Unveiling the 15 Most Regrettable Deals in St. Louis Cardinals History
Worst 15 Trades Involving the St. Louis Cardinals, Ranked by Their Adverse Impact on the Franchise's Success
The St. Louis Cardinals have a rich baseball history, yet even the mightiest franchises aren't immune to regrettable decisions. With a milieu reeking of triumphs, it's disheartening to delve into the realm of blunders.
Recently, the focus was on the 15 most woeful contracts burdening the Cardinals' coffers. Thankfully, the team hasn't veered too far off course compared to other big spenders. While shortsighted contracts dot the landscape of Cardinals' history, they trail far behind the calamitous trades that set the sport ablaze.
Swerving past lucrative contracts that missed the mark, let's delve into the darker side of the Cardinals' tradespace—the bad deals that left lasting scars on the organization and its fans. Hang tight, as we saddle up for a knuckle-biting journey across some trenches of excruciating memories.
From cunning maneuvers that transformed the team's destiny to heart-wrenching deals still lingering like phantom pain, the St. Louis Cardinals have a mixed bag to unravel. With some elementary insights from the archives, here's a glimpse of why certain trades have left an indelible mark on the red-bird land.
Debatable Deals:
Despite a dearth of well-documented worst trades in the Cardinals' lore, the annals of history stand witness to a few questionable selections and deals worth pondering:
- Mike Dunne Swap: In 1984, the Cardinals selected Mike Dunne with the 7th overall pick and shipped him to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Tony Pena. Dunne's tenure was underwhelming, while Pena's performance with the Cardinals was passable but hardly worth the price.
- Paul Coleman Draft: In 1989, the Cardinals plucked Paul Coleman with the 6th overall pick, passing on future luminaries like Frank Thomas. Coleman's career paled in comparison to his potential.
- Orlando Cepeda Snag: Although not necessarily a poor trade for the Cardinals, acquiring Orlando Cepeda from the Giants in 1966 has been mentioned in relation to the San Francisco club's questionable deals. Cepeda's prodigious career may provide a stark contrast to the Giants' perceived loss, rather than the Cardinals' gain.
Thorough investigation or specific records on the Cardinals' trades might be necessary to unearth the full horde of history's most regrettable deals. To dig deeper, consult historical trade data or archives devoted to the Cardinals' transactional antics over the decades.
- "The trade of Mike Dunne to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1984, in exchange for Tony Pena, is one of the debatable deals in St. Louis Cardinals history, as Dunne's tenure was underwhelming compared to Pena's passable performance with the Cardinals."
- "In 1989, the Cardinals drafted Paul Coleman with the 6th overall pick, passing on future baseball luminaries like Frank Thomas. Coleman's career paled in comparison to his potential, making this a questionable choice in the annals of Cardinals' history."
