“I’ll do anything to win a game,” Lankford said. “It’s not that I want to hurt anybody or anything, but I’ll do whatever I have to do to score.”[i]

Lankford’s decisive score capped a five-run Cardinals comeback as starting pitcher Ken Hill lasted just 2 2/3 innings. In a five-run third, three of the Phillies’ four singles failed to reach the outfield, but those hits combined with a walk, an error, a wild pitch, and two sacrifice flies to give Philadelphia a 5-0 lead.

After the Cardinals got on the scoreboard in the third, Phillies shortstop Dickie Thon made the score 6-1 with an RBI double. For the Phillies, who had won just four of their first 12 games of the season, it felt like a bright spot in an otherwise dismal start to the season.

However, after starting pitcher José de Jesús walked Ozzie Smith to lead off the seventh (it was his sixth walk of the game), the Phillies’ bullpen failed to hold the lead. Lankford, who already singled in the first inning and doubled in the fifth, greeted lefthanded reliever Joe Boever with an RBI triple. Felix Jose followed with an RBI single, and Perry drew a walk to chase Boever from the game.

“I felt I had my best stuff all year,” Boever said. “The pitch I threw to Lankford was up, but then I broke Felix Jose’s bat, and he ends up with a base hit. Then I threw four pitches to Perry, all down, and none were called strikes. Good morning, good afternoon, good night, have a nice day. I just didn’t catch a break.”[ii]

Enter the Phillies’ next reliever: Roger McDowell. With runners on first and second, McDowell was looking for a double-play ball and he got it when Craig Wilson hit a grounder to Randy Ready at second base. However, the ball skipped under Ready’s glove, allowing Jose to score and cutting Philadelphia’s lead to 6-4. By the time McDowell got the third out of the inning, the Phillies held a one-run lead.

That slight advantage disappeared in the ninth. With Phillies closer Mitch Williams on the mound, Jose singled and Perry drove him home with a triple into the right-field gap. That crucial run tied the game 6-6 and forced extra innings.

With one out, Williams (who wasn’t known as “Wild Thing” for nothing) walked Lankford. After Williams nearly picked him off, Lankford stole his third base of the year. The Phillies countered by intentionally walking Jose, bringing Perry to the plate.

On the fifth pitch of the at-bat, Perry hit the ball hard between first and second. John Kruk made a nice pick and threw smoothly to second to force out Jose. However, when Thon looked to throw to first, neither Kruk nor Williams were there. He paused for a moment before he realized that Lankford had never stopped at third and was barreling home.

“Lankford was hustling,” Phillies second baseman Randy Ready said. “He never stopped at third. I started screaming at Dickie to throw home, but he was still looking toward first.”[iii]

“From the start, I just decided I was going,” Lankford said. “I’m not sure if the third base coach (Bucky Dent) was waving me on or not. I was going whether he was or not.”[iv]

Thon’s throw reached Daulton before Lankford, but the former running back lowered his shoulder and slammed into the Phillies catcher at full speed. Daulton flew backward from the impact and the ball rolled out of his glove. Lankford celebrated with his teammates as Daulton remained on his knees and tried to regain his bearings.

“Your first instinct is to go for the double play,” Thon said, “but when I looked over there, I only saw the coach and (Perry). Then I saw the runner and threw to the plate. He made a good play. He never stopped, but he would have been out if (Daulton) had been able to hold onto the ball. We just didn’t execute, and that’s the name of the game.”[v]

Daulton was still woozy when he spoke to reporters afterward.

“I was left out to dry, and he got me pretty good,” he said. “I saw him out of the corner of my eye and then I don’t remember. They tell me I had the ball and it fell out of my glove.”[vi]

From the on-deck circle, Wilson had a good view of the play.

“Daulton wasn’t really in too good of a position and Ray just put his shoulder down and ran right into his sternum,” Wilson said. “Ouch! Daulton is going to be sore tomorrow.”[vii]

“He doesn’t have to wait until tomorrow,” Cardinals outfielder Bernard Gilkey added. “He’s sore right now.”[viii]

With the win, the Cardinals improved to 7-6 on the young season. The Phillies, meanwhile, fell to 4-9.

“When it rains, it pours,” Ready said. “We’re not getting away with anything, and when that happens, there’s nothing you can do. You just have to try to play through it.”[ix]

The Phillies did play through it, but they did so without the services of manager Nick Leyva, who was fired ahead of Philadelphia’s next game and replaced with Jim Fregosi. Under Fregosi, the Phillies recovered enough to finish third in the NL East at 78-84.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, finished second with an 84-78 record. Lankford, who hit .301 with nine homers, 69 RBIs, 44 stolen bases, and a league-leading 15 triples, placed third in that season’s NL Rookie of the Year balloting behind Houston’s Jeff Bagwell and Pittsburgh’s Orlando Merced.

Lankford went on to play 14 major league seasons, including 13 with St. Louis. His 1,479 hits as a Cardinal rank 16^th in franchise history. He also ranks fifth in homers (228), eighth in stolen bases (250), ninth in runs scored (928), 10^th in doubles (339) and RBIs (829), and 20^th in triples (52). He was elected to the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2018.

For his career, Lankford hit .272 with 238 homers, 874 RBIs, and 258 stolen bases.

Give the gift of Cardinals history! Order The Trades That Made The St. Louis Cardinals, available now on Amazon.

[i] Dan O’Neill, “Cards Win In Crunch Time,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 22, 1991.

[ii] Dick Polman, “Phils stumble to another loss,” Philadelphia Inquirer, April 22, 1991.

[iii] Dick Polman, “Phils stumble to another loss,” Philadelphia Inquirer, April 22, 1991.

[iv] Dan O’Neill, “Cards Win In Crunch Time,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 22, 1991.

[v] Paul Hagen, “Leyva looks to be on the way out,” Philadelphia Daily News, April 22, 1991.

[vi] Paul Hagen, “Leyva looks to be on the way out,” Philadelphia Daily News, April 22, 1991.

[vii] Dan O’Neill, “Cards Win In Crunch Time,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 22, 1991.

[viii] Dan O’Neill, “Cards Win In Crunch Time,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 22, 1991.

[ix] Paul Hagen, “Leyva looks to be on the way out,” Philadelphia Daily News, April 22, 1991.

The post Ray Lankford runs over Darren Daulton: April 21, 1991 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

On August 29, 1990, the St. Louis Cardinals traded the former National League MVP and four-time All-Star to the A’s for rookie outfielder Felix Jose and two prospects: third baseman Stan Royer and pitcher Daryl Green.

“I’m kind of speechless right now,” McGee told KMOX. “A lot of different things are going through my head. The good times and the bad times … It’s a beautiful nine years of my life. It had to happen sooner or later. I don’t think I was in a situation where I was going to be back next year.”[1]

Though McGee remained a beloved figure in St. Louis, the emergence of rookie center fielder Ray Lankford and the need to remake the roster after a disappointing season led the club to trade McGee, who was reportedly seeking a three-year, $9 million contract.[2]

McGee had been a key figure in the Cardinals’ success throughout the 1980s, beginning in 1982, when McGee finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year balloting and helped the Cardinals win the World Series with a two-homer performance in Game 3.

After earning an All-Star appearance and a Gold Glove Award in 1983, McGee enjoyed the best season of his career in 1985, winning the first batting title of his career with a .353 average. He also led the league with 216 hits and 18 triples, finishing the year with 10 homers and 82 RBIs on his way to the National League MVP. McGee was also recognized with Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards that season.

After McGee drove in a career-high 105 runs in 1987, helping the Cardinals win their third pennant in six years, St. Louis signed him to a three-year deal covering 1988, 1989, and 1990. After batting .292 with 41 stolen bases in the first year of the contract, McGee struggled through a difficult 1989 campaign. Rib, wrist, and hamstring injuries limited him to just 58 games, and he finished the year with a .236 batting average.

Entering the final year of his contract, McGee reported to spring training and proclaimed himself healthy for the first time in a year.

“I’m back to being the old Willie McGee,” he said. “I feel like I can run all day.”[3]

While McGee got off to a hot start, however, his teammates struggled, and the Cardinals never got on track. In June, Whitey Herzog resigned, and general manager Dal Maxvill saw that his club needed a refresh.

“I’m gone. I’m out of here,” McGee said on August 1. “They’ve already told me that, basically. That’s the way I feel. I have no other feelings inside. If I was (coming back), I would be signed by now. I’m not. So I’m gone.”[4]

After the trade was completed, Maxvill didn’t debate McGee’s assertion. “I wish he would have done what he’s doing now for all three years of his contract,” Maxvill said.[5]

The Cardinals’ plans drew into greater focus on August 21, when they called up Lankford and inserted him into the starting lineup at center field. To make room for the team’s top prospect, McGee was moved to right field.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Dan O’Neill described the scene: “(Lankford) will start in center field. He stands at his locker, beaming with excitement, bursting with nervous energy. Directly across the room is a stark contrast. A veteran sits alone at his locker, head hanging. After nine years as the Cardinals’ center fielder, McGee will be in right field.”[6]

As Lankford inherited the Cardinals’ center field job, the American League West-leading Athletics found themselves in need of a center fielder when Dave Henderson suffered a knee injury that required surgery. A’s general manager Sandy Alderson and Maxvill spoke for several days before finalizing the deal.

“With the injury to Henderson, we really looked at the short-term rather than the long-term potential for us,” Alderson said. “When Dave Henderson went down, we didn’t respond well on the field, and we didn’t respond well psychologically. It really hurt our guys. Dave Henderson is a very popular, warmly regarded player. It came on top of a lot of earlier injuries. This wasn’t a matter of gearing up for two or three weeks. This was different. This was a guy who might be out the rest of the year. … One other fact was that we were looking for left-handed balance and decided we couldn’t wait any longer.”[7]

Maxvill said that on the day they finalized the deal, he and Alderson exchanged at least 10 phone calls between 6 and 10 p.m.

“They weren’t really anxious to give us Jose,” he explained.[8]

McGee learned of the deal late that night, after a 9-1 win over the Reds. Due to bad weather, the Cardinals’ team plane was delayed, and they remained in the clubhouse for more than three hours. After learning of the deal from Maxvill, Cardinals manager Joe Torre called McGee away from his teammates. In a tunnel at Riverfront Stadium, Torre told McGee that he had been traded.[9]

“He was a little stunned when we told him,” Torre said. “He was saying, ‘Oh God,’ then he would say, ‘This is a break.’ He was bouncing back and forth.”[10]

McGee then joined his now-former teammates on the team flight back to St. Louis.

“He had to spend two more hours in last place last night on the airplane,” Cardinals pitcher John Tudor joked.[11]

After the flight, McGee sat in the airport with Ozzie Smith, Vince Coleman, and Terry Pendleton until 6:30 a.m.[12]

“To be honest, I’m real sad to see him go, but I’m happy he’s there, with all he’s had to put up with,” Pendleton said. “Willie’s a winner, not that we all aren’t, but I didn’t like to see them shifting him around to right field.”[13]

“Willie’s a winner, and I’m glad he’s going to a winner,” Tudor said. “As long as he doesn’t put too much pressure on himself and does what he’s capable of doing, everything will work out all right. Everybody here will say they’re sorry to see him go, but those are selfish reasons – because he’s a great guy and a hell of a ballplayer. I’m going to miss him in the outfield chasing those balls down.”[14]

Fellow pitcher Danny Cox shared Tudor’s sentiment. “All those people who called KMOX wanting to run Willie out of town will say, ‘Damn, we didn’t mean it,’” Cox said.[15]

With a .335 batting average across 542 plate appearances, McGee was leaving the National League in contention for the batting title, trailing only Philadelphia’s Lenny Dykstra. To be eligible, he needed 502 plate appearances.

“I play to make a living, I play to win, and I play to be the best I can be,” McGee said. “Above all, I try to be the best person I can be. I had nothing to prove to anybody. I worked as hard as I could this winter. I gave myself every opportunity to succeed. If I didn’t succeed this time, I knew it wasn’t going to be because I didn’t work.”[16]

The trade to Oakland was a homecoming for McGee, who had grown up there and just built a home in Hercules, California, less than a half-hour drive from Oakland Coliseum.

“Hopefully I’ll get into the swing of things,” he said. “It might make me a better player. I’m happy because I’m going home. It really couldn’t be a better situation.”[17]

McGee was going from a last-place team to an American League powerhouse. Earlier that day, the A’s had traded for Harold Baines from the Rangers. With McGee and Baines, the A’s could include eight former all-stars in the lineup, which already included Mark McGwire, Willie Randolph, Carney Lansford, Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco, and Terry Steinbach.

“It’s like Nixon and Watergate,” one American League official said. “You didn’t need the burglary. You’re going to win anyway.”[18]

“We finally rectified the imbalance in our offense,” Alderson said. “We feel we can better approach the last 30 games. What these two moves show is that we’re dedicated and focused on 1990. Our aim is to win the American League West.”[19]

“You want no regrets,” A’s manager Tony La Russa said. “Personnel-wise, now we have no regrets. The worst thing I can imagine is spending this winter thinking that if we had made a deal, or two deals, we would have won it. You play five months to get into this position. If you see a way to get better in the end, you take it.”[20]

In their bid for the American League West crown, the Athletics sent the Cardinals some intriguing talent. Jose, a rookie outfielder, was batting .264 with eight homers, 39 RBIs, and eight stolen bases in 341 at-bats for the A’s.

“(He is) a big, muscular, powerful switch-hitter,” Alderson said. “Outstanding arm. Excellent speed. And he has power really from both sides.”[21]

However, the 25-year-old Jose remained a raw talent. “At this point, he’s not a fully developed, experienced player you could put in center field on a daily basis,” Alderson said.[22]

“I think it’s a good thing for me in the future,” Jose said of the trade. “It was going to be real tough for me to play here next year. I’m going to be a little sorry because I’ve been here for a long time. After a few days it will go away.”[23]

Royer, a third baseman, was the A’s first-round draft choice in 1988. According to Baseball America, he was the club’s top power-hitting prospect,[24] and with Pendleton in the final year of his contract, Royer represented a potential solution.

“I saw him hit two balls out of sight in Knoxville,” one Toronto scout said. “He’s got great power.”[25]

Maxvill said that Green, a right-handed pitcher who was a first-round draft pick by the Angels in 1986, reminded him of Ken Hill when the Cardinals acquired him from the Tigers.

“Throws hard, good arm, but doesn’t know where it’s going,” Maxvill said.[26]

Ultimately, the consensus seemed to be that the Cardinals had done well in acquiring three young players for one month of McGee.

“With everything that was written in the paper that (McGee) was going to walk, we made out very well,” Torre said.[27]

“The departure of Willie McGee was inevitable,” O’Neill wrote. “Emotional attachment might tell you otherwise, but Wednesday’s late-night deal that sent McGee to Oakland was good for the Cardinals and good for McGee.[28]

Miklasz agreed, writing, “Lankford is the future. He may struggle this season, and probably the next. But that’s part of the growing process. The Cardinals need to turn Lankford loose, let him flail away at big-league pitching. Sure, the Cardinals could probably use McGee for another year. But McGee isn’t going to sign a one-year deal. And Lankford can’t be held back. Stunting his progress at this stage is counterproductive.”[29]

McGee appeared in 29 regular-season games for the Athletics, batting .274 with 15 RBIs and three stolen bases. At season’s end, McGee’s .335 National League batting average made him the first player in MLB history to win the NL batting crown while finishing the season in the American League. When reporters entered the clubhouse in Oakland after the A’s regular-season finale, they found that McGee had already left.

“I forgot to congratulate him,” La Russa said. “I’m sure he’s proud of it.”[30]

The A’s won the American League West and swept the Red Sox in the ALCS before they, in turn, were swept by the Reds in the World Series. McGee went just 2-for-9 in the ALCS and 2-for-10 in the World Series.

That offseason, McGee signed a four-year, $13 million contract with the Giants to replace Brett Butler as the team’s center fielder. Over those four years, McGee hit .301 with 14 homers, 148 RBIs, and 43 stolen bases. In the final year of that contract, he was limited to just 45 games by a torn Achilles tendon. Even when he returned with the Red Sox in 1995, he was limited to a reserve role and played just 67 games.

That, however, set the stage for McGee to return to St. Louis as a valuable fourth outfielder. McGee spent the final five seasons of his career with St. Louis, retiring after the 1999 season. In total, McGee played 1,661 of his 2,201 career games with the Cardinals, including 13 of his 18 big-league seasons.

Jose hit .305 with eight homers, 77 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases in 1991, earning an All-Star nod. In 1992, he hit .295 with 14 homers, 75 RBIs, and 28 stolen bases. Ahead of the 1993 season, the Cardinals traded him and Craig Wilson to the Royals for Ed Gerald and Gregg Jefferies.

Royer spent four seasons with the Cardinals, never exceeding more than 39 games in a season. In 1994, the Red Sox selected him off waivers.

At age 23, Green pitched one season in the Cardinals’ High-A affiliate in St. Petersburg, going 5-10 with a 4.63 ERA. It marked the final season of his pro career.

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[1] Dave Newhouse, “Baines, McGee join A’s,” Oakland Tribune, August 30, 1990.

[2] Rick Hummel, “Cards Trade McGee To Oakland A’s,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 30, 1990.

[3] Jeff Gordon, “In Good And Bad Times, McGee Always Persistent,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[4] Rick Hummel, “McGee’s Future: ‘I’m Out Of Here,’” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 2, 1990.

[5] Jeff Gordon, “In Good And Bad Times, McGee Always Persistent,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[6] Dan O’Neill, “Trade Was OK For Both Willie And Cardinals,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[7] Rick Hummel, “Jose Gets Good Rating On Power, Arm, Speed,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[8] Rick Hummel, “Jose Gets Good Rating On Power, Arm, Speed,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[9] Rick Hummel, “McGee Has Mixed Feelings,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[10] Rick Hummel, “McGee Has Mixed Feelings,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[11] Rick Hummel, “Cardinals Happy For McGee,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[12] Rick Hummel, “Cardinals Happy For McGee,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[13] Rick Hummel, “Cardinals Happy For McGee,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[14] Rick Hummel, “Cardinals Happy For McGee,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[15] Rick Hummel, “Cardinals Happy For McGee,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[16] Rick Hummel, “McGee Has Mixed Feelings,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[17] Rick Hummel, “McGee Has Mixed Feelings,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[18] Kit Stier, “A’s defend expensive ‘insurance,’” Oakland Tribune, August 31, 1990.

[19] Dave Newhouse, “Baines, McGee join A’s,” Oakland Tribune, August 30, 1990.

[20] Rick Hummel, “Cardinals Happy For McGee,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[21] Rick Hummel, “Jose Gets Good Rating On Power, Arm, Speed,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[22] Rick Hummel, “Jose Gets Good Rating On Power, Arm, Speed,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[23] Kit Stier, “A’s defend expensive ‘insurance,’” Oakland Tribune, August 31, 1990.

[24] Dan O’Neill, “Trade Was OK For Both Willie And Cardinals,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[25] Rick Hummel, “Jose Gets Good Rating On Power, Arm, Speed,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[26] Rick Hummel, “Jose Gets Good Rating On Power, Arm, Speed,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[27] Rick Hummel, “Jose Gets Good Rating On Power, Arm, Speed,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[28] Dan O’Neill, “Trade Was OK For Both Willie And Cardinals,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 31, 1990.

[29] Bernie Miklasz, “For Long Haul: Sign Coleman, Forget McGee,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 22, 1990.

[30] Associated Press, “McGee, Brett Win Titles,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 4, 1990.

The post The Willie McGee Trade: August 29, 1990 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

For good measure, Lankford also stole a base and scored four times.

“It’s a great feeling,” he said. “It’s something I’ll always remember.”[1]

Heading into the game, Lankford had already established himself as one of the National League’s top rookies. With seven home runs, 58 RBIs, 70 runs scored, and 35 stolen bases, Lankford joined the Astros’ Jeff Bagwell and the Pirates’ Orlando Merced in the Rookie of the Year race.

“He won’t win the award, but he might turn out to be the most exciting player of the bunch,” Cardinals manager Joe Torre said. “As far as all-around ability, speed, and excitement, he doesn’t have to take a back seat to anybody.”[2]

He certainly didn’t take a backseat to anyone on this day. In the bottom of the first, Lankford jumpstarted the Cardinals’ offense with a double down the left-field line. After stealing third base, he scored on another double off the bat of third baseman Todd Zeile. One inning later, Rex Hudler gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead with his first and only home run of the season. It was Hudler’s first game back since banging his head against a retaining wall while making a diving catch two days earlier.

“I think it knocked my swing back in order,” he said.[3]

Lankford opened the third inning with a single. He advanced to third on a double by Ozzie Smith, and Zeile drove him home again with a sacrifice fly to center field.

Lankford and the Cardinals chased Mets starting pitcher Pete Schourek from the game in the fifth. With one out, Lankford hit a ground ball past Mets first baseman Mickey Sasser and into the right-field corner, one of a major-league-leading 15 triples he hit on the season.

Smith hit a double off Sasser’s glove to score Lankford, and two batters later he scored on an RBI single by Zeile, who collected his second hit and third RBI of the evening. Felix Jose followed with an RBI triple. Schourek left the game with the Mets trailing 6-0.

“I didn’t have any breaking ball today and they were waiting for the fastball,” Schourek said. “I made three good pitches to Lankford and he got three good hits.”[4]

New York finally got on the scoreboard against rookie righthander Rheal Cormier in the seventh after Howard Johnson led off with a double and Mark Carreon drove him home with a single to left field.

Batting leadoff in the bottom of the seventh, Lankford knew he was a home run away from the cycle. After Whitehurst fell behind 2-and-1, Lankford launched the fourth pitch he saw 412 feet over the center-field wall.[5]

“I was thinking about it when I came up, but when I try to hit home runs, I have a tendency to pull the ball,” Lankford said. “I was just thinking about hitting the ball back up the middle. I didn’t want to get too anxious. It was just one of those days where everything you do goes right.”[6]

The last Cardinal to hit for the cycle was Willie McGee, who accomplished the feat against the Cubs in 1984. The last Cardinals rookie to do it was Cliff Heathcote in 1918.[7]

Gregg Jefferies hit an RBI single in the ninth inning to score the Mets’ second run of the game, but Cormier retired the next two batters to claim the first complete-game win of his career. He scattered nine hits and a walk while striking out four.

“It was hot out there and I was getting tired, but I was trying to get the manager not to notice,” Cormier said. “It helped to score the runs early; I could just throw strikes, pump the fastball, and hope people hit the ball at somebody.”[8]

Lankford’s cycle came one day after he drove in both runs in the Cardinals’ 2-1 win over the Mets.

“I’ve been real impressed with Lankford,” New York manager Buddy Harrelson said. “Now I guess I have to say I’m overly impressed. All of his hits were solid. He’s been a real standout this season.”[9]

Lankford finished his rookie campaign with a .251 batting average to go with nine homers, 69 RBIs, and 44 stolen bases. He finished third in the Rookie of the Year balloting behind Bagwell and Merced.

Lankford went on to play 12 ½ of his 14 major-league seasons with the Cardinals, spending a year and a half in San Diego after he was traded to the Padres for Woody Williams in 2001. After missing the 2003 season due to injury, he returned to St. Louis to play his final season at age 37.

In 1,580 games with the Cardinals, he hit .273 with 1,479 hits. As of 2022, he ranked in the top 10 in franchise history in doubles (339, 10^th), home runs (228, fifth), RBIs (829, 10^th), and stolen bases (250, eighth). He was inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2018.

Enjoy this post? Find similar stories listed by decade or by player.

[1] Dan O’Neill, “Cards Ray-cycle Mets 7-2,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 16, 1991.

[2] Dan O’Neill, “Cards Ray-cycle Mets 7-2,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 16, 1991.

[3] Dan O’Neill, “Cards Ray-cycle Mets 7-2,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 16, 1991.

[4] R.B. Fallstrom (Associated Press), “Rookie hits for cycle to sink the Mets, 7-2,” Post-Star, September 16, 1991.

[5] R.B. Fallstrom (Associated Press), “Rookie hits for cycle to sink the Mets, 7-2,” Post-Star, September 16, 1991.

[6] Dan O’Neill, “Cards Ray-cycle Mets 7-2,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 16, 1991.

[7] Dan O’Neill, “Cards Ray-cycle Mets 7-2,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 16, 1991.

[8] Joe Ostermeier, “Rookies lead Cards past Mets 7-2,” Belleville News-Democrat, September 16, 1991.

[9] Joe Ostermeier, “Rookies lead Cards past Mets 7-2,” Belleville News-Democrat, September 16, 1991.

The post September 15, 1991: Rookie Ray Lankford homers to complete the cycle first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

Batting sixth in his major league debut, Lankford doubled, stole a base, and scored a run in a 7-2 loss to the Braves on August 21, 1990.

Lankford’s big-league opportunity came after first baseman Pedro Guerrero was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained lower back. Though the Cardinals already had Willie McGee, Vince Coleman, and Milt Thompson on the big-league roster, manager Joe Torre didn’t want the team’s top outfield prospect withering on the bench. Instead, he inserted Lankford in center field, moved the three-time Gold Glove Award winner McGee to right, and made Thompson the fourth outfielder.

“I want to give Lankford an opportunity to do well, and center is where he has played,” Torre said. “You want him to be comfortable.”[1]

Before he stepped onto the field for his first game, Lankford met with Torre, director of player development Ted Simmons, and field supervisor for player development George Kissell.

“When the manager talks to you and tells you what he expects, that takes some of the pressure off,” Lankford said. “They said basically to go out and have fun. That helps a lot right there.”[2]

After his meeting in the manager’s office, Cardinals hitting coach Steve Braun visited Lankford’s new locker.

“The good news is you’re in the big leagues,” Braun said. “The bad news is we’re in last place.”[3]

Thompson told Lankford it was good to see him, then asked, “What took you so long to get here?”[4]

Lankford’s debut came against future Hall of Famer John Smoltz, who had earned his first All-Star appearance the previous year. Smoltz struggled early in the season, winning just one of his first five decisions, and entered the game against the Cardinals with a 9-9 record and a 3.98 ERA.

 The Cardinals had every reason to see what Lankford could do. At 57-65, the Cardinals were 15 ½ games behind the first-place Pirates and on their way to a last-place finish in the National League East. Whitey Herzog had resigned 80 games into the season, and after Red Schoendienst served 24 games as interim manager, the team had named Torre its new manager.

Torre was already making his mark on the team. In addition to inserting Lankford into the lineup, Torre moved Todd Zeile to first base in place of Guerrero and made Tom Pagnozzi the starting catcher.

“I never ask anybody to agree with what I do, just understand that it was my decision to make,” Torre said. “It’s my decision as manager to try to find things out.”[5]

By the time Lankford took his first at-bat, the Cardinals already trailed 3-0. David Justice hit a first-inning RBI single off Joe Magrane, and the Braves added two more runs in the second on an RBI single by Mark Lemke and an RBI groundout by Smoltz.

Terry Pendleton flied out to center to lead off the Cardinals’ half of the second, but Lankford followed with his first major league hit, a line-drive single into center field. After Rex Hudler flied out, Lankford picked up his first stolen base, swiping second off Braves catcher Greg Olson. Pagnozzi flied out to center for the final out of the inning.

Home runs by Ron Gant and Andres Thomas helped the Braves extend their lead to 6-0 before Lankford played a key role in the Cardinals’ lone rally in the eighth inning. Following a Zeile double, Lankford hit a two-out double of his own down the right-field line to score the first Cardinal run. Hudler followed with a single up the middle that scored Lankford to cut the Cardinals’ deficit to 6-2.

Zeile and Lankford’s doubles proved the Cardinals’ only extra-base hits of the day. Lemke drove home a run in the top of the ninth to make it 7-2, and Braves reliever Kent Mercker worked around a Craig Wilson single to seal the game in the ninth.

Smoltz improved to 10-9 with the win, holding the Cardinals to two runs despite 10 hits in eight innings.

“For me, this is probably the toughest team to pitch against because they can score runs without getting hits,” Smoltz said.[6]

Joe Magrane took the loss for the Cardinals, allowing four earned runs over seven innings.

Lankford joined Ozzie Smith, Hudler, and Pagnozzi with two apiece.

“Lankford is the future,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz wrote. “He may struggle this season, and probably the next. But that’s part of the growing process. The Cardinals need to turn Lankford loose, let him flail away at big-league pitching.”[7]

In 39 games, Lankford hit .286/.353/.452 with three homers, 12 RBIs, and eight stolen bases. In his first full season in 1991, he led the majors with 15 triples to go along with nine homers, 69 RBIs, and 44 stolen bases. He finished third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting behind Houston’s Jeff Bagwell and Pittsburgh’s Orlando Merced.

Lankford’s blend of power and speed was a trademark throughout his career. He hit at least 20 homers and stole 20 bases in five different seasons. When he retired following the 2004 season, Lankford ranked third in franchise history in home runs, fourth in walks, fifth in stolen bases, and eighth in RBIs and runs scored.

A key player for the Cardinals throughout the 1990s, Lankford played 13 seasons in St. Louis. In 2001, the Cardinals traded him to San Diego for Woody Williams, but Lankford returned in 2004. He finished with a .272/.364/.477 career batting line to go with 238 homers, 874 RBIs, and 258 stolen bases.

Lankford was inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2018.

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[1] Dan O’Neill, “Thompson Knows He’s ‘Odd Man Out,’” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 22, 1990.

[2] Dan O’Neill, “No ‘War’ Here,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 22, 1990.

[3] Dan O’Neill, “No ‘War’ Here,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 22, 1990.

[4] Dan O’Neill, “No ‘War’ Here,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 22, 1990.

[5] Rick Hummel, “Torre Plays With Cardinals’ Lineup,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 22, 1990.

[6] Joe Strauss, “Braves turn tables on Cardinals 7-2,” Atlanta Constitution, August 22, 1990.

[7] Bernie Miklasz, “For Long Haul: Sign Coleman, Forget McGee,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 22, 1990.

The post Ray Lankford makes his MLB debut: 8/21/1990 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

McGwire’s was the second of back-to-back home runs as the Cardinals defeated the Phillies 6-1 on August 8, 1997.

The Cardinals acquired McGwire from the A’s in exchange for Eric Ludwick, T.J. Mathews, and Blake Stein at the trade deadline on July 31, and since that time McGwire and the Cards had played in Philadelphia, New York, and Atlanta. The start of the Phillies series marked the beginning of a nine-game homestand and McGwire’s first opportunity to play at Busch Stadium.

McGwire had gone just 2-for-25 in his first seven games for the Cardinals, dropping his batting average from .284 at the time of the trade to .271. Nonetheless, the 38,300 Cardinals fans in attendance greeted McGwire with a standing ovation when he stepped into the batter’s box for his first Busch Stadium at-bat.

“Overwhelming,” McGwire said. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard a crowd so loud in a regular-season game.”^[1]

With runners on first and second, McGwire swung at the first pitch from Phillies starter Mark Leiter and popped up to shallow right field. With McGwire retired, Delino DeShields and Ron Gant pulled off a double steal, and both runners scored when Gary Gaetti smashed a ground ball past rookie third baseman Scott Rolen and into left field. The play was ruled an error on Rolen.

“I know it was scored an error, but that ball was smoked,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said.[2]

Ray Lankford, a late addition to the lineup after suffering a hamstring injury more than a week earlier, hit a solo home run in the third inning before McGwire stepped to the plate for his second at-bat. This time, the big man hit a line-drive home run off the left-field foul pole, ending his streak of 71 at-bats without a home run.

“It had been a while,” McGwire said. “It just felt good to hit a ball squarely.”[3]

“It was beautiful,” Cardinals starting pitcher Donovan Osborne said. “It’s amazing to watch that guy hit. It’s nice to see.”[4]

The crowd continued to cheer until McGwire climbed the dugout steps for a curtain call.

“Believe me, I will never forget this night,” McGwire said. This was a feeling I’ve never experienced.”[5]

“They’re pretty impressive fans,” Phillies manager Terry Francona said. “I’m not talking as someone trying to beat the Cardinals. I’m talking as someone who likes baseball.”[6]

The Phillies scored an unearned run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Mike Lieberthal. It was Philadelphia’s only run of the game as Osborne allowed just three hits over seven innings. He struck out six without walking any.

Just five days earlier, the Phillies had jumped on Osborne with eight earned runs in three innings.

“The difference between this game and the last one for me was that nothing I threw last time was working and everything I threw this time was,” Osborne said.[7]

Curtis King and John Frascatore each pitched scoreless innings to complement Osborne’s best performance of the season.

In the eighth inning, the Cardinals added a pair of insurance runs off reliever Reggie Harris. David Bell brought a run home with an infield single and rookie center fielder Scarborough Green, another Cardinal making his Busch Stadium debut, added an RBI single into center field. Green was a graduate of Lafayette High School in Wildwood, Mo., the same high school that produced David Freese, Ryan Howard, and Luke Voit.

Gant, Lankford, Mike Difelice, and Bell each had two hits apiece for the Cardinals, who finished with 12 for the day.

Leiter took the loss for Philadelphia, allowing two earned runs over seven innings.

The game sparked McGwire, who hit 24 homers and drove in 42 runs in his 51 games with the Cardinals that season.

On September 16, inspired by the reception he had received in St. Louis, McGwire signed a three-year, $28 million contract with an $11 million option for a fourth year.[8] Just hours after the deal was announced, McGwire hit his 52^nd home run of the season, a 517-foot blast that tied him with Ken Griffey Jr. for the major league lead.

McGwire cemented his place in history with his 70-home run season in 1998, which set a new Major League Baseball single-season home run record. In 2010, prior to being hired as the Cardinals’ hitting coach, McGwire admitted that he used steroids at various points in his career, including during the 1990s and the 1998 season.

“I’m sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids,” McGwire said. “I had good years when I didn’t take any, and I had bad years when I didn’t take any. I had good years when I took steroids, and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn’t have done it and for that I’m truly sorry.”^[9]

In 4 ½ seasons in St. Louis, McGwire hit 220 home runs, giving him 583 for his career. Over the course of his career, he was named to the All-Star Game 12 times, won three Silver Slugger awards, and won a Gold Glove in 1990.

Give the gift of Cardinals history! The Trades That Made the St. Louis Cardinals is available now on Amazon.

[1] Mike Eisenbath, “Cards Roll In McGwire’s Home(r)coming,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 9, 1997.

[2] Mike Eisenbath, “Cards Roll In McGwire’s Home(r)coming,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 9, 1997.

[3] Jim Salisbury, “McGwire helps muscle St. Louis past the Phillies,” Philadelphia Inquirer, August 9, 1997.

[4] Mike Eisenbath, “Cards Roll In McGwire’s Home(r)coming,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 9, 1997.

[5] Jim Salisbury, “McGwire helps muscle St. Louis past the Phillies,” Philadelphia Inquirer, August 9, 1997.

[6] Jim Salisbury, “McGwire helps muscle St. Louis past the Phillies,” Philadelphia Inquirer, August 9, 1997.

[7] Mike Eisenbath, “Cards Roll In McGwire’s Home(r)coming,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 9, 1997.

[8] Rick Hummel, “‘I’m Proud To Be A Cardinal,’ McGwire Says,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 17, 1997.

[9] “McGwire apologizes to La Russa, Selig,” ESPN.com, www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=4816607.

The post Mark McGwire homers in Busch Stadium debut: August 8, 1997 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

Instead, following a reduction of playing time and a war of words between Lankford’s agent and manager Tony La Russa, the Cardinals sent the 34-year-old Lankford and $2.8 million to San Diego for Woody Williams, a 34-year-old right-hander who became a key part of the Cardinals’ rotation.

At the time of the trade, Lankford was batting .235/.345/.496 with 15 homers and 39 RBIs. Though his on-base and slugging percentages remained strong, Lankford had 105 strikeouts in 264 at-bats, and with Jim Edmonds in center field, J.D. Drew in right, and rookie Albert Pujols earning at-bats in left, Lankford was beginning to see others cut into his playing time.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re struggling or not. I don’t think I get the respect around here that I deserve,” Lankford said. “Whatever goes on around here, nobody tells me. I’ve been here 11 years, and people around here should respect that and understand that and pay me the respect of letting me know what’s going on. That’s all I ask. If they can’t do that, then it’s time to go. That’s the bottom line.”[1]

Lankford had been one of the Cardinals’ defining players of the ’90s. After making his debut midway through the 1990 season, he enjoyed a breakout in 1991. That season, he led the majors with 15 triples, drove in 69 runs, and stole 44 bases to place third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. The following year, Lankford hit .293/.371/.480 with 20 homers, 86 RBIs, and 42 stolen bases.

In 1997, Lankford was named an All-Star on his way to a .295/.411/.585 batting line with 31 homers, 98 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases. He followed that season with a .306/.380/.493 campaign in which he hit 31 homers, had a career-high 105 RBIs, and stole 26 bases. Between the two seasons, Lankford provided 11.5 wins above replacement (WAR).

At the time of the trade, Lankford was the Cardinals’ longest-tenured player. His 222 home runs ranked third in team history behind Stan Musial (475) and Ken Boyer (255).

“I’ve been with three teams in four years, and he’s been with one team for 12 years,” relief pitcher Steve Kline said. “It has to be hard for him to leave St. Louis, and this is probably a tough team to leave.”[2]

Despite rumors that the Cardinals would send Lankford to the Padres in advance of the trade deadline, no deal was completed, meaning that any players exchanged would need to clear waivers. Lankford’s agent, Stanley King, made it clear that he hoped a trade could still be completed. He placed the blame for Lankford’s discontent at La Russa’s feet.

“Ray’s a big boy,” King said. “He can understand that it’s a baseball decision. I just don’t think there’s any excuse for not communicating with your players. That’s part of managing. The respectful thing is to call him in and sit him down.”[3]

“We have been talking,” La Russa said in response. “I felt like I had made it clear. If it isn’t quite clear, I look forward to explaining it all over again. I’d love to get into a debate with him about respect and about all the ways we respected him, including his contract, and all the ways we didn’t. There’s only one thing I can look at – it’s that nobody gave him a definite take on what was going to happen (with a trade).”[4]

La Russa also disputed King’s accusation that the reason for his decreased playing time was unclear.

“The need for putting the ball in play – that was told to everybody,” La Russa said. “Playing with intensity, making sure our fans see we’re not giving in to our struggles, and the importance of defense. Those are all things we’ve told everyone. It’s possible a guy like (Padres manager) Bruce Bochy can get through to him, but he’s got to improve his production. Maybe a guy like Tony Gwynn can get through to him.”[5]

Despite Lankford’s differences with La Russa, his teammates were sad to see him go. Mike Eisenbath of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that while several were willing to comment, others were visibly upset and declined to talk on the record.[6]

“He treated everyone the same,” said second baseman Fernando Vina. “Even though he had been here for so many years, he didn’t have any favorites. He was kind to everyone, a very down-to-earth person.”[7]

Andy Benes, who had played his entire career with the Padres before they traded him to St. Louis, said it would be an emotional move for Lankford, but could also be for the best.

“I think it will be good for him,” Benes said. “Change is good a lot of times. Sometimes a change of scenery is good to get the juices going. It will be good for Ray – and I think it will be good for us to get a guy who can throw.”[8]

In Williams, the Cardinals were getting a veteran pitcher with a reputation as an innings eater. He had pitched more than 200 innings in 1998 and 1999, and threw 168 in 2000 despite missing two months due to an aneurysm under his right arm. Over nine seasons with the Blue Jays and Padres, Williams had gone 58-62 with a 4.32 ERA.

He was 8-8 with a 4.97 ERA at the time of the trade.

“I’m going to use this as a stepping stone that will allow me to get back to where I want to be,” Williams said. “Hopefully, I’ll give them the kind of performance they want.”[9]

Like Lankford, Williams was a popular teammate in San Diego.

“There isn’t a guy in this clubhouse who doesn’t love Woody,” first baseman Ryan Klesko said.[10]

That included Padres general manager Kevin Towers, who unsuccessfully negotiated with Williams on a three-year contract the previous winter.

“If I didn’t believe in our young pitching, I wouldn’t have done this,” he said.[11]

Lankford played in 40 games over the remainder of the 2001 season, batting .288/.386/.480 with four homers, 19 RBIs, and six stolen bases. In 2002, injuries limited him to just 81 games and his numbers fell to .224/.326/.356 with six homers and 26 RBIs.

Lankford missed the 2003 season with a hamstring, then signed with the Cardinals, where he played his final 92 games. After the acquisition of Larry Walker, Lankford’s playing time dipped again and he did not make the team’s playoff roster. He retired after the season with a career .272/.365/.481 batting line to go with 238 homers, 874 RBIs, and 258 stolen bases. He was inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2018.

Williams pitched 3 ½ seasons in St. Louis. Under Dave Duncan’s tutelage, Williams thrived, going 45-22 with a 3.53 ERA. In the 2001 NLDS against the Diamondbacks, Williams earned the Game 2 win against Randy Johnson, allowing just one run over seven innings.

In 2003, Williams had the best season of his career and was named to the All-Star team. He finished the year with an 18-9 record and 3.87 ERA over 220 2/3 innings.

In the 2004 National League championship season, Williams went 11-8, then held the Dodgers to two runs over six innings in Game 1 of the NLDS. He won Game 1 of the NLCS against the Astros, then threw seven shutout innings in Game 5, though he earned no decision in the Cardinals’ loss. Williams had a forgettable outing in Game 1 of the World Series, allowing seven earned runs in 2 1/3 innings.

That offseason, Williams returned to San Diego, where he went 19-17 over two seasons before playing his final season with the Astros at age 40. He retired after 15 seasons with a 132-116 record and a 4.19 career ERA.

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[1] Rick Hummel, “Lankford says he won’t stand in the way of a trade,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 30, 2001.

[2] Mike Eisenbath, “Cardinals reflect on Lankford’s situation,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 3, 2001.

[3] Rick Hummel, “Lankford’s agent says deal still is possible, criticizes La Russa,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 2, 2001.

[4] Rick Hummel, “Lankford’s agent says deal still is possible, criticizes La Russa,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 2, 2001.

[5] Mike Eisenbath, “Cards send Lankford to Padres,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 3, 2001.

[6] Mike Eisenbath, “Cardinals reflect on Lankford’s situation,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 3, 2001.

[7] Mike Eisenbath, “Cardinals reflect on Lankford’s situation,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 3, 2001.

[8] Mike Eisenbath, “Cardinals reflect on Lankford’s situation,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 3, 2001.

[9] Mike Eisenbath, “Cards send Lankford to Padres,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 3, 2001.

[10] Shaun O’Neill, “Williams bound for St. Louis,” North County Times, August 3, 2001.

[11] Shaun O’Neill, “Williams bound for St. Louis,” North County Times, August 3, 2001.

The post Ray Lankford-Woody Williams Trade: August 2, 2001 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

Ron Gant and Gary Gaetti each hit two home runs and Ray Lankford, Brian Jordan, and John Mabry each added blasts as four of the six pitchers the Cubs used were taken deep. The power surge equaled the team record set on May 7, 1940, when Eddie Lake and Johnny Mize each hit two runs apiece to pace an 18-2 rout of the Dodgers and marked the first time the Cubs had allowed seven home runs in a game since the Dodgers did it to them in 1976.

“Seemed like no matter what I threw, they were hitting,” said Cubs starting pitcher Steve Trachsel, who allowed four of the Cardinals’ seven home runs. “They hit them high, they hit them low, they hit breaking pitches, fastballs, everything.”[1]

The Cardinals didn’t need the long ball to get the scoring started in the second inning. After Trachsel retired the side in order in the first, Jordan reached on an error. Mabry followed with a single to right and an error by Sammy Sosa allowed Jordan to score. An RBI single by Mike Gallego, newly returned from the disabled list, gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.

The home run barrage started in the third inning as Mabry hit a two-run homer and Gaetti followed with a solo shot over the left-field wall.

Cardinals starting pitcher Andy Benes allowed an unearned run in the third on an RBI double by Mark Grace, but St. Louis broke the game open in the fifth. Lankford and Gant hit back-to-back home runs to open the inning and chase Trachsel from the game.

“I know how good that young man is,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said of Trachsel. “I wouldn’t have bet a dime we’d hit one, much less seven, but the boys took care of our No. 1 strategy – get so far ahead that I can’t mess it up.”[2]

With Rodney Myers taking over on the mound for the Cubs, Jordan doubled and Gaetti hit a two-run blast – his second homer of the day – to make it 9-1.

In the sixth, Cubs reliever Tanyon Sturtze walked Lankford and Gant before allowing a three-run blast to Jordan. An eighth-inning home run by Gant gave the Cardinals a 13-1 lead before a Dave Magadan home run and an RBI double by Doug Glanville made it 13-3.

Mabry led the Cardinals with four hits on the day while Jordan and Gaetti each had three.

“He’s just a hungry hitter,” La Russa said of Mabry. “He doesn’t throw any at-bats away, whether he’s 3-for-4 or 0-for-4.”[3]

Benes, who had won just one of his first eight decisions since signing a free-agent contract with the Cardinals during the offseason, improved to 7-8 with the win. Over eight innings, he allowed two earned runs on nine hits and a walk.

“He’s getting a lot of payback for pitching well early in the season,” La Russa said. “He was pitching better than his record.”[4]

Dennis Eckersley pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning, striking out the final two batters he faced.

It was a forgettable outing for Trachsel, who allowed four of the Cardinals’ seven homers. He allowed six earned runs over four innings and fell to 7-6 on the season.

“One guy hits a homer with a one-armed swing, another guy hits a split-fingered pitch I had down in the zone,” Trachsel said. “I didn’t have good location on a lot of my pitches, but they were hitting balls they shouldn’t have been hitting and when that happens I tip my cap to them.”[5]

“When the wind is blowing out, even pop-ups can go out,” Mabry said. “Trachsel had good stuff, but he was just on the wrong side of the wind.”[6]

Incredibly, the Cardinals’ home run outburst represented almost 5% of their home runs for the season. Their 142 homers for the season ranked 23^rd in the majors, 115 behind the Orioles and 35 below the league average. Gant led the Cardinals with 30 homers, followed by 23 from Gaetti and 21 from Lankford.

Despite their lack of home run production, the Cardinals went 88-74 to win the National League Central. They swept the Padres in a three-game National League Division Series before falling to the Braves in a seven-game National League Championship Series.

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[1] Associated Press, “Cards homer-happy against Cubs,” Decatur Herald and Review, July 13, 1996.

[2] Rick Hummel, “Cards Test Big-Bang Theory,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 13, 1996.

[3] Rick Hummel, “Cards Test Big-Bang Theory,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 13, 1996.

[4] Rick Hummel, “Cards Test Big-Bang Theory,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 13, 1996.

[5] Mike Kiley, “Cubs’ long day result of long ball,” Chicago Tribune, July 13, 1996.

[6] Associated Press, “Cards homer-happy against Cubs,” Decatur Herald and Review, July 13, 1996.

The post July 12, 1996: Gant, Gaetti pace Cardinals’ seven home runs in win over the Cubs first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

With 499 career stolen bases, the Wizard was set to become just the 16^th player in Major League Baseball history to steal 500 bases. However, heading into the Cardinals’ April 26 game against the Expos, The Wizard had yet to steal a base and had only tried once.

At Busch Stadium, he responded by stealing not only his 500^th bag but also two more for good measure.

Smith captured his milestone in the fourth inning after leading off with a single. With Todd Zeile at the plate, Smith took off on a 2-0 pitch. The umpire ruled him safe. Then the fans began to chant his name.

“It’s a great achievement when you think about the number of people who have played the game, to be only the 16^th one to do it,” said Smith, who took off his helmet and saluted the fans in response to their cheers. “I guess when you’re around a long time, things like that happen.”[1]

Smith didn’t stay at 500 stolen bases for long. Zeile drew a walk, and with Brian Jordan at the plate, Expos starter Chris Haney attempted to pick off Zeile at first. Smith took advantage of the distraction to steal third.

Smith singled again to lead off the sixth but was stranded at third. In the eighth, he singled to center field and stole second on Haney’s first pitch to Zeile. It marked the 10^th time in his career that Smith had stolen three bases in a game.

Unfortunately, Smith provided the bulk of the Cardinals’ offense in the 6-0 loss as Haney held the Cardinals to just five hits in the complete-game effort. He struck out eight.

Haney said the key was keeping leadoff man Ray Lankford off base so that Smith’s base hits didn’t turn into rallies.

“I mean, those three singles were hit so that they could have easily moved Lankford to third if he’d somehow been on,” Haney said. “Lankford on third? We’re talking trouble then.”[2]

Smith went on to steal 43 bases in 1992 while batting .295. He made his 12^th All-Star Game appearance that season and won his 13^th and final Gold Glove Award.

Following the 1996 season, he retired with 580 career stolen bases. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001 in his first year on the ballot.

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[1] Vahe Gregorian, “Ozzie Gets Milestone 500^th Stolen Base,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 27, 1992.

[2] Jeff Blair, “Haney delivers nifty wake-up call,” Montreal Gazette, April 27, 1992.

The post Ozzie Smith swipes 500th career stolen base: April 26, 1992 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

In his rookie campaign in 1995, Mabry tied for fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting after batting .307 with five homers and 41 RBIs. That performance included 12 hits in 23 at-bats at Coors Field, but also included just one triple in 418 plate appearances.

On this day, however, he collected the second triple and the seventh home run of his career on his way to hitting for the cycle. Unfortunately, his historic accomplishment came the same night that the Rockies rallied for a five-run ninth inning to beat the Cardinals, 9-8.

“This is a really strange feeling,” Mabry said. “You’ve got to win the game. That’s all I know.”[1]

Mabry’s day began with a single up the middle against Colorado’s Marvin Freeman, a 6-foot-7 veteran right-hander who placed fourth in the Cy Young Award voting in 1994 but was now in the final season of his major-league career.

After Gary Gaetti hit a solo home run to lead off the fourth, Mabry followed with a ground-ball double down the right-field line but was stranded at third base.

Mabry was part of a four-run Cardinals rally in the fifth. After Brian Jordan drew a one-out walk, Ray Lankford homered to left field. Gaetti drew a walk before Mabry tripled over the head of Rockies center fielder Larry Walker, scoring Gaetti. Tom Pagnozzi scored Mabry with an RBI single that gave St. Louis a 5-1 lead.

Walker and Jeff Reed each homered in the sixth to cut the Cardinals’ lead to 5-3, but Mabry answered in the seventh with a two-run homer off left-handed reliever Mike Munoz to become the 212^th player in major league history to hit the cycle. It also made him the 15^th Cardinal to accomplish the feat and the first since Lankford did it in 1991.[2]

After the game, he said he was unaware of the potential cycle until his teammates congratulated him.

“I thought they were just congratulating me for the home run,” he said.[3]

Lankford said, “If it had been brought to his attention, it probably would have messed him up, but he was able to go up there relaxed in the seventh and he was just trying to make contact. Fortunately, he hit it out of the ballpark.”[4]

When Mabry came to the plate with Lankford on third base in the top of the ninth, Rockies pitcher John Habyan intentionally walked him. Lankford later scored on a wild pitch, giving the Cardinals an 8-4 lead.

The Rockies, however, erased that deficit in the bottom of the ninth, as Ellis Burks hit a two-run homer and John Vander Wal hit a walk-off, three-run homer off Dennis Eckersley to win the game, 9-8.

“I didn’t have anything tonight,” Eckersley said. “I couldn’t make a pitch, and you’ve got no time to find it. It was unbelievable.”[5]

One day later, Eckersley returned to St. Louis to have an MRI exam on his right elbow.[6]

“How can we not be in here celebrating John Mabry’s cycle?” asked Tony La Russa. “But nobody feels worse than Eckersley.”[7]

The loss dropped the Cardinals to a 17-25 record and the bottom of the National League East Division. Two days later, however, the Cardinals began a five-game win streak that marked the beginning of their resurrection. Led by Jordan, Lankford, and Ron Gant, the Cardinals battled back. An eight-game win streak between August 30 and September 7 catapulted the club into the NL East lead, and by season’s end, the Cardinals led the division by six games with an 88-74 record.

Mabry hit .297 in 1996 with a career-high 13 homers and 74 RBIs. He played with the Cardinals through the 1998 season, then signed with Seattle. In 2001, he briefly returned to St. Louis, appearing in five games before the Cardinals traded him to the Marlins. In 2004, Mabry again signed with the Cardinals and played two more seasons in St. Louis. His 14-year career included eight years in St. Louis. He hit .281 with 53 homers and 272 RBIs while wearing the birds on the bat.

After his playing career ended, Mabry spent one season as an analyst on Cardinals’ pre- and post-game shows for Fox Sports Midwest. In 2012, Mabry was named the Cardinals’ assistant hitting coach under Mark McGwire, then was promoted to hitting coach after McGwire took the same position with the Dodgers. Mabry served as the Cardinals’ hitting coach until July 2018.

Since then, he has coached for the Royals, Marlins, Orioles, and Angels.

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[1] Rick Hummel, “Mabry Goes For A Ride On The Cycle,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 19, 1996.

[2] “Eck, Cards lose again to Rockies,” Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, May 19, 1996.

[3] Rick Hummel, “Mabry Goes For A Ride On The Cycle,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 19, 1996.

[4] Rick Hummel, “Mabry Goes For A Ride On The Cycle,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 19, 1996.

[5] Rick Hummel, “Stunned Cardinals Are Victims In Another Rockies’ Horror Show,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 19, 1996.

[6] Rick Hummel, “Turns Out, Eckersley’s Sore Because Of Elbow, Not Ump,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 20, 1996.

[7] Rick Hummel, “Stunned Cardinals Are Victims In Another Rockies’ Horror Show,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 19, 1996.

The post John Mabry hits for the cycle: May 18, 1996 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

In the Cardinals’ 6-3 victory over the Brewers on April 27, 2005, Grudzielanek joined Lou Brock and Ray Lankford as the only Cardinals to hit for the cycle at Busch Stadium.

A veteran of 11 previous seasons with the Expos, Dodgers, and Cubs, Grudzielanek had seen his batting average dip as low as .224 on April 22. Now that he was back in St. Louis, however, his fiancée Danielle and 23-month-old son Bryce were visiting from San Diego and helping to put his mind at ease as he adjusted to a new team.

“I see my little guy and everything just falls off – the pressure, the ton of bricks on your shoulders just fall off,” he said. “I walk out the clubhouse door and just get to be his hero.

“Everything was building up and building up, and I was pressing, and they get here, and it’s like, ‘Hey, relax. Relax. Things will come around.’”[1]

They certainly did.

Grudzielanek and the Cardinals set the tone early against the Brewers after Carpenter struck out Brady Clark, Jeff Cirillo, and Geoff Jenkins to open the game. Batting leadoff in place of David Eckstein, who had the day off, Grudzielanek opened the bottom of the first with a home run to left field, his first as a Cardinal.

It was just the beginning of a very rough inning for Brewers starting pitcher Victor Santos, who allowed three runs in the frame.

In the second, Grudzielanek struck again with a one-out single to left. Two batters later, Albert Pujols singled to score Grudzielanek and give the Cardinals a 4-0 lead.

The lead stayed four runs until the fourth, and Grudzielanek was again in the middle of things. Yadier Molina walked to lead off the inning, and Carpenter laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance him to second. On a 2-1 pitch, Santos gave Grudzielanek a waist-high fastball on the outside half of the plate. He smacked it into the right-field gap, where it one-hopped the fence to score Molina.

“I didn’t think about (the cycle) really until Pujols was yelling at me a little bit after I hit the double, saying, ‘You’ve got to do it. You’ve got to do it. You’ve got to go for the cycle,’” Grudzielanek said. “I didn’t think the opportunity would come, but it sure did. … It doesn’t happen often, just one of those days.”[2]

In the fifth, the Brewers finally scored off Carpenter, as Chad Moeller hit an RBI single to make the score 5-1. Branyan hit a two-run homer in the sixth to cut the Cardinals’ lead to 5-3, but Grudzielanek once again sparked St. Louis. Milwaukee reliever Jorge De La Rosa opened the at-bat with two consecutive strikes before he tried to sneak an outside breaking ball past Grudzielanek.

It didn’t work. The Cardinals’ second baseman slapped the ball into the right-field corner. It looked like Grudzielanek would have to settle for a double, but as the ball bounced around the corner, it skipped past Jenkins. Grudzielanek raced around second and slid safely into third without a throw to become the first Cardinal to hit for the cycle since John Mabry accomplished the feat in Colorado in 1996.

“I saw (Jenkins) try and cut it off and saw it squeeze by and I thought, ‘Gotta go, gotta go,’” Grudzielanek said. “It’s just weird how it worked out. Pujols yelling at me that you’ve got to go for it, and sure enough, it happened where I had a chance to go for it.”[3]

Edmonds hit a two-out single to left to score Grudzielanek and make the score 6-3.

Carpenter pitched into the eighth. With Jenkins on first with a single, he struck out Carlos Lee for his final out of the game. With the left-handed-hitting Branyan up next, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa called on Ray King to get the final out of the inning. Julian Tavarez, filling in for injured closer Jason Isringhausen, struck out three of the four batters he faced in the ninth for his first save of the season.

Carpenter’s day consisted of three earned runs in 7 2/3 innings. He tied a career high with 12 strikeouts without walking a batter.

“Right now, I feel I can throw my curveball for strikes or down or whatever I want to do with it,” Carpenter said. “That was, I think, a key factor today.”[4]

That curveball would remain a factor throughout the season, as he went 21-5 en route to winning the National League Cy Young Award.

Santos took the loss after allowing five earned runs over four innings. Three of the seven hits he allowed came off Grudzielanek’s bat.

“It’s like everything I threw him, he was right on it,” Santos said. “I would make a mistake and then – boom!”[5]

Grudzielanek finished the season with a .294 batting average to go along with 30 doubles, eight homers, and 59 RBIs. After his lone season in St. Louis, he signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Royals with a $3 million player option for 2007.[6]

Grudzielanek played three seasons in Kansas City before playing one final season in Cleveland at age 40. He finished his career with a .289 batting average and 2,040 career hits.

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[1] Derrick Goold, “Cards ride Grudzielanek cycle to win,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 28, 2005.

[2] Derrick Goold, “Cards ride Grudzielanek cycle to win,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 28, 2005.

[3] Derrick Goold, “Cards ride Grudzielanek cycle to win,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 28, 2005.

[4] Derrick Goold, “Cards ride Grudzielanek cycle to win,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 28, 2005.

[5] Derrick Goold, “Cards ride Grudzielanek cycle to win,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 28, 2005.

[6] Derrick Goold, “Grudzielanek tires of waiting, crosses state to join Royals,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 17, 2005.

The post Mark Grudzielanek hits for the cycle: April 27, 2005 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.