Oakland Obtains Cardinals’ Andujar

Responding to pressure from the top, the St. Louis Cardinals swung the first major deal of the winter meetings Tuesday, unloading right-hander Joaquin Andujar to the Oakland A’s.

In return, the National League champions received catcher Mike Heath and left-handed reliever Tim Conroy.

With the deal, the Cardinals filled their most glaring need and also unloaded the pitcher who embarrassed them in Game 7 of this year’s World Series.

Even as the Cardinals made the announcement, the Boston Red Sox drew closer to a complicated deal involving Milwaukee and the Chicago White Sox. In that deal, the Red Sox would wind up with right-hander Tom Seaver.

Until the Cardinal-Oakland trade, Commissioner Peter Ueberroth made the biggest news of the meetings with a stern message on drug abuse.

Appearing at times like the political candidate some expect him to become, Ueberroth declared, “We’re gonna lick it and have a drug-free sport.”

Ueberroth’s remarks preceded a bland major league draft that produced only eight transactions.

In the biggest deal of the morning, the Texas Rangers agreed with outfielder Tom Paciorek on a one-year deal. Paciorek played with the White Sox and Mets last season.

The Phillies said that a trade sending catcher Ozzie Virgil to St. Louis for outfielder Andy Van Slyke had fizzled. A trade in which Philadelphia would have shipped Virgil to San Francisco for catcher Bob Brenly, outfielder Dan Gladden and reliever Mark Davis also cooled.

Andujar, 21-12 last season, was one of baseball’s best pitchers until August. He cooled off--perhaps coincidentally--when his name was brought up in the Pittsburgh drug trials.

He entered Game 7 of the World Series in a mop-up role and triggered a shoving match by arguing with the calls of home plate umpire Don Denkinger.

UPI learned that Herzog made the move under pressure from higher management. The Cardinals received extensive criticism for their conduct in the Series, particularly in the seventh game, which they lost to the Kansas City Royals.

Oakland General Manager Sandy Alderson said his club assumes the risk if Ueberroth suspends Andujar for drug-related offenses. Andujar already must serve a 10-day suspension at the beginning of next year because of his World Series tantrum.

“We came with the purpose of adding to the top of our rotation,” said Alderson. “We have made inquiries both in St. Louis and other sources, and we’re fully confident that Joaquin can be a quality citizen.”

Cardinal GM Dal Maxvill denied that pressure forced him to make the deal. He also denied that Andujar’s World Series antics made him a target to be moved.

“We didn’t decide right after the season we were going to move this guy or that guy,” said Maxvill.

Both clubs agreed that Conroy was rushed too quickly to the big leagues and may still develop into a winning pitcher.

The deal raised the possibility that Herzog, just as he did in 1980, would become the star of the meetings.

Heath, 30, hit .250 with 13 homers and 55 RBI.

Ueberroth opened his speech by listing four points:

--”1985 was a tough year.”

--”We’re turning the corner.”

--”We’re gonna fix problems.”

--”We’re lucky to be part of this great game.”

He focused on drug abuse, saying, “If you think for one moment I’m not serious about it, you’re making a big mistake.”

When asked if the strength of his remarks implied strong action against those involved in last summer’s drug trials, the commissioner said, “Not at all. It doesn’t imply anything.”

Ueberroth also alluded to the two primary areas of dispute between players and owners--drug testing and the free agent marketplace.

He lauded the players’ association for developing its own drug program, but hedged by saying, “I hope it has teeth.”

The commissioner also said he would double the amount of drug testing in the minor leagues next year with the hope of stopping the problem at the grass-roots level.

“It could be a domino effect for society,” Ueberroth said. “People will stand up and say baseball showed the way.”

As for accusations that owners are colluding to limit salaries, Ueberroth said these charges “cannot be taken seriously.”

“They (players) can’t have it both ways,” the commissioner asserted, saying he opposed a salary cap during last summer’s labor negotiations.

In the draft, the Montreal Expos believe they uncovered a sleeper in Jeff Parrett, a 24-year-old right-hander.

Parrett, with 281 strikeouts in 311 innings, came from the Milwaukee organization.

The Pittsburgh Pirates had two players taken, infielder Leon Roberts and infielder-outfielder Bobby Bonilla.

Ballclubs had a chance to pick unprotected players for $50,000. Before demoting the player, the new club must tender him back to the original team for half the purchase price.

The commissioner also took a swipe at unnamed player agents, saying they could do more to help in eliminating drug abuse.

“We’re getting help from some agents,” the commissioner said. “Some agents care a great deal about the players and their families. Some don’t care as much.”

On other points, Ueberroth called the fans’ designated hitter poll inconclusive and referred the matter to the players and ownership.

He also indicated he may act to change the World Series format that deprives the American League of the DH in alternate years.