Not the Phillies’ best trade

The young Ryne Sandberg with Philadelphia

The Phillies and Cubs trade shortstops 42 years ago today as the aging Larry Bowa goes from Philadelphia to Chicago for the serviceable Ivan DeJesus.

A seemingly fair enough trade then goes really bad for the Phillies as they also send to Chicago a minor league infielder named Ryne Sandberg, whom the Phillies do not believe has the range on defense to play shortstop in the majors.

Does not seem to occur to them that Sandberg might be able to play another position. D’oh!

The Cubs, though, have that foresight and briefly move Sandberg to third base in 1982 and then to second, where he wins nine straight Gold Gloves on his way to the Hall of Fame.

The Phillies eventually reacquire Sandberg – as a bench coach and, eventually, their manager from 2013-15.

“Never mind me,” Bowa tells the Chicago Tribune after the trade in 1982. “I can’t believe the Phillies gave up Sandberg. He’ll play for the Cubs right now.

Ryne Sandberg at Wrigley Field

“Only thing is,” Bowa says, “he’s real quiet. We’re going to have to get him to talk more in Chicago.”

Sandberg ends up doing more than that – performing, not talking.

Over 16 seasons with the Cubs, Sandberg puts together a .285 career batting average with 282 home runs, 10 All-Star Game selections, the aforementioned nine Gold Gloves, seven Silver Sluggers, one National League Most Valuable Player Award and an election in 2005 to the Hall of Fame.

Alas for Bowa, who later is part of Sandberg’s coaching staff in Philadelphia, he never does get Sandberg to become a big talker.

“This will come as a shock, I know,” Sandberg says with a laugh during his Hall of Fame induction speech in 2005, “but I am almost speechless.”

Ryne Sandberg during his induction speech in Cooperstown (Rich Pilling photo)