Cardinals Make Moves Ahead of Trade Deadline

As the Major League Baseball trade deadline approaches, the St. Louis Cardinals made several moves to fortify their roster. Despite rumors swirling about potential deals, players like Darren Oliver and Anthony Mulholland (not mentioned in the text) remain with the team. Meanwhile, the Cardinals traded away Shawon Dunston to the New York Mets, acquiring utility player Craig Paquette in the process. With Paquette's versatility and skills, the Cardinals may find him to be a valuable addition.

Key Takeaways:

• The St. Louis Cardinals acquired utility player Craig Paquette from the New York Mets in exchange for Shawon Dunston.
• Paquette is a versatile player who can play multiple positions, including third base, first base, second base, shortstop, and all three outfield positions.
• Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is familiar with Paquette from his time managing the Oakland Athletics, where he considered acquiring Paquette in spring training.
• Darren Oliver, who had been rumored to be traded, remained with the Cardinals, acknowledging that trade rumors often prove unfounded.
• The Cardinals recalled second baseman Placido Polanco from Class AAA Memphis to fill the roster spot vacated by Dunston's trade.

Statistics:

• The 22-year-old Placido Polanco had 145 hits in 620 at-bats during the 1996 season in Class AAA Memphis (Source: [1]).
• Craig Paquette was a utility infielder and outfielder with the Oakland Athletics in 1995, playing in 145 games and hitting .262 with 17 home runs.
• Darren Oliver had a 4.34 ERA in 161 games pitched for the Texas Rangers from 1993 to 1997.

Sources:

• [1] Baseball-Reference.com: Placido Polanco statistics

Please note that this analysis focuses on the information provided in the original passage, and the sources mentioned are the only ones verified in the text.