Paul Popovich (#258)

Paul Popovich was a backup middle infielder, mostly for the Cubs, but he also played briefly for the Dodgers and Pirates.

Popovich was signed by the Cubs in 1960. He played 7 seasons in their farm system, almost exclusively at 2nd base. During this time he managed to appear for the Cubs in 1 game in April 1964 and 2 games in September 1966.

Paul made the Cubs' team in 1967, and played 49 games in his rookie season. He started 26 games at shortstop (every game that Don Kessinger did not start) including most of the games in early June and early July. In November 1967 he was traded to the Dodgers for outfielder Lou Johnson.

Surprisingly (even to me now), Popovich was the Dodgers' primary 2nd baseman in 1968. He started 80 games there (to Jim Lefebvre's 53 starts). I can only assume that Lefebvre was out of the lineup with injuries. Popovich also started another 35 games at shortstop, giving the newly-acquired bust Zoilo Versalles some (much-needed) time off.

All in all, Paul started 115 games for LA that season and played in 134 total games, making 462 plate appearances – all career highs for him. The following year, he would return to utility infielder status for the remainder of his career.

With 1969 ROY Ted Sizemore's arrival, Popovich was without a position in 1969. He only started 12 games during the season's first half, then was traded to the expansion Expos in mid-June (with outfielder Ron Fairly) for shortstop Maury Wills and outfielder Manny Mota.

The same day, Montreal flipped him to the Cubs for pitcher Jack Lamabe and center fielder Adolfo Phillips. Now back in Chicago, Popovich picked up where he left off in 1967 – giving the Cubs’ regular infielders (mostly 2B Glenn Beckert, but also Kessinger and 3B Ron Santo) a day off now and then. This continued through the 1973 season.

Just before the start of the 1974 season, he was swapped to the Pirates for pitcher Tom Dettore. Paul was the backup 2nd baseman to Rennie Stennett (the Pirates had just lost Dave Cash to the Phillies in the off-season) for the next year and a half. He also appeared in 3 games in the 1974 NLCS.

Popovich was released at the end of July 1975 to make room for mid-season call-up Willie Randolph.