The Rise and Fall of Garry Templeton with the St. Louis Cardinals

Final thoughts on Garry Templeton

I saw Garry Templeton play while he was in St. Louis. He had great speed, range, a good arm and more raw talent than Ozzie. It’s too bad the way it ended for Templeton.

Nevertheless, I’ve always thought a good trade is when both teams benefit from it. The trade made by the Cardinals and Padres work well for both teams, and both of the key players involved.

Ozzie Smith became a legend in St. Louis and was part of three NL Pennant teams and a World Series Championship team. The Cardinals got one of the best shortstops who ever played the game and fit perfectly in St. Louis.

The Padres wanted more offense from their shortstop position and they got it with Garry Templeton. He won another Silver Slugger Award and made an All Star Appearance in his ten years in San Diego. Templeton was a key part of the 1984 Padre team that won the NL Pennant and advanced to the World Series.

Garry Templeton also got redemption in San Diego. By all accounts, he was one of the leaders on those Padres teams and is now a member of the Padres Hall of Fame.

Finally, Templeton has made a post playing career for himself in baseball by coaching in the minor leagues and scouting for several teams. He’s taken several teams to the postseason and in 2014, he was named the Pacific Association Manager of the Year.

In the end, it was a good trade for all involved.