Baltimore Orioles: Five Best Trades Of All Time
By Ben Palmer
1. Baltimore Orioles Acquire Frank Robinson from the Cincinnati Reds for Milt Pappas, Jack Baldschun, and Dick Simpson
In what has gone down as one of the worst (or best, depending on whose perspective you’re looking at) trades in history, the Cincinnati Reds traded eventual Hall of Famer Frank Robinson to the Orioles for three players who didn’t amount to all that much.
Pappas had had a really good year in 1965 when he was traded, as he pitched a 2.60 ERA in 221.1 innings, but he never really replicated that success again, spending only two more seasons with the Reds, pitching a 4.29 ERA his first season and a 3.35 his next.
Listing the accomplishments of Frank Robinson could take forever, but to sum up the career of one of the greatest players in the history of baseball, Robinson was a 14-time All Star, two-time World Series champion, two-time MVP, World Series MVP, Triple Crown winner, NL Rookie of the Year, and a Gold Glove winner.
He finished his career as a member of the 500 HR club with a career average of .294, and just under 100 hits shy of 3,000 total. In fact, in his first season with Baltimore, Robinson demolished the ball, batting .316/.410/.637 with 49 HR, and winning his second MVP award.
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To say that this trade was lopsided is being kind. The Orioles got one of the greatest players in the history of the game, and the Reds got three players who didn’t amount to much of anything. That’s why it’s the greatest trade in Baltimore Orioles history.