That Balls Outta Here
FanSided

Phillies: Most impactful trade made with every team

By George Stockburger

Roy Halladay and Ruben Amaro Jr. of the Philadelphia Phillies (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
Roy Halladay and Ruben Amaro Jr. of the Philadelphia Phillies (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images) /
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23 MAY 1993: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES FIRST BASEMAN JOHN KRUK MAKES CONTACT WITH A PITCH DURING THE PHILLIES VERSUS MONTREAL EXPOS GAME AT VETERANS STADIUM IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. MANDATORY CREDIT: JEFF HIXON/ALLSPORT
23 MAY 1993: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES FIRST BASEMAN JOHN KRUK MAKES CONTACT WITH A PITCH DURING THE PHILLIES VERSUS MONTREAL EXPOS GAME AT VETERANS STADIUM IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. MANDATORY CREDIT: JEFF HIXON/ALLSPORT /

San Diego Padres: John Kruk

"On June 2, 1989, the San Diego Padres traded John Kruk and Randy Ready to the Philadelphia Phillies for Chris James."

The Phillies 1989 trade for John Kruk helped set the franchise’s course for an unexpected National League pennant run in 1993.

Coming off their championship runs in the early 80s the Phillies hit a rut, similar to when the 2008 team aged and moved on. After losing the 1983 World Series the Phillies averaged 75 wins a season and had six different managers between 1984-92.

After winning 65 games in ’88 and 67 the following year the team improved by as many as 11 wins over the next three years. The addition and emergence of players like Kruk, Lenny Dykstra, Darren Daulton, and other members of the future pennant team.

PITTSBURGH, PA – 1988: Chris James of the Philadelphia Phillies bats against the Pittsburgh Pirates during a game at Three Rivers Stadium in 1988 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – 1988: Chris James of the Philadelphia Phillies bats against the Pittsburgh Pirates during a game at Three Rivers Stadium in 1988 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images) /

In the middle of their 67 win season the Phillies traded outfielder Chris James, who finished sixth for the Rookie of the Year in 1987, to San Diego. Ready averaged 18 home runs in his first two seasons with the Phillies but would become a journeyman platoon player for the rest of his 10 year career.

At the end of the 1989 season the  Padres traded James with Sandy Alomar and Carlos Baerga to the Cleveland Indians for Joe Carter.

In Randy Ready the Phillies got a veteran utility player who played at least 160 games at three different positions in his career. He was an average hitter who got on base, but had little pop. He left after the ’91 season and returned for the 1994-95 seasons.

Kruk was obviously the biggest get for either team in this deal. A fan favorite who could hit for average and power, Kruk went to three All-Star games and received MVP consideration in the early 90s.

Kruk would move into the Phillies broadcast booth and was inducted onto the Wall of Fame as a beloved member of the ’93 team.

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