buchek remained with the cardinals as a backup middle infielder in and , appearing in 55 and then 100 games respectively. however, with groat (then dal maxvill) and javier established as the redbirds' double-play combination, he did not break into the regular lineup, starting a total of 69 games at shortstop and 20 at second base during those two seasons. on may 12, 1966, he scored the first run ever at busch memorial stadium. on the eve of the campaign, buchek was traded to the mets, who were seeking a new second baseman after trading four-year veteran ron hunt to the los angeles dodgers. the mets' general manager, bing devine, had signed buchek when he was front-office boss of the cardinals in 1960.