Source: http://ift.tt/MnaoIX --- Thursday, January 11, 2018
(Paul Mirengoff) On January 11, 1968, the world champion St. Louis Cardinals traded Alex Johnson to Cincinnati for Dick Simpson. The Cardinals had high hopes for Johnson when they obtained him, in effect, for aging stars Dick Groat and Bill White two years earlier. I discussed that trade here . At that time, the Cardinals compared the deal to the one that had brought them Lou Brock. General manager Bob Howsam said that Johnson “has all the pluses to be an outstanding hitter. He can run, throw, and hit for both power and average. He is also powerfully built. He has a bright future ahead of him.” The numbers backed up this praise. In 1962, playing for Miami in the Class D Florida State League, he hit .313 to win the batting title and led the league in outfield assists. In 1963, he was MVP of the Class A Pioneer League, hitting 35 home runs with 128 RBIs and a .329 batting average. In 1964, at age 21, he was hitting .316 with 21 home runs for Triple-A Little Rock when Philadelphia recalled him in late July. For the Phillies that infamous year of the “phold,” Johnson batted .303 with four home runs in 109 at-bats. Then, in 1965, he batted .294 with eight homers in 262 at-bats. Why did the Phillies trade one of the best young hitters in Baseball for two players nearing the end of the line? For one thing, the two players — Groat and White — filled major holes for Philadelphia who hoped to make a run at the pennant that had eluded in 19 ...
from Baseball http://ift.tt/2EBxCwR
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