St. Louis Cardinals: Ranking the 10 best trades in the last 20 years

ST LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 28: Eric Davis Jr (L) and former Cardinal Jim Edmonds deliver the game ball prior to Game Five of the 2013 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox at Busch Stadium on October 28, 2013 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
ST LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 28: Eric Davis Jr (L) and former Cardinal Jim Edmonds deliver the game ball prior to Game Five of the 2013 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox at Busch Stadium on October 28, 2013 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
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10. December 20, 1999: St. Louis Cardinals get Fernando Vina.

Cardinals Receive: Fernando Vina

Brewers Receive: Eliezer Alfonzo, Matt Parker

Vina was a marvelous find for the Cardinals. The 1-time All-Star only hit above .290 during that one All-Star season before arriving in St. Louis. He hit .300 with 6 triples and 10 steals in 2000, then followed that with the best season of his career.

Vina hit .303/.357/.418 with 95 runs scored and a career-best 56 RBIs in 2001. On top of that, he logged 17 steals and 8 triples, and won a Gold Glove that season, something he had never done in his career before then.

Vina spent four years in St. Louis, hitting .285/.349/.384 and won two Gold Gloves for the St. Louis Cardinals. In one of those Gold Glove years, Vina produced an impressive 11.8 dWAR, and posted a positive WAR every season he was with the Cardinals. Overall, it was a brief stint, but it was one that will be well remembered by St. Louis fans.

On the other hand, the players that the Brewers received were nowhere near as productive. Alfonzo could not quite get up to major-league speed, not making his major league debut until 2006, and hit .240/.271/.377 for his career. Parker didn’t even make it to the majors.

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