Reports surfaced Tuesday that outfielder Ryan Ludwick may have been traded to the San Diego Padres just hours before the MLB trade deadline on Saturday after a meeting with St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa the previous night.
Columnist Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch spoke with Ludwick on Tuesday before the Padres played the Dodgers in Los Angeles, asking the former Cardinals outfielder about what a club source described as “terse” meeting with La Russa.
While Ludwick said he made no connection between his playing time in St. Louis and the trade to San Diego, he did confront La Russa about his role on the team.
His primary concern was playing time, or more specifically his desire to be an everyday player with the Cardinals.
“Obviously, there were some times when I wasn’t playing. I’ve always wanted to be an everyday player and at times before I got hurt I believe I was. And coming over here [to the Padres] I think I will be an everyday player,” Ludwick said.
Ludwick insists that he left St. Louis believing he had a good relationship with La Russa and the organization in general.
The three-team trade that sent Ludwick to the Padres for Jake Westbrook was unpopular with the fans and reportedly many of his teammates.
Ludwick had returned to the Cardinals lineup on July 24 after a 15-day stint on the DL with a strained calf muscle.
La Russa announced he would give Ludwick two starts per three-game series for the near future, affording him a chance to reacclimate himself to being in the lineup.
When Ludwick didn’t see his name in the lineup for last Friday’s series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he requested the meeting with La Russa.
With St. Louis lacking offensive consistency throughout the season, many believed the Cardinals should have been looking to strengthen the club by trading for help at second and third base.
But with injuries to starting pitchers Brad Penny and Kyle Lohse, the team opted to bolster the rotation by acquiring Westbrook from the Cleveland Indians.
