McKeon Puts Grant in Outgoing Basket

Mark Grant took his usual early cab ride to the ballpark Thursday, but this time when he was let out in front of the visiting clubhouse at Three Rivers Stadium, he told the cabbie to keep the meter running.

In 10 minutes, Grant packed his equipment, said goodby to a few of his teammates and the manager he never played for and departed for the airport.

Grant became the latest to leave the Padre merry-go-round Thursday when he was traded to the Atlanta Braves for left-handed pitcher Derek Lilliquist. Lilliquist, who has primarily been a starter in his three-year professional career, will pitch in middle relief for the Padres, Manager Greg Riddoch said.

“It’s kind of a bittersweet feeling,” Grant said. “I’m sorry to be leaving here, and I’m going to miss all of the guys, but I’m happy because I’m going to have a chance to pitch again.”

Grant, 1-1 with a 4.85 earned-run average, was not used in a save situation this season. In his 26 appearances, he was involved in only three Padre victories.

“It’s hard to put up numbers when you don’t get to pitch,” said Pat Dobson, Padre pitching coach, “and he just wasn’t getting the opportunity here.”

Likewise, the Braves also had run out of patience with Lilliquist.

“We’ve got left-handed starters backed up throughout the organization,” said Bobby Cox, Brave manager and general manager, “and sooner or later, we were going to have to do something to help the bullpen. We’ve got good reports on Grant, and we plan on using him to set up, and at the same time, use him as a closer.”

Lilliquist was the No. 6 pick in the 1987 draft and spent the 1989 season in the big leagues, posting an 8-10 record and 3.97 ERA. But when he struggled in the first two months of this season with a 2-8 record and 6.28 ERA, he was demoted to triple-A Richmond, never to return.

“There has been some talk (between the teams),” said Jack McKeon, Padre vice president/baseball operations. “They were interested in Grant, and I told them I wanted Lilliquist. It’s always a gamble, but the young kid has been in the big leagues, he’s a left-hander and a good hitter.”

Lilliquist, 6 feet, 210 pounds, primarily is a breaking ball pitcher, with a fastball in the mid-80s. He yielded a .303 batting average this season, allowing 75 hits and 19 walks in 61 2/3 innings. He also allowed 10 home runs, the highest home-run ratio in the National League.

“The worst part about the trade,” said one Padre hitter, “is that we don’t get to face him anymore.”

Indeed, Lilliquist owns a 1-2 record and 6.41 ERA against the Padres. In his only appearance against them this season, he yielded nine hits and eight runs June 2 in a 9-0 Padre victory.

But Lilliquist was 4-0 with a 2.57 ERA in five appearances at Richmond, showing signs of being able to pitch effectively in the big leagues.

“We’ll find out in a hurry,” Riddoch said, “because we’re going to be using him.”