Dean’s dominance continued into the 1937 season. At the All-Star break, Dean was 12-7 in 149 IP, with 14 CG and 4 SHO, a 2.41 ERA (NL avg ERA was 3.91) and 110 SO against only 22 BB. Of course, in that year’s All-Star game, Dean suffered a broken toe on a ball hit back through the box by the Indians’ Earl Averill.

Less than two weeks later, Dean returned to action, but before his injury was fully healed. Adjusting his delivery to put less pressure on that injured plant foot toe, Dean lost velocity and put added strain on his arm in the bargain. The rest of the season (which ended early for Dean, after his Sept 8th game), he was only 1-3 with a 3.59 ERA but, more ominously, had only 11 SO in 47 IP, less than a third of his K rate before his injury.

The Cardinals, evidently, were worried enough to entertain offers for Dean, and they got a good one from the Cubs. The $185,000 was a vast sum in 1938, and getting Curt Davis (#12 on the 5-year WAR list, in only 3 seasons of action) in the deal was gravy. In his 3 years in Chicago, Dean was a competent pitcher (16-8, 116 ERA+, 1.23 WHIP), but in only 226 IP as a part-time starter and with just 2.7 K/9. A positive contributor, but nothing like the former Dizzy Dean.

The high point of Dean’s time with the Cubs was undoubtedly their pennant-winning season of 1938. Dean allowed a run over 8 innings on Sep 27th as the Cubs won 2-1 in the first game of a series with the Pirates, pulling within a half-game of the front-running Bucs. Dean called it the greatest game he ever pitched, not because of his stuff but because he had no stuff and still managed to gut out a win. The Cubs swept that series and cruised to the pennant as Pittsburgh collapsed to a 1-6 finish. Despite that pennant, the Cubs gamble on Dean was likely a loss leader, if only for the cash involved.

For the Cardinals, the promise Curt Davis showed in his first 3 seasons was not sustained. After 3 seasons over 200 IP, Davis would exceed that threshold only twice more in his career. Nevertheless, he did compile decent career numbers for a player who started as a 30 year-old rookie. Here are the pitchers since 1901 to compile 30 to 36 WAR from age 30 onwards. Not bad company. The rank shows their WAR placement among all pitchers in this period.

 The Cardinals also got some value from the other players in the deal. Clyde Shoun was a reliver and occasional starter, contributing almost 500 innings over 4 seasons at a journeyman level 95 ERA+. Shoun would continue to provide that type of performance for various teams until 1949. Tuck Stainback was a different story. A reserve outfielder, his -7.3 career WAR is tied for the 6th lowest total since 1901 (min. 2300 PA). But, in a wartime environment, that was good enough to hang on until 1946. 

Score was hit in the eye with a batted ball, a line drive back through the box, early in the 1957 season. He was hospitalized for 3 weeks and was still suffering from vision problems at the end of the season. Nevertheless, Score returned to start the 1958 season and looked to be regaining his form when he was sidelined with a torn tendon in his elbow, an injury that recurred soon after his return in June so that Score managed only 41 innings for the season. Score pitched a full season in 1959 but was prone to the gopher ball, leading to just a 79 ERA+, despite a league-leading 8.2 K/9.

In Chicago, Score cut his 1959 HR/9 in half in 1960 leading to an improved 102 ERA+. But, his K/9 started to slide which, combined with continuing control problems that Score had always struggled with, led to just a 0.90 K/BB ratio. Score was to contribute just 30 more innings in his final two seasons with the Sox. 

Unlike the Cubs in the Dean trade, the White Sox did not make a large gamble on a turnaround by Score. Barry Latman was a 24 year-old prospect who had shown a bit of promise in 1959, his first full season, with 101 ERA+ in 156 IP as a swingman. But, Latman failed to progress, compiling 89 ERA+ in 652 IP in 4 seasons with Cleveland.