Branch Rickey was a GREAT judge of talent, absolutely fantastic. Probably the best ever. And the allegation that "his decision to trade Johnny Mize away from the Cardinals likely cost the team a couple of pennants" is absurd. Mize was traded/sold to New York after the 1941 season. The Cardinals won the pennant in 1942, 1943 and 1944. Mize was in the Army in 1945, and the Cardinals won the pennant in 1946. So what year are you talking about?