Trading for the future

The Philadelphia Phillies make a trade 51 years ago today that greatly impacts the franchise well into the late 1980s as they send sure-handed third baseman Don Money, pitcher Bill Champion and infielder John Vukovich to the Milwaukee Brewers for pitchers Jim Lonborg, Ken Brett, Ken Sanders and Earl Stephenson.

Lonborg becomes a mainstay in Philadelphia’s rotation for the next six-plus seasons, going 75-60 in 188 appearances for the Phillies.

While neither Sanders nor Stephenson ever pitches for the Phillies, Brett enjoys a nice 13-9 season in 1973 before Philadelphia flips him after that one season to Pittsburgh for budding All-Star second baseman Dave Cash.

While the acquisitions of Lonborg and, soon after, Cash help turn the Phillies into consistent winners by the mid-1970s, the trade of Money to Milwaukee opens up third base in Philadelphia for an aspiring rookie not even two years removed from playing in college at Ohio University.

The rookie?

That would be Mike Schmidt, who initially struggles in 1973 as Money’s replacement but quickly develops into a player who becomes a 12-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove winner, eight-time home run champion, three-time National League MVP and, ultimately, a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 1995.

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Selling hallowed ground

Baseball (and other cool stuff)