Mets Trade Away Everett, Along With a Controversy

The New York Mets traded outfielder Carl Everett and his controversial situation Monday.

Everett, traded to the Houston Astros for reliever John Hudek, had a tenuous tenure in New York since Aug. 7, when his two children were taken into custody by New York City officials after a Shea Stadium child-care worker noticed bruises on Shawna, 6. Carl, 5, also was placed in foster care, although he was not injured.

A New York Family Court judge dropped child-abuse charges against the outfielder and his wife Oct. 29, but ruled that Linda Everett inflicted “excessive corporal punishment” on their two children and that her husband did little to stop her. Since then, the Everetts have been allowed supervised visits with the children.

“We are confident that that issue is heading in the right direction and under control and, hopefully, will not be a major distraction to either Carl or the ballclub in the coming year,” Astro General Manager Gerry Hunsicker said.

Met General Manager Steve Phillips said Everett’s off-the-field situation didn’t cause the trade.

“It’s been a very difficult thing for Carl and his family,” he said. Mets Phillips said. “Our position has been we hope it resolves itself in a way that is beneficial for Carl and his family and everyone involved.”

Everett hit .248 last season with 14 home runs and 57 runs batted in in 443 at-bats.

Hudek, a right-hander, was 1-3 with four saves and a 5.98 ERA in 40 games.

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The Angels formally severed ties with Tony Phillips, who pleaded guilty last month to misdemeanor cocaine possession, by declining to offer him a 1998 contract.

The Angels told Phillips in September that he would not be invited back. Phillips, in turn, declined to file for free agency, depriving the Angels of potential compensatory draft picks from whatever team might sign him.

However, while free agents have been allowed to negotiate with other teams for six weeks, Phillips could not start talks until Sunday.

The Angels also signed infielder Chip Hale to a minor league contract. Hale, 33, a career .302 pinch-hitter, spent most of last season at the Dodgers’ Triple-A Albuquerque team.

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Phillips was among 32 players who became free agents when their teams failed to offer them 1998 contracts before the Dec. 20 deadline. Two others were Geronimo Berroa and Bob Hamelin.

Berroa hit .283 with 26 homers and 90 RBIs for Baltimore. Hamelin, the 1994 AL Rookie of the Year, was released by Kansas City during spring training and signed with Detroit, hitting .270 with 18 homers and 52 RBIs.

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Kansas City, searching for a designated hitter to replace Chili Davis, signed Hal Morris.

Morris, 32, hit .276 with one home run and 33 RBIs in 96 games for the Cincinnati Reds last season. He injured his right shoulder May 11 diving for a ground ball at first base, and had arthroscopic surgery Aug. 4.

Davis, who hit .279 with 30 homers and 90 RBIs for the Royals last season, signed a two-year contract for $9.8 million with the New York Yankees.

“Hal is a proven left-handed hitter who fills the void for us at the designated hitter slot,” Kansas City General Manager Herk Robinson said. “His numbers were down a little last season due to injuries, but he’s a lifetime .305 hitter with occasional power.”

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The Yankees obtained a reliever who also can move into the rotation, agreeing to a $6.4-million, three-year contract with Darren Holmes.

Holmes, a 31-year-old right-hander, was 9-2 with three saves and a 5.34 ERA in six starts and 34 relief appearances for the Colorado Rockies last season.

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Jose Oliva, a third baseman who played briefly in the major leagues before agreeing to a Triple-A contract with the Seattle Mariners on Friday, died early Monday in a car accident in the Dominican. He was 26. Oliva was driving with a female companion when he apparently hit something in the road and was flung from his convertible.

The woman, who wasn’t identified, was not injured. She told doctors she waited by the side of the highway for an hour before she was able to get help. Oliva, who suffered severe wounds to the head, throat and lungs, died shortly after reaching the hospital, doctors said.

Oliva is survived by his wife.