1970s
In 1970, Curt Flood, along with Tim McCarver, Byron Browne, and Joe Hoerner, were to be traded to the Phillies for Dick Allen, Cookie Rojas, and Dick Donovan. However, Flood challenged the reserve clause since he did not want to play for one of the worst teams in the National League. As a result, Willie Montañez and another player would compensate for Flood as he would set the tone for free agency. Also in 1970, Bob Gibson would continue his dominance as he won 23 games and another Cy Young Award. He would be the last Cardinal to win the award until Chris Carpenter in 2005.
Another deal with the Phillies proved to be even more disastrous. Prior to the 1972 season, owner Gussie Busch refused to renegotiate the contract of left-handed pitcher Steve Carlton, who was coming off of his first 20-win season and an appearance in the All-Star Game. Instead of paying the money, Busch traded Carlton to Philadelphia for right-hander Rick Wise. Carlton immediately turned the deal into a steal for the Phillies by winning 27 games and the Cy Young Award for a club that finished the 1972 season at 59–97. Wise would be gone from St. Louis by 1974; Carlton would go on to the Hall of Fame.
The Cardinals continued to be perennial contenders throughout the 1970s, placing second in the National League Eastern Division and finishing above .500 six times during the decade. In 1974, Lou Brock led the team in a pennant race against the Pirates by breaking Maury Wills single-season stolen base record (104) set in 1962. Brock set a new record of 118 in '74 but the Cardinals finished a game-and-a-half behind Pittsburgh. Popular manager Red Schoendienst, was replaced in 1977 after 12 seasons guiding the Cardinals, as many players arrived and departed the Gateway City. Joe Torre won the 1971 National League MVP award hitting .363 with 24 HRs, but was later traded to the Mets. José Cruz, Dick Allen, and Ted Sizemore were all dealt away to other teams in the league. Ted Simmons led the team in On-Base-Percentage six times during the decade, but more changes would come as the Cardinals began to retool the roster to become champions again.
Read more about this topic: History Of The St. Louis Cardinals