St. Louis GM Walt Jocketty has knack for magical moves

By R.B. Fallstrom ~ The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS -- Almost every year at about this time, the St. Louis Cardinals get a talent infusion.

Trade deadline time, and even a little after, is when general manager Walt Jocketty is at his best. Adding Larry Walker on Friday without impacting the 40-man roster, and without greatly impacting the budget, was the latest masterstroke from the front office.

"They always come up big," pitcher Matt Morris said. "What an unbelievable acquisition."

Jocketty first served notice that he was a major late-season player when he acquired Mark McGwire from the Athletics for three nondescript pitchers at the 1997 deadline. McGwire helped the Cardinals make the playoffs in 2000 along with obliterating Roger Maris' 37-year-old home run record with 70 in 1998 and hitting 65 more in '99 -- a pair of non-postseason years greatly spiced by his heroics.

In 2000, he got Will Clark from the Orioles for minor league third baseman Jose Leon. Clark hit .345 with 12 homers and 42 RBIs in 51 games, helping the Cardinals get to the NLCS before they lost to the Mets.

In 2001, a few days after the deadline, Jocketty acquired right-hander Woody Williams from the Padres for outfielder Ray Lankford in what was perceived to be a ho-hum exchange of journeymen. Williams was 7-1 with a 2.28 down the stretch to help produce a NL Central co-championship, and he remains a vital part of the rotation.

In 2002, Scott Rolen was pried loose from the Phillies and he helped the Cardinals win another division championship. This year he's putting up MVP-like numbers, leading the NL with 98 RBIs, batting .338 and playing excellent defense at third base.

The cost: second baseman Placido Polanco and pitchers Mike Timlin and Bud Smith.

Now, even though they had the major leagues' best record, Jocketty got ownership to OK a trade for Walker, a three-time batting champion.

"You look at this lineup and say 'How can it get any better?"' outfielder Reggie Sanders said. "But adding him, it does. It gives us a big boost."

Walker joins a star-studded lineup that features three players that started the All-Star Game. Albert Pujols has been the NL MVP runner-up the last two seasons, Rolen is spectacular defensively as well as offensively, Jim Edmonds is among the league leaders with 30 homers and Edgar Renteria is climbing toward .300 after a slow start.

"You couldn't ask for anything better," Walker said.

It helped that Jocketty talked the Rockies into paying $7.5 million of his 2005 salary of $12.5 million. He also persuaded ownership into agreeing to take on more payroll.

"We're taking on some money this year in a year that we've stretched the budget about as far as we could," Jocketty said. "They have to be commended for letting us make this deal."

Headed into the July 31 trade deadline, upgrading the bullpen and the rotation were higher priorities but the deals just weren't there.

Jocketty didn't worry when the deadline passed with no trade, figuring the 37-year-old Walker would clear waivers and that talks with Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd would then resume. He may not be done yet, either.

"Right now, I don't plan anything," Jocketty said. "We'll see how things develop."

Manager Tony La Russa wouldn't be surprised. Not with Jocketty always on the prowl.

"No team is perfect," La Russa said. "You always keep trying to get better. I didn't expect Larry Walker to be here, but you keep working, you keep trying."