The other guy in the trade

The promising pitcher the Phillies trade 59 years ago today to the Cubs

In what eventually turns out to be a big-time oops, the Philadelphia Phillies 59 years ago today send a young outfielder in Adolfo Phillips, backup first baseman John Herrnstein and a promising 23-year-old pitcher from Canada to the Chicago Cubs for a pair of aging right-handed pitchers in Larry Jackson and Bob Buhl.

Jackson has three serviceable seasons for the Phillies with 41 wins, but Buhl – a former All-Star, like Jackson – stumbles to a 6-8 record over 35 appearances for Philadelphia before the Phillies release him early in the 1967 season.

As for the promising young pitcher from Canada, well, that would be right-hander Fergie Jenkins, who spends most of the 1966 season in the Cubs' bullpen before moving to Chicago's rotation.

“I really like that kid’s attitude,” Cubs manager Leo Durocher tells The Sporting News shortly after the trade.

Fergie Jenkins finds a home in Chicago

“I asked him whether he started or relieved in the minors and he told me he did both. Then he looked me right in the eye and said, ‘I like to relieve.’ The average kid wouldn’t even tell you that he relieved in the minors, much less that he likes to do it.”

By 1967, Durocher moves Jenkins out of the bullpen and into the Cubs’ starting rotation – and Jenkins promptly cranks out the first of six straight 20-win seasons on his way to winning 284 games and a spot in the Hall of Fame.

Jenkins later distills the reason behind his success into just two words.

Throw strikes.

“I tell youngsters to make the batter do half the work,” Jenkins says. “Throw strikes. If the batter takes them, he’ll strike out.

“If you don’t throw strikes and give up a walk, you get angry with yourself, your catcher is disappointed, your manager is mad, and the pitching coach is unhappy.”