Kent Keeps Moving Up Ladder

There were butterflies in Jeff Kent’s stomach July 28 when he was summoned to Dallas Green’s office.

Trade rumors had been swirling around the 28-year-old Met second baseman for days, so when the New York manager asked to see him after the game that night, Kent feared the worst.

Green, in fact, did confirm that the Edison High graduate was headed to a new team: the Cleveland Indians.

“My reaction? ‘Ahh . . . great,’ ” Kent said.

It certainly felt better than what happened in 1992. After three minor league seasons in the Toronto farm system, Kent had made the Blue Jays that spring as a bench player, spelling Roberto Alomar or Kelly Gruber. In 65 games he was batting .240, with eight homers and 35 runs batted in.

But the Blue Jays traded him to the Mets in August, only two days before he would have been part of Toronto’s playoff roster. That team went on to win the first of two World Series.

“When that trade happened I was in shock,” Kent said. “I was just a rookie; what value did I have to offer?”

He would be the start of the Mets’ 1990s make over. New York sent David Cone to Toronto, acquiring Kent and Ryan Thompson. It was a chance for Kent to prove he could be an everyday player, and he took advantage.

In 1993 he batted .270, with 21 homers and 80 RBIs. He batted a career-high .292 in the strike-shortened 1994 season, and had a .270 and 20-homer year in 1995.

“I wanted to think I was one of the best young second basemen in the National League,” Kent said.

That was not the kind of confidence Kent had previously. Coming out of Edison and the University of California, Kent said he never thought he had major league ability.

“I knew I could play at the [rookie ball] level they sent me to,” said Kent, who was selected by Toronto in the 20th round of the June 1989 draft. “But then they sent me to ‘A’ ball, the double A, and when a Toronto player got hurt I was called up.

“But I wanted to keep things in perspective. I didn’t think I had ‘made it.’ ”

It was different in New York. In his mind, he had “made it.” But when New York started foundering in the NL East race, the trade rumors started.

The trade, announced July 29, stunned Indian fans. Popular second baseman Carlos Baerga and infielder Alvaro Espinoza were sent to New York for Kent and Jose Vizcaino.

The Cleveland management said it was looking to improve infield defense. Left unsaid was the desire to find a steady right-handed bat. Indian Manager Mike Hargrove does not consider Kent to be a throw-in with Vizcaino.

“Not at all,” Hargrove said. “We got the two guys we wanted. Jeff is a right-handed bat with some power, who can play the infield. He’s been quite effective against left-handers--I think he was batting about .340 against them in the National League.”

Vizcaino also said the Indians got a good deal.

“Wait until they really get to know him,” Vizcaino said. “He’s a good guy who wants to win so badly.”

Kent is trying to prove Hargrove and Vizcaino right. Out of the lineup Tuesday, he is batting only .208 since the trade, and is only two for 13 on the Indians’ current trip. He hit .290 with the Mets.

“I’m still trying to find my groove,” Kent said.