Baseball History: The Old Trade Deadline

For many decades, June 15th was baseball trade deadline... In a pre-Internet age, the excitement and buzz we now experience during late July, took place barely a third into the season.

While many franchise-changing deals took place on 6/15, two stand out -- both involving the Cardinals. On this date in 1983, 1st baseman Keith Hernandez was sent to the Mets for pitchers Neil Allen and Rick Ownby.  A former NL co-MVP and member of the previous season's World Champs, Hernandez had a falling out with manager/GM Whitey Herzog, who felt his star 1st baseman didn't give his maximum effort. To be honest, Keith was also battling a substance problem. Bottom line, the Cardinals wanted him gone. 

Floundering in the third year of a rebuild under GM Frank Cashen, the Mets envisioned Hernandez as the same kind of veteran bat that Rusty Staub and Donn Clendenon had been on previous Flushing pennant winners.

To say Cashen was right would be an understatement. Hernandez brought leadership, defense and personality to a team that was a year away from contending. And over the years, he grew into something more -- a franchise icon, a bachelor, who like Staub a decade earlier, embraced living in Manhattan, becoming friendly with and appearing on the sitcom of noted Mets fan Jerry Seinfeld... and for the past 20 years, an insightful, entertaining TV analyst. His central place in Mets history already assured, Keith will receive the franchise's ultimate honor this summer, when the club retires his number 17.

Clearly the best trade in Mets history, the Hernandez deal was good karma, helping end the six years of futility the Mets endured after trading their "Franchise," Tom Seaver, to the Reds six years earlier on this date. None of the four players the Mets received from Cincinnati had much impact, while Seaver continued on his path toward Cooperstown.
 

Comments

Stu Paul said…
For sure, plus two Mets trades that were significant too: one bad and one good! The good? Acquiring Donn Clendenon from the Montreal Expos for Steve Renko, Jay Carden and Kevin Collins in 1969, but the bad one in 1977 was the worst when the late Tom Seaver was dealt to Cincinnati for Steve Henderson, Doug Flynn, Pat Zachry and Dan Norman! Henderson did turn out to be a decent outfielder and Doug Flynn was a good second baseman but Pat Zachry never duplicated what he did for the Reds in 1976 when he won 14 games for them! Still those 4 for Seaver a HOFer? Not close to being worth it! Keith Hernandez undoubtedly turned the franchise around then and always loved his clutch hitting and outstanding play at First Base!
June 15, 2022 at 8:23 AM
Matt Cukro said…
John Olerud for Robert Person, helped lead to the first successful season in years. This was the start of several successful years. 4.1, 7.6, & 5.6 WAR in 3 seasons as a Met, to go along with gold glove caliber play in the field.
June 15, 2022 at 9:22 AM
Paul. Rabin said…
Thank you for pointing out this was the best trade in franchise history. Yes, the trades for Piazza, Cone, Olerud, and Carter was also good. This one was better.
June 15, 2022 at 2:55 PM
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