Yesterday marked the 49th anniversary of the most infamous trade in Cardinals history. On February 25th, 1972, the Cardinals sent their lefty wünderkind, Steve Carlton, to the Phillies in exchange for righty starting pitcher Rick Wise. We all know how poorly this trade worked out for the Cardinals. From that point until his retirement in 1988, Carlton would pick up 252 wins, the most in the league. His 3,185 strikeouts from 1972 through 1988 rank second, trailing only the legendary Nolan Ryan. He won four Cy Young awards and made seven All-Star teams. If fWAR is your jam, he trailed only Ryan and Bert Blyleven.
A Forgiving Look at the Steve Carlton Trade 49 Years Later
