5 for 1 in Philly

In a trade that becomes the forever known “5 for 1” in Philadelphia, the Phillies 41 years ago today send five players to Cleveland for a 24-year-old, budding star of an outfielder named Von Hayes.

To get Hayes, the Phillies give up an All-Star in popular second baseman Manny Trillo; two bench players in outfielder George Vukovich and catcher Jerry Willard; a back-of-the-bullpen in reliever Jay Baller; and a 24-year-old shortstop named Julio Franco, who can hit but not field especially well.

Trillo, closing in on his 32nd birthday at the time of the trade, is the biggest name for Cleveland in the deal, but the Indians keep him for less than a season before flipping him to Montreal for minor league outfielder Don Carter, who is out of affiliated ball by 1986.

At the same time, Trillo drifts from Montreal to San Francisco to Chicago and then, from the Cubs, to Cincinnati to finish out his career in 1989.

As for Franco, the gem of a hitter with little use for a glove, he enjoys six productive seasons in Cleveland’s offense, batting .297 over 1,088 games.

Franco’s defense, well, that is not so good during his five seasons as the Indians’ shortstop with the sixth as their second baseman.

Franco seems to allow as many runs with his glovework – or lack thereof – as he produces with his bat, committing an alarming 151 errors over six seasons with the Indians, who finally trade him to Texas after the 1988 season.

As for Hayes, he lasts nine seasons with the Phillies, batting .272 over 1,208 games before Philadelphia regifts him in December 1991 to the Anaheim Angels for pitcher Kyle Abbott and Ruben Amaro Jr.