy a house and everything, and keep hearing trade rumors.”[5]

Brunansky had come to St. Louis in an April 1988 trade with the Twins for Tom Herr. He hit 22 homers and drove in 79 runs for the Cardinals that season to lead the team in both categories. In 1989, Brunansky led the club with 20 homers, and his 85 RBIs ranked second on the team to Pedro Guerrero.

Through the first 19 games of the 1990 season, however, he was batting just .158 with more walks (12) than hits (9) and was splitting time with Thompson in right field.

“I know it was hard on Bruno and me both,” Thompson said of the Cardinals’ crowded outfield situation. “You find yourself pressuring a lot when you get the opportunity. The key now is to go out there and relax and just play ball.”[6]

Just as the Twins had found it difficult to part with the well-liked Brunansky two years earlier, the Cardinals were disappointed to see the popular outfielder leaving.

“From my perspective, I don’t know Lee Smith, and certainly he’s been a great pitcher and he’s going to help us,” Cardinals pitcher Ricky Horton said. “There’s no doubt about that, but from a personal standpoint, we’re losing a great guy. Bruno is just a great guy to have around the clubhouse. He’s a big leaguer, and I’m going to miss him.”[7]

The Red Sox, of course, were excited to add Brunansky’s bat to their lineup. They chose the Cardinals’ trade offer over a package from the Braves that included pitcher Tommy Greene and third baseman Jim Presley.[8]

“A power hitter was our secondary need, but a big need,” said Red Sox president John Harrington. “We would have preferred a starting pitcher, but Tom Brunansky is no second fiddle by any means.”[9]

In trading the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Brunansky, the Cardinals added another big man in Smith, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound closer who emerged in the Cubs’ bullpen after they traded Bruce Sutter to the Cardinals in 1980. In eight seasons, Smith saved 180 games for the Cubs, including a league-leading 29 in 1983.

After the 1987 season, the Cubs traded Smith to the Red Sox for Al Nipper and Calvin Schiraldi. In two-plus seasons in Boston, Smith saved 58 games. During the previous offseason, however, the Red Sox signed Jeff Reardon, making the big right-hander expendable. Like Brunansky, Smith was due to become a free agent after the season.

“This makes us pretty strong,” Herzog said, noting that three members of the Cardinals’ bullpen – Smith, Scott Terry, and Tom Niedenfuer – had experience closing.[10]

For his part, Smith was glad to come to a situation where – despite the experience of Terry and Niedenfuer – he was the clear-cut closer.

“I’m really pleased,” Smith said. “Something had to be done here. With the two closers we had, it wasn’t fair to either one of us. Over the winter, they were talking about how they could use both of us. Jeff would pitch one day and I’d pitch the next, but it seemed like every time I pitched this season, Jeff pitched the same day. I said going into spring training that I didn’t think it would work.”[11]

It certainly worked in St. Louis. Smith saved 27 games for the Cardinals in 1990, posting a 2.10 ERA in 68 2/3 innings.

The 1991 season was arguably the best of Smith’s 18-year career, as he led the league with 47 saves. In addition to making his third All-Star Game appearance, he placed second in the Cy Young Award voting behind Tom Glavine and placed eighth in the MVP vote.

In 1992, Smith saved 43 games with a 3.12 ERA. Once again, he was named an All-Star and finished fourth in the Cy Young voting. In 1993, Smith saved 43 games with a 4.50 ERA before the Cardinals traded him to the Yankees on August 31 for Rich Batchelor.

In four seasons, Smith saved 160 games for the Cardinals with a 2.90 ERA. He retired in 1997 with 478 saves. Beginning in 2003, Smith spent 15 years on the Hall of Fame ballot, reaching a high of 50.6% of the vote in 2012 but never reaching the 75% threshold required for induction. In 2018, all 16 members of the Today’s Game Committee voted Smith into the Hall of Fame alongside Harold Baines.

Meanwhile, Brunansky turned his 1990 season around with Boston, batting .267 with 15 homers and 71 RBIs for the Red Sox. After the season, he re-signed with Boston and played the next two seasons there before signing with Milwaukee in 1993. In 1994, the Brewers traded Brunansky back to the Red Sox for Dave Valle.

He retired after the 1994 season with 271 homers and 919 RBIs in a 14-year major-league career.

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[1] Bernie Miklasz, “‘Bruno’ Could Go If Pen Needs Help,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 5, 1990.

[2] Bernie Miklasz, “‘Bruno’ Could Go If Pen Needs Help,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 5, 1990.

[3] Bernie Miklasz, “‘Bruno’ Could Go If Pen Needs Help,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 5, 1990.

[4] Rick Hummel, “Cards Acquire Lee Smith,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 5, 1990.

[5] Rick Hummel, “Cards Acquire Lee Smith,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 5, 1990.

[6] Dan O’Neill, “Cards Sad Brunansky Had To Go,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 5, 1990.

[7] Dan O’Neill, “Cards Sad Brunansky Had To Go,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 5, 1990.

[8] Nick Cafardo, “Sox trade Smith for Brunansky,” Boston Globe, May 5, 1990.

[9] Nick Cafardo, “Sox trade Smith for Brunansky,” Boston Globe, May 5, 1990.

[10] Rick Hummel, “Cards Acquire Lee Smith,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 5, 1990.

[11] Rick Hummel, “Cards Acquire Lee Smith,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 5, 1990.

The post Cardinals trade Tom Brunansky for Lee Smith: May 4, 1990 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.