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Walker Traded to Power-Packed Cardinals

Posted on: Saturday, 7 August 2004, 06:00 CDT

The St. Louis Cardinals had a power-packed lineup and the best record in baseball before they added Larry Walker. Good luck getting them out now. Walker was traded from Colorado to the Cardinals on Friday night for minor league pitcher Jason Burch and two players to be named.

The five-time All-Star and 1997 NL MVP joins a team that features sluggers Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds.

"When you look at what he provides to our club and put him in the middle of that lineup, it's pretty exciting," general manager Walt Jocketty said. "I feel he'll be energized to come in here and play for us, and I think he'll energize our club."

He'll almost certainly do more than that. St. Louis leads the NL with a .281 average, and Walker has won three batting titles. But the only time he has played in the postseason was 1995, when the Rockies were eliminated in the first round.

The Cardinals are 70-38 after beating the visiting New York Mets 6-4 on Friday night and appear headed to their fourth postseason appearance in five years. They lead the NL Central by 10 1/2 games.

"It is tough not to be happy about that. They are going to the playoffs and have a chance to win the World Series," said Walker, choking back tears as he spoke in Denver.

In other NL games, it was: Florida 7, Milwaukee 6; Houston 4, Montreal 0; Colorado 8, Cincinnati 5; Atlanta 4, Arizona 2; San Diego 13, Pittsburgh 1; Philadelphia 9, Los Angeles 5 in 11 innings; and San Francisco 6, Chicago 2.

The 37-year-old Walker, who blocked deals to Arizona and Texas the past two years, agreed to waive his no-trade clause for the chance to play for a contender. His salary, age and history of injuries surely led to him clearing waivers.

Walker is in the fifth season of a $76 million, six-year contract that pays him $12.5 million each in 2004 and 2005. The deal has a 2006 team option at $15 million with a $1 million buyout.

Colorado agreed to pay $7.5 million of his 2005 salary.

The Cardinals have an All-Star at every position but catcher, where Mike Matheny has won two Gold Glove Awards. The only trouble spot has been left field, where the Cardinals have used an assortment of players. Right fielder Reggie Sanders will move to left to make room for Walker in right.

"There's some good times ahead - where to hit him, where to play him, how much to play him," said manager Tony La Russa, who praised team ownership. "They're trying to give us every chance we can to get to the finish line and get to October and do some damage."

Pujols' RBI single snapped a seventh-inning tie against the Mets, and Matt Morris (12-7) pitched seven solid innings to beat Tom Glavine (8-10). The Cardinals won for the 14th time in 18 games.

Jason Isringhausen got his 29th save.

Mike Cameron, Richard Hidalgo and Cliff Floyd homered for New York.

Giants 6, Cubs 2

At San Francisco, Jason Schmidt struck out 11 in his NL-leading 14th win, and Michael Tucker and J.T. Snow homered for the Giants.

One night before Chicago's Greg Maddux goes for his 300th win, Schmidt (14-4) earned his 100th career victory by beating Matt Clement (8-11).

The Cubs' four-game winning streak was snapped, and their lead in the NL wild-card race shrank to one game over San Diego and two over the Giants.

Phillies 9, Dodgers 5, 11 innings

At Los Angeles, shortstop Cesar Izturis' throwing error led to four unearned runs in the 11th inning, including a go-ahead, two-run single by Jim Thome against All-Star reliever Eric Gagne (4-1).

Jimmy Rollins led off the game with a home run, one of four hit by Philadelphia in the first two innings against Kazuhisa Ishii. Bobby Abreu, Marlon Byrd and Placido Polanco also connected for the Phillies.

Jayson Werth hit his second homer of the game in the ninth off Philadelphia reliever Tim Worrell to tie it at 5. The Phillies matched a season high with their fourth straight win.

Braves 4, Diamondbacks 2

At Phoenix, Jaret Wright (10-5) extended his career-best winning streak to eight games and Adam LaRoche hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer. Wright hit his first career home run, and Rafael Furcal also had a solo shot for the NL East-leading Braves, who have won 12 of 14.

Padres 13, Pirates 1

At San Diego, Mark Loretta homered twice and had a career-high five RBIs to help the Padres stop a four-game skid. Jake Peavy (8-3) won his third straight decision.

Astros 4, Expos 0

At Houston, Roy Oswalt (12-8) struck out eight in a five-hit shutout, but the Astros lost shortstop Adam Everett for at least four weeks with a broken left wrist.

Oswalt has won four straight decisions. Jeff Bagwell and Jeff Kent drove in two runs apiece for Houston. Montreal was shut out for the 15th time this season - no other team has been blanked more than nine times.

Marlins 7, Brewers 6

At Miami, Paul Lo Duca hit a two-run single off Dan Kolb (0-2) in the ninth to give Florida a victory over error-plagued Milwaukee.

Rockies 8, Reds 5

At Denver, Todd Helton and Preston Wilson each drove in two runs to back Shawn Estes (12-4). Shawn Chacon earned his 26th save. Adam Dunn hit a two-run homer for Cincinnati.

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