Actually the Dodgers did not trade Garvey, he declared free agency and signed with the Padres. Probably a good move on the Dodgers’ part. I noticed a downgrade on Garvey’s abilities in 1982 and that was his last good year.
Baseball used to be a TEAM sport and the Dodgers had a team attitude. They had the same infield for almost a decade with Garvey, Sacks and Lopes and the same pitching staff with Hersheiser and Sutton and Charlie Hough and you equated the players with the city and the city with the team.
After Garvey left there was never again that cohesive team spirit on the Dodgers and worse, the whole of major league baseball became nothing more than a business venture for corporations and billionaire capitalists.
I guess it wasn't just the Dodgers that lost my interest. I love baseball, but I just have a hard time getting invested in any team these days. No matter which team you are currently rooting for, the roster will change so much in the next 3 years that even if you are a season ticket holder, you'll need to buy a program so you know who's playing on YOUR TEAM.
FWIIW, I get a bit misty remembering the Iron Curtain Infield and the Big Blue Wrecking Crew.
That was my entire childhood.