Herzog Knows If Cardinals Do Poorly, He Is Finished

Whitey Herzog has been around long enough to know the realities of life as a big-league manager.

“It’s just like anybody else,” he says. “When you win you’ve got a job, and when you don’t win they get another guy.”

Three years ago, Herzog led St. Louis to the World Series championship. This year, many are picking the Cardinals to finish last in the National League East, and the rumors say Herzog’s job is one the line.

They stem in part from the fact that the roster at the disposal of the fiery manager now lists only nine survivors from 1982, when the Cards last reigned. They also involve the departure in January of Joe McDonald as St. Louis’ general manager.

Among the players missing from that championship squad is ace reliever Bruce Sutter, gone to Atlanta as a free agent when the Cardinals’ new front office went against Herzog’s wishes and failed to match the offer from Braves owner Ted Turner. Herzog says there’s no significance to the reversal, other than the fact that the Cardinals lost a key player.

“Every manager has the same amount of power that I have. I don’t worry about it,” said the man given full power when tabbed as manager in 1980 by owner August A. Busch Jr. “I’m never uneasy. I have said that I would manage the Cardinals as long as Mr. Busch wants me to.”

Still, when measured against the backdrop of losing Sutter to the Atlanta Braves, this year does represent Herzog’s stiffest challenge.

In 1984, even when bolstered by Sutter’s league-record 45 saves, St. Louis finished a distant third in NL East standings at 84-78. This year, there are increasing doubts about the Cards, who hit just .252 as a team last year.

Herzog acknowledges the legitimacy of the doubts, yet a look at recent history within the division lends him hope. Only once since 1978 has an NL East winner repeated. A year ago, the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets finished 1-2 after picked to wind up 5-6.

Notwithstanding the absence of Sutter, Herzog says, the Cards this season could be better than they were three years ago.

“My starting pitching’s a lot better than it was in ‘82, my (everyday) lineup’s probably better than it was in ‘82, and my defense is just as good as it was in ‘82,” he says. “Basically, we don’t know if we can out-bullpen people until we really get into the season.”

Neil Allen, without a defined role while Sutter was with St. Louis, and Ricky Horton will be used in short relief. Terry Pendleton and Andy Van Slyke are youngsters occupying spots at third base and first base. In right field is Jack Clark, for whom the Cards gave up four players to get their best power hitter in a decade.

The St. Louis attack will be built around the bold baserunning that last year produced a major league-leading 220 stolen bases.

A rebound by Lonnie Smith, who hit only .250 but stole 50 bases, is imperative. So is solid hitting from Pendleton, who batted .324 in 67 games last summer. The key, says Herzog, will be setting the stage for Clark as cleanup. If the runners are aboard, he will see fastballs.