On November 10th, 1978, the Rangers made one of the most embarrassing trades in the history of the game. They sent Dave Righetti (P), Juan Beniquez (OF), Mike Griffin (P), Paul Mirabella (P) and Greg Jamison (OF) to the Yankees for Sparky Lyle (P), Domingo Ramos (INF), Mike Heath (C), Dave Rajsich (P), and Larry McCall (P). Essentially, this was a Righetti and Beniquez for Lyle trade. The problem with this trade is that the Rangers gave up one of the game’s best closers in the 1980’s for a list of players that would all be gone two years later.
At the time of the trade, the Rangers were a team that was very close to being a contender and they thought that they lacked a true closer. Righetti was being groomed to be a starter and Sparky Lyle was one of the best relievers for over a decade with the Red Sox and the Yankees. In 1977, Lyle became the first reliever to win the AL Cy Young. In the Spring of 1978, however, Lyle was feuding with Yankee management, irked over owner George Steinbrenner’s decision to sign relief aces Rich Gossage and Rawley Eastwick as free agents. Lyle was a wise-cracking lefthander with a sizable paunch visible beneath his uniform, Lyle relied on a crackling slider almost exclusively in his heyday. By the time he came to the Rangers, his slider had lost its snap and he only saved 21 games for the Rangers in 1 ½ seasons before being traded to the Phillies in 1980.
Meanwhile, Righetti is busy winning AL Rookie of the Year in 1981, and pitching a no-hitter on July 4th, 1983 against Boston. He wasn’t moved to the bullpen until 1984. In his first year as a closer, he went on to save 31 games. Righetti would pitch in 522 games breaking Whitey Ford’s Yankee record. He would also finish as the Yanks career saves record-holder with 224.
Juan Beniquez was very versatile and dependable off of the bench for the Yankees and fared better as a hitter late in his career (after the Rangers traded him). Juan hit over .300 for four straight seasons (1983-86). Mike Griffin was a huge prospect and was the Yankees best rookie in the Spring of 1980, then went 2-4 and was sent down. Griffin pitched for seven different organizations without a full or winning season in the majors. Paul Mirabella was the Rangers first round (seventh overall) pick in the 1976 June Free Agent Draft. Mirabella spent a decade of shuttling between the minors and majors, he finally stuck in the Brewers bullpen in 1988. Greg Jamison never played in the majors.
The Rangers did not benefit from one player in this deal. We have already discussed Lyle. Domingo Ramos never played for the Rangers and spent 8 full seasons in the minors before latching on with the Mariners in 1982. Ramos ended up being a career .234 hitter. Mike Heath also never played for the Rangers. Heath started the 1979 season in the minors and the Rangers traded him to the A’s where he went on the be a valuable reserve for the rest of his career. Dave Rajsich was a 6’5″ forkballer who was used mostly in long relief, Rajsich stayed with the Rangers the longest of anyone that they received in this deal, going 3-3 in two years. Larry McCall never played for the Rangers, in fact, he only pitched in two big league games and was never heard from again.
This trade was definitely one of the low-points in this franchise’s history. I have studied this trade from every angle to try and find something good for the Rangers and there is nothing. This trade did absolutely nothing to benefit the Rangers. They basically gave away one of the best closers in the 1980’s and got close to nothing in return. It’s hard to imagine any trade being worse than this one, but I still have three more to report J.
Make sure to check back next week when I will be discussing the 3rd worst trade in team history and will also have another “Blast from the Rangers Pastâ€. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please E-mail me.
Remember the Rangers!
Jeremy Northrip
rangerhistory@hotmail.com
