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Second Chance In St. Louis
Vina Liked Milwaukee, Anxious To Make A New Start
By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel Staff
December 21, 1999
Fernando Vina will always remember Milwaukee as the place where he established himself as an all-star second baseman.
But he is the first to admit it was time to move on.
"It had gone on long enough," Vina said Tuesday, referring to the trade rumors he began hearing with full force last winter. "I'm glad they finally pulled the trigger."
Vina officially became property of the St. Louis Cardinals when he passed a comprehensive physical Monday afternoon, finalizing a trade with the Brewers for right-hander Juan Acevedo and two minor-league prospects to be named later. The physical was required because Vina missed most of the 1999 season with a leg injury.
Vina knew he'd be playing for St. Louis next season as soon as he was told the physical was the only obstacle to completing the deal. He had been working out feverishly in his hometown with the Sacramento Kings' medical staff without any physical setbacks.
"It was really routine, just a formality," Vina said of the two-hour examination. "I wasn't even worried about it. I'm in the best shape of my life, really."
As much as the Brewers factored in establishing his career, Vina couldn't hide the joy of joining a club that regularly packs Busch Stadium. He watched as the Cardinals were active on the personnel front this winter, in particular picking up veteran pitchers Pat Hentgen and Darryl Kile.
"It looks like they're going for it," Vina said. "And I know they've been after me for a long time. It feels good to go somewhere where you're really wanted."
Vina hadn't felt wanted in Milwaukee since last winter, when the Brewers began shopping him around for pitching help. Frustrated by the constant trade talk as well as a multi-year contract that became undervalued when he emerged as a starter, Vina lashed out against former general manager Sal Bando for not getting a deal done.
The misery worsened in May when Vina suffered a severe thigh bruise during a collision with rightfielder Jeromy Burnitz in San Francisco. Trying to rush his rehabilitation and return to the lineup, Vina developed patella tendinitis in his right knee and played only seven more games before shutting it down.
"I tried to come back too fast," said Vina. "I wanted to get back in there."
When Vina heard recently that the Cardinals were expressing interest in him again, he remembered the false alarm of last winter and tried to remain calm. But deep down he prayed St. Louis would give the Brewers what they wanted.
"Milwaukee was good to me, but I've always loved the Cardinals, the history of the franchise, the way the fans back the club," Vina said. "It's probably the best baseball town in the National League.
"We never really had this kind of lineup in Milwaukee when I played there. To think what could happen if everything goes right, it's kind of scary.
"Playing with Mark McGwire is going to be really exciting. If I do my thing and get on base, I should score a lot of runs."
Then, noting McGwire's trademark home plate greeting after slugging homers, Vina laughed and added, "I'm going to have to work on my abs so I can take that punch to the gut."
Vina can be a free agent after the season but indicated he'd like to sign a long-term deal with the Cardinals if the club sees fit to do so. His base salary this season is $2 million, a bargain if Vina returns to all-star form.
"I'm hungry and I want to be the best leadoff hitter I can be," said Vina, who batted .311 with 101 runs scored during his all-star season in 1998.
"I have a lot of good years ahead of me. I'd like to take care of (a contract extension) as soon as I can and stay around for a long time. St. Louis is a great place to play."
Vina, whose fiery nature sometimes put him at odds with former manager Phil Garner, nevertheless thanked Garner for believing in him and giving him a chance to play regularly. Vina also expressed gratitude for the support he received from the fans in Milwaukee.
"The fans there were great to me," he said. "I always tried to play hard and give it everything I've got, and I think they appreciated that.
"Milwaukee is where it all started for me and I'll never forget that. They gave me an opportunity to play and the fans took me in. I'm really grateful for my time there."
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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