Matt Young, Tim Leary: Winners or Losers?

I hope Dodger General Manager Al Campanis learned something from his Met counterpart, Joe McIlvaine, last week. The world champions gave up something--two of their best young prospects--to get something from the Padres: Kevin McReynolds. McIlvaine was quoted as saying: “The fastest way to go downhill is to stand pat.”

That’s what Campanis has done for years, telling us he likes his team just the way it is and deluding himself and a lot of others while picking up over-the-hill players.

Now he brings us Tim Leary and Matt Young. Leary, at 29, has been a sore-arm pitcher who has spent most of the time in the minors and comes off a 12-12 season with an ERA over four. Young, at 28, we now find out, suffers from arthritis.

Thanks a lot, Al, you’ve done it again.

FRANK BIGELOW

Glendale