San Francisco Giants: 5 December Trades That Worked Out

Mar 11, 2015; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; A San Francisco Giants giants hat sits in a bucket of baseballs during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Giant trade Cap Peterson and Bob Priddy to bring back Mike McCormick

In December of 1962, the Giants traded Mike McCormick to the Baltimore Orioles after a lackluster year. This was just two years after he was 15-12 with 15 complete games, and a league-leading 2.70 ERA. He was one of the original New York Giants that came west with the team.

Then,  almost exactly four years later McCormick was with the Washington Senators, and the Giants decided to bring him back.

In late 1966 they sent Cap Peterson (a great baseball name) and Bob Priddy to the Senators for McCormick.

Peterson was normally a utility player who started 42 games in left in 1966 with the Giants. He hit .237 that year with 2 home runs. He ended up hitting 8 home runs and hitting .240 in 97 starts the following year with Washington. After that he played one more year with them, hitting .204.

Priddy was a journeyman pitcher who went 3-7 in forty-six games with the Senators the only year he was with them. He moved on to the Chicago White Sox in 1968 and was out of baseball after the 1971 season.

And what did the Giants get?

They got a starter back that they were familiar with, and one that was familiar with them. And that comfort level seemed to help lead to a fantastic season, and a Cy Young award.

He went 22-10 with a 2.85 ERA that year. He also completed 14 games and had 5 shutouts. To put that into perspective, Tim Lincecum in one of his Cy Young season (2009), had 4 complete games and 2 shutouts. Times are different with pitch counts and situational pitchers, but that is still very impressive.

McCormick pitched another two years with decent success. (12 wins in 1968 and 11 wins in 1969 with ERA’s of 3.58 and 3.34 respectively). But he was sent to the New York Yankees during the 1970 season and finished his career a year later in Kansas City appearing in just 4 games.

Overall, the ability to bring back a pitcher out of the your own organization who is successful is always a plus. Think Travis Ishikawa and Ryan Vogelsong. But to have him win a Cy Young award is a cherry on top.