SF Giants feature

Mario Guerrero who never played a game with the San Francisco Giants was all dressed and no where to go. Guerrero later played three season with the Oakland A’s. This photo of Guerrero was taken of him at Spring Training 1978 (photo from Steiner Sports)

By Tony the Tiger Hayes

He was a Giant?

SAN FRANCISCO–Well, yes and no.

In fact you might say

Mario Guerrero falls somewhere between “Never… and Forever A Giant.”

You won’t find Guerrero’s name on the list of all-time Giants’ players. The well-traveled major league shortstop never played in an official game with the Orange & Black.

Furthermore, of the 697 career major league contests Mario participated in from 1973-80, he played in just one solitary contest at San Francisco. (As a St. Louis Cardinal in 1975).

As far as the record books are concerned, Guerrero’s official link to San Francisco baseball is negligible.

But the infielder – who passed away last month at age 73 in his native Dominican Republic – was the subject of some rather noteworthy inside baseball maneuvering involving the Orange & Black.

In the late fall of 1977, Guerrero became the Giants first ever free-agent signee of the post reserve clause era, after inking a three-year contract worth $325,000 to span the 1978-80 seasons.

But before he was able to play in an official game with San Francisco, Guerrero was traded.

Days before 1978’s opening day Guerrero was identified as the “player to be named later” of a massive eight player and big cash swap between the Giants and Oakland A’s.

The result was superstar left-handed ace Vida Blue – who, sadly also passed away earlier this year, also at age 73 – bringing his pitching talents to Candlestick Park and seven players of varying experience, talent levels and positions schlepping their way to the other side of the bay.

The trade, the first ever between the local rivals, still stands – 45 years later – as one of the most compelling and transcendent deals of the Giants and A’s west coast eras.

Why Was He A Giant?

Two years after a court appointed arbitrator took a wrecking ball to the baseball management friendly reserve clause, the Giants tentatively dipped their toes in the suddenly over-flowing free agent pool of December, 1977.

After watching the weak sister Atlanta Braves sign away their own home-grown young star Gary Matthews, and fellow second division clubs such as the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians and California Angels open their wallets, San Francisco apprehensively kicked the tires on a few big name agents, including All-Star outfielders Larry Hisle (Minnesota Twins), Lyman Bostock (Twins) and Richie Zisk (Chicago White Sox).

Not surprisingly, each of those top hitters passed on the prospect of playing in the windy, meat- locker chilly conditions of Candlestick Park.

But Guerrero, who had yet to become a full-time starter despite five years of big league experience, saw a golden opportunity in the Golden Gate City.

After trading veteran infielder Tim Foli following the ‘77 campaign, the only player that blocked Guerrero from the daily shortstop job in San Francisco was the gaunt looking, feeble hitting youngster Johnnie “Bones” LeMaster.

The robust and confident Guerrero, 28 years old, and coming off a .275 season in 86 games for the Angels in 1977, was so certain he’d be a mainstay in the Bay Area that he immediately purchased a family home in Pacifica.

The Guerrero brood would make good use of the house, but Papa Mario’s daily commute over the next three seasons would take him to the Oakland Coliseum, not Candlestick Park.

Before & After

Six years before being included in the rare trade between the Giants and A’s, Guerrero was also part of another uncommon swap by competing clubs.

Guerrero was originally signed by the New York Yankees at age 19 in 1968. But in 1972 – before ever playing for the Pinstripes in the bigs – Guerrero was part of an abnormal swap between the Bronx Bombers and their antagonist competitor – the Boston Red Sox.

The unlikely swap sent Mario and veteran first baseman Danny Cater to New England in exchange for future Yankees 1977 Cy Young Award winning reliever Sparky Lyle.

Guerrero was promoted quickly to the Red Sox, but the blunt infielder never quite fit Boston’s staid culture.

Ever since his rookie year with Boston, Mario was never shy about stating his opinion.

Most of time, his publicly stated point of view had something to do a varied injustice towards him – typically regarding playing time or money.

After two years of fluctuating playing time, Guerrero was traded to the Cardinals, where he lasted just one season, before moving on to the Angels.

Having yet have played in at least 100 games in each of his five big seasons, Guerrero had earned the reputation throughout the sport as a “part-timer with an attitude.”

As a rookie in 1973 Guerrero shocked his Boston teammates and Red Sox fans when he suggested he would be the club’s best option at shortstop – over all-time great Luis Aparicio.

“If I go back to the bench I’m a little mad,” said Guerrero after driving home the winning run of a Boston victory as a fill-in for Aparicio. “But that’s it, Luis is a good player.”

That “good” player was a future Hall of Famer and widely considered the greatest fielding shortstop of all time. Aparicio also happened to be hitting .295 at the time with a 14-game hitting streak.

Guerrero was named the Red Sox opening day shortstop in 1974, but that designation didn’t last long as inconsistency plagued the infielder.

Itinerant status for Mario continued in his tours with the Cardinals and Angels.

After moving on from the Angels, Guerrero concluded that being a forthright Latino scared the Halos from trusting him with being a focal point of the club.

“Sometimes you Spanish, they no want you to make it,” Guerrero was boldly quoted as saying.

When it was pointed out that the guy writing out the Angels lineup was a manager named “Dave Garcia,” the outspoken infielder retorted: “Yes, he’s a Latin, but he always live in America. Me, I no kiss an ass.”

The Trade

After three consecutive World Championships from 1972-74, and five consecutive division titles in the 1970s, the once potent Oakland club had literally bottomed out in 1977, finishing last behind even the first year, expansion Seattle club.

With headlining former teammates Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Joe Rudi, Sal Bando, Campy Campaneris, Gene Tenace and Rollie Fingers all moving to big money free agent deals with other clubs, Vida Blue was the last star attraction left in the East Bay.

After a sale of Vida’s contract to the Yankees was voided due to competitive balance issues, the 1971 dual American League MVP and Cy Young Award winner was left stewing in a Green & Gold hued clubhouse surrounded by unproven rookies and middling journey men.

Vida too desired more money, but mainly he wanted to be away from the A’s skinflint owner Charles Finley.

Vida got his wish. On morning of March 16, 1978 Bay Area newspaper readers padded out to their driveways to find 15-point headlines heralding the Vida deal.

The acquisition did not come cheaply for the Orange & Black who weren’t exactly stashing gold bars away in Fort Knox or stacking blue chip prospects like fire wood.

In exchange for the veteran of eight World Series pitching performances, the Giants surrendered to Oakland, top right-handed reliever Dave Heaverlo, veteran outfielder Gary Thomasson, young slugging catcher Gary Alexander and three top minor league pitching prospects: lefty Phil Huffman and right-handers Alan Wirth and John Henry Johnson. The Giants also cut a check with Finley’s name on it to the tune of $300,000 (the equivalent of $1.4 million in 2023.)

On top of all that, the A’s also demanded one more player – an infielder. Specifically- Guerrero.

The Giants asked for more time to negotiate. After all, the club didn’t sign Guerrero to a multi-year pact just to trade him before the ink was dry on the bond. The Giants had big plans for the guy.

At the time there was speculation the Giants were trying to get Oakland to bite on the untested LeMaster instead of Guerrero.

But the A’s insisted on Guerrero. Finally, two weeks after Blue had settled into the Giants camp, Guerrero was officially traded to the East Bay club.

The trade for Blue paid immediate dividends for San Francisco. Freed of Finley’s psychological manacles, Vida virtually floated on air across the Bay. His pitching that first year with the Giants was magical and Vida brought a fearlessness to a Giants club that had been in the doldrums for years.

The Giants led the NL West for most of the 1978 season and when Vida wasn’t starring on the mound (18-10, 2.39) or starting in the the ‘78 All-Star Game he was vigorously cheering on his teammates and whipping the fans at the ‘Stick into a frenzy with a feverishly twirled white towel.

After the trade, Giants fans flocked to an invigorated ‘Stick as the club set a new franchise attendance record.

Guerrero meanwhile benefited from the trade as much as the Giants, at least in his first season in Oakland.

Oakland manager Bobby Winkles immediately installed the brash player as his starting shortstop and Mario rewarded his skipper by hitting .337 during the first month of the ‘78 season. The threadbare A’s – shockingly – soared in the standings, leading the AL West for most of the first half of the campaign.

“It will be the first time I’ve tried to play 160 games,” said Guerrero, post trade.

“The big difference is when you don’t play and you go 0-for-4, you stay up all night thinking about it. Now, if I go

0-for-4, I don’t have to worry about coming out.”

Oakland eventually faded, dropping to a sixth place finish, but a relaxed and confident Guerrero enjoyed the best season of his career, batting .275, 3, 38 in a career high 143 games.

One would think Guerrero would now be happy.

He wasn’t. Not even remotely.

As the 1979 season rolled around, the shortstop demanded more money. He claimed the Giants had promised to renegotiate his contract if he were to beat out LeMaster. He insisted that the A’s stand by the handshake deal.

“I see a lot of guys hit .250 or .260 and make a million,” complained Guerrero. “I only want a raise. I play more here than ever before, but I’m not happy.”

Finley of course said “Mario, you loco.”

When it was pointed out in fact that Guerrero did not technically beat out Johnnie Lee and was already the highest paid player on the Oakland roster, the veteran infielder was not moved.

“I don’t worry about the other guys. I worry about me,” the detached player stated. “I don’t think Charlie Finley will ever want to pay more.”

Throughout the ‘79 season Guerrero begged out of the A’s lineup with phantom injuries- he admitted as much – going weeks without seeing the field for a historically poor 54-108 Oakland squad.

With the equally fiery Bill Martin named Oakland’s new manager in 1980, Mario didn’t dare fein injuries or risk getting punched in the nose.

Martin further more endorsed the troubled shortstop.

“I like (Latin players),” said Martin.

“I grew up poor too. We didn’t have any money. I expect (Guerrero) to be twice the player he was last year.”

Guerrero maintained the starting shortstop job for the ‘80 season, but was not particularly overwhelming, batting .239, 0, 11 in 116 games.

Guerrero gave it one last go with the Mariners in 1981, but was among the club’s final spring training cuts. One of the reasons given by manager Maury Wills was “attitude” issues. Mario never played in another big league contest.

As the final days of his professional career ticked down, Guerrero spoke about how he was unfairly portrayed as a professional ball player.

“All the eyes are always on me. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t go to the disco. I don’t want to commit sins because I am a Christian,” Guerrero said. “(But) I don’t take any crap. If see something I don’t like, I don’t do it. I like to play my kind of ball and I can play.”

If the truth hurt, so be it , the candid athlete surmised.

“Jesus Christ was an honest man and they killed him,” Mario concluded.

Tony the Tiger Hayes does He Was a Giant? features following Tuesday Giant home games at http://www.sportsradioservice.com