Baseball History: When The Cardinals Traded Steve Carlton for the Phillies' Rick Wise

It was one of the worst trades ever made, but no one realized it for a while. In 1972, St. Louis Cardinals' left hander Steve Carlton wanted $65,000 to work for the Cardinals. They were willing to pay him $60,000, Philadelphia Phillies' right hander Rick Wise wanted $65,000 to pitch for the Phillies, which the Phillies would not consider. Each pitcher become a holdout.

The Cardinals Traded Steve Carlton to the Phillies for Rick Wise

On February 25, 1972, the Cardinals traded Carlton to the Phillies for Wise. The impetus was the fact that neither the Cardinals nor the Phillies wanted to pay THEIR pitcher $65,000, but each team was willing to pay $65,000 to another team's pitcher. Wise was ecstatic to join the Cardinals, but a shocked Carlton said he would have reconsidered if he had been aware that he would be traded.

Mirror Images

The Phillies gave Carlton a one year contract for $65,000 and the Cardinals gave the same amount to Wise. Baseball experts considered Wise and Carlton to be "mirror images" of each other. Carlton was 27 years old and had won 77 games in seven seasons. Wise was a year younger and had won 75 games in seven seasons with the Phillies. In 1971, Carlton was 20-9 with a 3.56 ERA, while Wise had been 17-14 with a 2.88 ERA. Carlton had LOST 19 games in 1970, which was ammunition the Cardinals used against Carlton.

The Mets Thought it was a Toss-up

Mets' general manager Bob Scheffing, a former catcher, didn't think that Carlton would fare as well with Phillies as he had with the Cardinals. "If Steve allows as many runs in Philadelphia as he did in St. Louis, he may not win as many games without the Cardinals' bats behind him." Mets' manager Gil Hodges: "Neither team gained, I guess, but Wise gained more than Carlton."

No one can question the baseball credentials of Bob Scheffing or Gil Hodges, yet they and almost every other baseball expert could not anticipate that the Phillies, not the Cardinals, would become the dominant team in the National League East, winning the division in 1976, 1977, and 1978, and finally winning their only World Championship in 1980. Mike Schmidt, Greg Luzinski, Jay Johnstone, Dick Allen, Greg Maddox, Lonnie Smith, and the great Pete Rose usually provided Carlton with enough runs.

Carlton Became a Hall of Famer

In 1972, before the Phillies became contenders, Carlton had one of the most incredible seasons ever. For the last place Phillies, Carlton won 27 games. He was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball until about 1984, winning a total of 329 games. Carlton was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1994.

Rick Wise was a good pitcher, but he never was more than that. He won 19 games for the Red Sox in 1975, which was his best season. He won a playoff game and a World Series game that season as the Red Sox lost the World Series. In his career, Wise was 188-181 with a 3.69 ERA.

If the Trade Had Not Been Made

Because neither the Cardinals nor the Phillies would accede to a pitcher's salary demands, a trade that would not otherwise have been made was made. It was believed that the trade would benefit both teams on the field, but in baseball, as in life, one never knows. What would have occurred if the Cardinals gave Carlton the $65,000 he wanted instead of giving that amount to Wise, and if the Phillies had give Wise the $65,000 he wanted instead of giving it to Carlton?

References:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/wiseri01.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/carltst01.shtml

By JOSEPH DURSOSpecial to The New York Times (1972, February 26). Cardinals Trade Carlton To Phillies and Get Wise :CARDS' CARLTON TRADED FOR WISE. New York Times (1857-Current file),p. 21. Retrieved September 17, 2008, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2005) database. (Document ID: 79424881).