July 19, 1984
News that Texas traded LF Gary Ward to Toronto for two prospects, C Geno Petralli and SP Mark Clemons. I’m surprised by this trade, as Toronto doesn’t need more outfielders. But oh well - the return for Texas is fine, especially as Ward is a free agent after 1984. One more team off the Lezcano market, I guess (even though the Jays never really seemed in it).
Game 1984-95: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium - Braves 3, Phillies 1 / 42-53
Like most of our games this year, we start out with a lead, then a home run flips the score. In this case it’s Dale Murphy hitting his 13th. Meanwhile Mike Schmidt’s numbers are getting more alarming (.236/.328/.431). He shouldn’t be declining this rapidly, and I’m thinking it’s time for a couple days off.
July 20, 1984
We have two games against lefties coming up, then two against righties, then back against a lefty. I’ll start Schmidt these next two, sit him against the righties, and then see what to do after that.
Game 1984-96: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium - Braves 5, Phillies 3 / 42-52
Ken Dayley outclasses us in 7.2 innings. Dave Stegman’s first hit as a Phillie is an unimportant home run in the ninth inning.
July 21, 1984
The Cubs continue their tear-down, trading pitcher Rick Reuschel to St. Louis for fringe prospects Mark Dougherty, David Crossley, and Eddie Tanner.
Meantime, a trade proposal from the Blue Jays: Willie Upshaw would come our way, while Jerry Koosman, Chris James, and $119,000 in cash would head to Toronto.
Upshaw, 27 and a free agent after this year-
I’ll stop there.
I mean, OK, Upshaw is an upgrade over Len Matuszek, but he isn’t the meat-of-the-order thump we really need. And not for James, who at age 21 is hitting .291/.331/.475 with 37 XBH in 390 AA plate appearances. But, also, Upshaw is a free agent after this year.
Meanwhile, shopping Sixto Lezcano again, I get some pretty mild bites if retaining no salary. If I adjust to 50-50, the best return is 23-year-old SP Ken Dixon in Baltimore (43/45), who has a 3.58 ERA, 6.9 K/9 and 5.7 BB/9 this season. He’s better suited as a reliever, it seems, as he’s a two-pitch pitcher (fastball, curveball). But that isn’t the return I want. If I eat 80 percent, the returns don’t improve much. Eh.
One more idea: packaging Lezcano with Mike Diaz (who I’m 95 percent not trading as he’s the No. 69 prospect in the game, which is nice to have). That gives me some interesting results, including top Cardinals prospect Terry Pendleton (35/52). The Astros, Cubs (funny, as Diaz was a Cub), and Rangers become top suitors here, making me think I could figure something out, if just for Sixto.
To the Cardinals. I can probably trade any of their relief prospects for Sixto, one for one, except 21-year-old Jeff Fassero (34/47). It makes me think I’ll have to do a deal like Chicago’s recent trade with St. Louis, where the former received three fringe prospects with 30-39 potentials. Sample return: RP Joe Boever (31/39), RP Kevin Hagen (37/37), SS Jose Uribe (34/37). Fine, but I’d like one guy who could make more of an impact.
I try Texas, and I get close but there’s ultimately nothing that works. Same with Kansas City. It’s taking too much time; gotta quit for the night.
Game 1984-97: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium - Phillies 6, Braves 1 / 43-54
A wire-to-wire win, one of the best of the year. Steve Carlton is his old self (7.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 9 K, 2 BB), while Schmidty goes 3-for-4 with a double. Juan Samuel, Glenn Wilson, and Len Matuszek each add two hits.
A quick note on Wilson. He’s hitting .251/.268/.336 with 13 XBH in 325 PA. Not good enough (it’s a 69 wRC+, which is nice if you’re a pitcher). However, he’s been good against lefties (.298/.326/.438), which makes me feel good about a platoon with Joe Lefebvre (.277/.342/.418 against righties), at least through the end of 1984. It won’t be good enough as an everyday middle-of-the-order player, though.
July 22, 1984
Greg Gross chimes in. He wants to be traded, too. Back to the drawing board; I group him and Lezcano in a deal to see what kind of bite I get, and Detroit would give up LF Bruce Fields (age 23, 36/41), who was originally a consideration when shopping around Lezcano a week ago. Fields is hitting .302/.358/.380 with 19 XBH in 413 PA in AAA. His defense? A +15.6 ZR and 1.066 EFF. He’s outstanding defensively (a 70 at LF).
I like this. Sure, I have too many outfielders at AAA, but I’ll be trading two from the majors. I’ll figure this out. I will, however, need a second (or third) prospect. So, continuing with my theme, I ask for RP Chuck Cary (age 24, 35/36), who has 55/55 stuff, 35/35 movement, and 35/40 control, and has a 4.44 ERA in 26.1 IP this season in AAA. Not great, but he’s still developing.
Also, I like 3B Kenneth Mahnken, who has no real discerning quality aside from hitting taters (55/55 raw power) and running (60 speed and stealing, 65 baserunning). He’s a 26/27 and age 23, so I’m not sure there’s a place for him to grow, but what the hell. I like a flier.
Plus, I get $269K back in this deal (wait, $319K, because I also asked for $50K). Nice. Let’s do it.
TRADE
To Detroit Tigers
LF Greg Gross
RF Sixto Lezcano
To Philadelphia Phillies
LF Bruce Fields
RP Chuck Cary
3B Kenneth Mahnken
$50,000
- LF Bruce Fields assigned to AAA Portland
- RP Chuck Cary assigned to AAA Portland
- 3B Kenneth Mahnken assigned to A Peninsula
- 3B Greg Jelks promoted to AA Reading
- LF Keith Hughes demoted to A Peninsula
- 1B/3B/LF/RF Mike Diaz promoted to MLB Philadelphia
- 1B/RF Mark Funderburk promoted to MLB Philadelphia
- RP John Flinn released
In Peninsula, Jelks was hitting .272/.335/.446 with 32 XBH in 412 PA and at this point needed a push. Hughes comes back to Peninsula, as the 20-year-old was hitting a paltry .189/.255/.278 in 98 PA.
As for tonight’s game, no Diaz or Funderburk, which means a skeleton crew. And trying not to play Schmidt tonight. Let’s pray.
Game 1984-98: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium - Braves 5, Phillies 4 / 43-55
Bob Horner socks a two-run homer off Charles Hudson in the seventh to put the Braves up 5-3. But its not over - Mike Schmidt comes off the bench to deliver a pinch single that scores tw- no, one, because Dave Stegman is thrown out at the plate, naturally. That’s the end.
Another trade! The White Sox deal prospects Peter Venturini and Ed Sedar to Cleveland for veteran SP Jamie Easterly and cash. The Sox, by the way, are 16 games out of first. Weird stuff.
Power rankings! We’re 21st. The top-five:
1. Toronto Blue Jays - 68-31
2. Detroit Tigers - 63-33
3. Kansas City Royals - 58-38
4. Saint Louis Cardinals - 57-41
5. New York Mets - 56-40
The NL East is the best race there is, with the Mets, Cardinals, and Pirates all tied for first.
- Mets - 56-40
- Cardinals - 57-41
- Pirates - 57-41
- Expos - 52-46 (5 GB)
In the NL West, it’s a three-horse race, but separation remains:
- Dodgers - 56-44
- Reds - 51-49 (5 GB)
- Braves - 49-50 (6.5 GB)
The AL West isn’t much of a race right now:
- Royals - 58-38
- Twins - 51-46 (7.5 GB)
- Mariners - 51-48 (8.5 GB)
But the AL East is once again tight:
- Blue Jays - 68-31
- Tigers - 63-33 (3.5 GB)