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How Whitey Herzog’s will to win created ‘The Jose Oquendo Game’ and what Mike Matheny could learn from it

It was 30 years ago today, or this week at least, that the Cardinals lost a 19-inning battle to the Atlanta Braves in what has come to be known as “the Jose Oquendo game.” That’s because it was a moment of Peak Secret Weapon, with Oquendo entering the game at 1st base and sticking around to pitch the final four innings.

But when I looked back at the game, I was struck most by how Whitey Herzog managed it... and how diametrically opposed it was from the tendencies of the current manager.