While the 15 officially completed trades at the 1971 winter meetings created a stir, there were other blockbuster deals that were rumored, but did not take place. Here are some of the trades that didn't come to pass in Phoenix.
The Atlanta Braves offered future Hall of Fame first baseman Orlando Cepeda to numerous teams as part of an effort to improve their suspect pitching staff. The Braves tried to pry Holtzman from the Cubs, John from the White Sox, and McDowell from the Indians, but watched all of those teams make deals with other clubs. Another proposed target, Denny McLain of the Texas Rangers (just transplanted from Washington), would eventually join the Braves in the middle of the 1972 season, with Cepeda heading to the Oakland A's (who had acquired the over-the-hill McLain during spring training). While at the winter meetings in Phoenix, the Braves also discussed a deal that would have sent 1970 National League batting champion Rico Carty to the Philadelphia Phillies as part of a deal for starting pitcher Rick Wise and side-arming reliever Joe Hoerner. (If that trade had occurred, the Phillies might never have acquired Steve Carlton, who would eventually join Philadelphia in a steal-of-a-deal for Wise.) By the time the winter meetings ended, the gun-shy Braves managed only one minor trade: a swap of backup catchers, with lefty-swinging Hal King going to the Rangers for the defensive-minded Paul Casanova.
Like the Braves, the St. Louis Cardinals tried to swing a deal with the Cubs for Holtzman, but refused to part with any of the three high-grade outfielders that Chicago requested-Matty Alou, Lou Brock, or Jose Cruz. A trade for Brock would have been particularly interesting given that the Cubs had originally owned the Hall of Fame left fielder, only to swap him to St. Louis as part of the infamous Ernie Broglio trade. As for Alou, the Cards would trade him to the A's the following summer for veteran right-hander Diego Segui, a forkball (or according to some, a spitball) specialist.
The Orioles offered Frank Robinson to several teams before settling on the weak return they received from Los Angeles. Another southern California team, the Angels, considered surrendering right-hander Andy Messersmith, one of two men who would challenge baseball's reserve clause in 1975.
Another rumored Robinson deal had the Yankees sending left-hander Fritz Peterson to Baltimore for F. Robby, but the O's might have been leery of trading within their division. If that trade had happened, the more memorable (and more infamous) wife swap between Peterson and fellow Yankee left-hander Mike Kekich might not have happened. Kekich and Peterson would exchange wives, children, and family dogs during the spring of '72.
Prior to trading McDowell to the Giants, the Indians considered a three-man package offered by the Detroit Tigers. The proposed deal would have sent second baseman Dick McAuliffe, center fielder Mickey Stanley, and left-handed pitcher Mike Kilkenny to the Tribe. Concerned about McAuliffe's age, Cleveland turned down the offer. The Indians would eventually get their hands on Kilkenny, but not before he spent time with the Tigers, A's, and Padres during a personal four-stop tour in 1972.
Before agreeing on the deal with the Astros involving the youthful Mayberry, Kansas City considered making deals for three aging first basemen. The Royals talked trade with the Braves (for Cepeda), the Phillies (Deron Johnson), and the Rangers (Frank Howard). All of those negotiations fell through, a fortunate occurrence for the Royals given that the major league careers of Cepeda, Johnson, and Howard would all be over by 1975.
Also by Bruce Markusen
» Frank Messer: The Passing of a Yankee Broadcaster
» More submissions
Posted November 26, 2001.
BALLPLAYERS | TEAMS | CHRONOLOGY | TODAY | BOOKS | NEWSLETTER | ERRATA | FAQ
