A few words about Walt Jocketty

The baseball roster-building architect died Friday night at the age of 74.

AP Photo/James A. Finley

Before John Mozeliak became the most polarizing baseball executive in St. Louis sports history, Walt Jocketty manned the front office actions and reactions down at Busch Stadium for the Cardinals. While his work mostly took place in the old stadium across the street from the new one, his legacy reverberated for years after his departure to Cincinnati in 2008.

There have been a lot of general managers in the game; Jocketty was a true architect. He built winning teams off a unique blend of veteran talent and youthful promise. He didn’t half-ass chances with rookies. He wasn’t afraid to pull off a risky trade that could flip a team’s roster on its head. They were moves that remind me of St. Louis Blues general manager, Doug Armstrong, at his best. Shrewd and authentically gung-ho, Jocketty minced zero feelings and never held back with his moves.

He brought Mark McGwire here for a memorable run that included a home run chase. Jocketty brought in hitting machines like Will Clark and Larry Walker late in their careers for banner seasons. He believed enough in the Dave Duncan school of pitching reinvention to buy some Chris Carpenter stock. He traded for Adam Wainwright when the Braves were toying with his future.