30 Years Ago Today ... Reds Trade Fan Favorite Tony Perez to Montreal

[LINEDRIVER]

DECEMBER 16, 1976...Veteran Big Red Machine first baseman Tony Perez and lefty reliever Will McEnaney are traded from the Cincinnati Reds to the Montreal Expos for pitchers Woody Fryman and Dale Murray.

The thirty-four year-old Perez will play ten more seasons and will make a return to the Reds for his final three seasons, 1984-1986.

DECEMBER 16, 1982...Tom Seaver agrees to a new contract with the Mets to complete a deal that sends the veteran right-handed pitcher from the Cincinnati Reds back to the Mets for pitcher Charlie Puleo and minor leaguers Lloyd McClendon and Jason Felice.

Seaver completed his '82 season with a 5-13 record and a 5.50 ERA.

[redsupport]

If Seaver were 0-20 he would still be an upgrade over Puleo

[Hap]

[George Anderson]

I love the "Big Dog" as much as anybody but I think this trade is
often unfairly blamed for the end of the Big Red Machine. In 1977 the Reds were finished ten games behind the Dodgers and as great of a player as Perez was I dont think he would have made the difference in ten games. Obviously it wasnt a good trade but I think the end of the Big Red Machine had more to do with the pitching not being W.S. caliber than the fact that Perez was gone.

[MartyFan]

A lot of guys from that team sited this trade as the end of the BRM...they compared it to loseing the common thread or the glue of the team. On the field he wouldn't have won 10 games for this team...off the field he could have made the difference.

I liked Driessen but to a 9 year old, he was playing Tony Perez's place on the field.

[George Anderson]

Originally Posted by MartyFan

A lot of guys from that team sited this trade as the end of the BRM...they compared it to loseing the common thread or the glue of the team. On the field he wouldn't have won 10 games for this team...off the field he could have made the difference.

I liked Driessen but to a 9 year old, he was playing Tony Perez's place on the field.

As a kid I couldnt stand Driessen. But then again back then as a fellow 9 year old I didnt appreciate good defense and Driessen certainly brought that to the table.


The whole off the field thing is a somewhat valid point. But Perez would have really of had to performed alot of magic off the field to over come ten games and make that pitching staff better.

[tsj017]

I never forgave Driessen. Unfair, sure. But Perez was (and is) my all-time favorite player.

Losing Gullett probably hurt as much as losing Perez, though.

[bucksfan]

Originally Posted by tsj017

I never forgave Driessen. Unfair, sure. But Perez was (and is) my all-time favorite player.

I was the same way, exactly. Tony was the only player I ever truly idolized.

[goreds2]

I think we could have at least won the division in 1978 with Tony. The pitching was good with Bill Bonham, Mike LaCoss and Doug Bair as the closer.

I think Dan's DH numbers in the 76 series prompted the trade. I would think we could have gotten better players for Tony.

Steve Rogers would have been a good fit.

[George Anderson]

Originally Posted by goreds2

I think we could have at least won the division in 1978 with Tony. The pitching was good with Bill Bonham, Mike LaCoss and Doug Bair as the closer.

I think Dan's DH numbers in the 76 series prompted the trade. I would think we could have gotten better players for Tony.

Steve Rogers would have been a good fit.

LaCoss was 4-8 with a 4.50 ERA. Bill Bonham had a good year but neither Freddie Norman or Tom Seaver were overly impressive that year.

[goreds2]

Originally Posted by George Anderson

LaCoss was 4-8 with a 4.50 ERA. Bill Bonham had a good year but neither Freddie Norman or Tom Seaver were overly impressive that year.

Opps, I missed the Mike LaCoss numbers for 1978.

Little Freddie and Tom Terrific did have typical ERA years though.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/1978.shtml

The 10-18 August killed us and probably Sparky's job.

[westofyou]

The pitching was good with Bill Bonham, Mike LaCoss and Doug Bair as the closer.

9th in the NL in ERA allowing 0.79 more runs per game then the Dodgers.

That was somewhat crappy.

[NJReds]

Originally Posted by LINEDRIVER

Seaver completed his '82 season with a 5-13 record and a 5.50 ERA.

But look at the year he had in 1985 at the age of 40 (w/the White Sox):

16-11 238.7 IP, 223 H, 84 ER, 22 HR, 69 BB, 134 K, 3.17 ERA, 1.22 WHIP. Not bad at all.