The Philadelphia Phillies acquired backup catcher Steve Lake and outfielder Curt Ford from the St. Louis Cardinals Friday for outfielder Milt Thompson.
"Lake gives us the right-hand hitting catcher I was looking for," said Phillies general manager Lee Thomas. "Ford is the type of guy who will give (manager) Nick Leyva some maneuverability because he can play three outfield positions as well as first, second and third."Lake, 31, batted .278 in 36 games for St. Louis last year with one home run and four RBI. He has a five-year career average of .236.
Ford, 28, led the Cardinals in pinch-hits with nine and knocked in nine runs. He batted .195 for the season. In 1987, he hit .285 overall.
Thompson came to the Phillies three years ago. The 29-year-old outfielder last season hit .288 in 122 games with the Phillies, including two homers and 33 RBI.