Ripped-off Post continued: the All-Steve team

As many of you have been reading about the All-"state your name" pots the last few days I thought I would give it a try myself. It was not as easy as one would think with a common name like Steve but here goes: my All-Steve team.

I must start with my pitchers; this will be the team strength boasting a starting rotation of four, two righties and two lefties with 671 career wins and 7623 strikeouts !

LHP: Steve Carlton (HOF, 329 career wins, 4136 K's and the key to this team)

LHP: Steve Avery (career 96 wins and 980 K's)

RHP: Steve Trachsel (former Cub and career 143 wins / 1591 K's)

RHP: Steve Blass (103 wins and 896 K's)

In the bullpen will be:

Steve Howe

Steve Reed (every team needs a submarine pitcher)

Steve Searcy

Steve Trout (former Cub)

Steve Ontiveros (same name as bench player but different person)

Steve Busby

Steve Bedrosian

As far as the defense goes:

the outfield

Steve Kemp

Steve Henderson

Steve Hosey (1st round draft pick that never made it - I am giving him a second chance)

the infield

3B: Steve Buechele

SS: Vern Stephens (please allow this last name liberty; he was an 8x all-star with 247 HR's during his career 1941-55)

2B: Steve Sax

1B: Steve Garvey

C: Steve Yeager

off the bench:

Steve Ontiveros (former Cub and the more well known of the two same name players)

Steve Lake (former Cub)

Steve Swisher (former Cub)

So as you can imagine we wont score many runs, have limited power, little speed, short resources on the bench but . . . we do have starting pitching ! We also have too many Cubs and Dodgers represented but . . . did I mention we do have starting pitching !

If we ever do make it to the All-"state your name" Team playoffs, rest assured we will be "cursed" with our favorite fan rooting us on in the front row . . . Steve Bartman. And in the booth announcing the games will be former Cub, Cy Young award winner Steve Stone (he will have his uniform ready in case of injuries)

Have mentioned our starting pitching . . .

Santo - Stone Trade in 1973

During every offseason, including this year, there are trades made by teams that many of us start to question. Some we like and some we dont. As I look back at some trades from years gone by, I still get angry and confused as to what some general managers or owners were really thinking.

For me, in one of the saddest (not worst) trades of Chicago Cub history Ron Santo was traded to the Chicago White Sox on December 11, 1973.

Santo was sent to the southsiders (ie Chicago White Sox) in exchange for four players; Steve Swisher (catcher), and three young pitchers including Steve Stone.

Previously, in 1972, Santo actually became the first player to invoke the ten-five rule and block a trade to the California Angels (the ten-five rule allowed players with ten years of service and the last five with the same club to veto any trade). Santo wanted to stay in Chicago, and complete his career with the Cubbies, but the Cubs top brass had other ideas and finally arranged this deal to the White Sox.

Santo was miserable, the worst year of his professional baseball playing life. Sox manager Chuck Tanner had high hopes of good production from Santo in the designated hitter role. Santo hated not being in the field. Tanner gave in, kind of, and put Santo at second base where he was less comfortable and ultimately embarrassed himself. To be fair to Tanner, the Sox had Bill Melton at third base a regular 30 HR man and good defensively.

Fortunately for Santo, the time in the White Sox uniform was short, only one year. Santo retired after that one year, hitting only .221 with five homeruns.

Stone’s best year was several years later; winning a Cy Young award and The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year award with the Baltimore Orioles in 1980 posting a 25 – 7 record. He would later be joined with Santo in the Cubs broadcast booth.

I remember buying these cards together, when I re-entered the hobby in 1984 for $ .10 cents each – probably still a bargain today. The best thing about these cards is that Santo is NOT in a Sox uniform or cap (note the airbrushing and no logo). Stone however is in his new cubbie blue cap.

Sometimes trades benefit teams, sometimes one player shines in his new uniform, and sometimes trades go unnoticed for years. This trade however left a scar in the Chicago Cubs history and was incredibly sad to see a great ball player like Santo reduced to this low level of performance. Sometimes trades are just sad . . .