Expansion Turns Into an Explosion

A predominantly no-name expansion draft in which the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays focused on pitching was followed Tuesday night by the anticipated array of big-name trades.

The lifting of a trade moratorium at the end of a painfully prolonged and punchless draft orchestrated by ESPN saw Pedro Martinez, Fred McGriff, Robb Nen, Mike Lansing and Travis Fryman, among others, change teams in a barrage of announcements reminiscent of those wacky winter meetings that baseball no longer holds.

“This is an indication of what can happen when you put baseball people together,” said veteran baseball man Roland Hemond, now a Diamondback vice president.

“I mean, this is the kind of hot stove action we’ve got to revive. Fans love it. I’m sure a lot of them turned off tonight [when the draft ended] thinking the show was over.”

It was just getting started, but not for the Dodgers or Angels.

Neither pulled off one of the 13 trades, although the Dodgers are still negotiating with the Montreal Expos for shortstop Mark Grudzielanek in a deal that would send Wilton Guerrero and others to Montreal.

Nor were the Dodgers or Angels damaged in the draft.

The Dodgers lost outfielder Karim Garcia to the Diamondbacks in the first round, pitcher Rick Gorecki to the Devil Rays in the second and pitcher Jesus Martinez, the brother of Ramon and Pedro, to the Diamondbacks in the third.

The Angels lost spot starter Dennis Springer to the Devil Rays in the first round and recently acquired third baseman Mike Bell to the Diamondbacks in the second.

Tampa Bay opened the draft by selecting southpaw Tony Saunders of the Florida Marlins, after which Arizona selected Cleveland Indian southpaw Brian Anderson and Boston Red Sox right-hander Jeff Suppan, setting a tone.

Thirty-nine of the 70 players drafted were pitchers--the majority fringe veterans or untested prospects.

Some didn’t stay long. Some were traded in the ensuing swap meet.

The highlights:

* The Expos, as expected, traded Martinez, the National League’s Cy Young Award winner, to the Red Sox for pitching prospect Carl Pavano and a player to be named.

The Expos also traded second baseman Lansing to the Colorado Rockies for three prospects: pitchers Jake Westbrook and John Nicholson and outfielder Mike Hamlin.

Montreal General Manager Jim Beattie said the moves were “dictated by the economics of the time.” Martinez and Lansing are eligible for free agency after the 1998 season.

“We do not intend to win next year,” Beattie said. “We’re building a championship club for 2001 when we hope to move into a new stadium.”

Red Sox General Manager Dan Duquette said he wanted to celebrate the acquisition of a pitching ace and worry later about the possibility that Martinez could leave after only a year.

“I think this sends a good message to our fans and players,” he said.

* The Marlins, who had already unloaded $20 million in the deal that sent Moises Alou to the Houston Astros, dumped another $18 million by trading closer Nen to the San Francisco Giants and center fielder Devon White to the Diamondbacks.

In acquiring White, the Diamondbacks sent Jesus Martinez to the Marlins, meaning the youngest of the Martinez brothers had been the property of three teams within the span of about an hour.

In acquiring Nen, the Giants dispatched three pitching prospects to Florida: Mike Vilano, Joe Fontenot and Mick Pageler.

Nen will replace free agents Rod Beck and Roberto Hernandez as the Giant closer. Beck may sign soon with the Diamondbacks. Hernandez doesn’t have to wonder. He was signed to a four-year, $22.5-million contract by the Devil Rays on Tuesday night.

“When Roberto signed with the Devil Rays, we had to go to plan B,” Giant General Manager Brian Sabean said. “Nen is one of the quality young relievers in baseball.”

The Marlins, meanwhile, aren’t through. They still have Gary Sheffield, Kevin Brown, Al Leiter and others on the block.

“We’re going back to Florida and regroup, but we expect to make more trades,” General Manager Dave Dombrowski said.

* The Diamondbacks, in addition to the acquisition of White, acquired third baseman Fryman from the Detroit Tigers for three players selected in the draft: Pittsburgh third baseman Joe Randa, San Diego infield prospect Gabe Alvarez and pitcher Matt Drews, whom they had drafted from the Tigers. This was another trade motivated by economics. Fryman will make $6.5 million next season and then will be eligible for free agency.

“It gives us the flexibility to do some other things,” Tiger General Manager Randy Smith said of Fryman’s departure.

“It had become evident we weren’t going to find common ground on an extension. This is part of baseball in the ‘90s.”

* The Devil Rays, in addition to signing Hernandez, acquired Tampa native McGriff from the Atlanta Braves for a player to be named; acquired catcher John Flaherty from the San Diego Padres for two players selected in the draft (Seattle shortstop Andy Sheets and New York Yankee pitcher Brian Boehringer); and acquired shortstop Kevin Stocker from the Philadelphia Phillies for outfielder Bob Abreu, who had been drafted from the Astros.

Tampa Bay General Manager Chuck LaMar said he was extremely pleased with the draft and ensuing acquisitions.

“We went after guys we think have a chance to become good players in the future, and we needed to surround them with a couple of established players. McGriff and Hernandez give us that opportunity,” LaMar said.

Those acquisitions, along with Arizona’s acquisition of White, Fryman and Jay Bell, are further evidence of the financial resources of these two new clubs and the possibility they could field competitive teams quickly.

Neither is probably done building for 1998, although pitching will be a problem.

“Championship organizations have to develop their own pitching staffs,” LaMar said. “It’s the only way to get there.”

Saunders, 4-6 with the Marlins last season including a 3-0 mark against the Braves, said he was excited to be the first pick: “I’ve obviously done something right.”

Arizona General Manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said his organization ranked Saunders, Anderson and Suppan as the top three available pitchers, and “after Saunders was gone, we couldn’t pass on the next two.”

Anderson, the former Angel, was 4-2 with the Indians last season and was a pivotal factor in Cleveland’s postseason success.

He said he wouldn’t waste any time adding to his six tattoos.

“I’m heading down to Bob’s Tattoos and I’m going to get a big ‘A’ put in the middle of my back,” he said. “I’m going to make sure I get the exact logo down right.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

THE CALM

EXPANSION DRAFT

Arizona Diamondbacks

* FIRST PICK:

Brian Anderson (P, Cleveland)

* SELECTIONS 35

* PITCHERS: 21

* CATCHERS: 3

* INFIELDERS: 7

* OUTFIELDERS: 4

* NOTABLE PICKS:

Jeff Suppan (P, Boston); Jesus Martinez (P, Dodgers); Jorge Fabregas (C, Chi. White Sox); Karim Garcia (OF, Dodgers)

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

* FIRST PICK:

Tony Saunders

(P, Florida)

* SELECTIONS 35

* PITCHERS: 18

* CATCHERS: 1

* INFIELDERS: 8

* OUTFIELDERS: 8

* NOTABLE PICKS:

Quinton McCracken ( OF, Colorado) ; Dennis Springer ( P, Angels) ; Rick Gorecki (P, Dodgers); Albie Lopez (P, Cleveland)

THE STORM

DEALS, DEALS, DEALS

Montreal: Traded pitcher Pedro Martinez to Boston for two players.

Montreal: Traded second baseman Mike Lansing to Colorado for three players.

Detroit: Traded infielder Travis Fryman to Arizona for three players.

Florida: Traded pitcher Robb Nen to San Francisco for three players.

Florida: Traded center fielder Devon White to Arizona for pitcher Jesus Martinez.

Philadelphia: Traded shortstop Kevin Stocker to Tampa Bay for outfielder Bob Abreu.

Atlanta: Traded first baseman Fred McGriff to Tampa Bay for a player to be named.

Tampa Bay: Signed free-agent relief pitcher Roberto Hernandez to a four-year contract worth $22.5 million.

The Chosen Ones

Tony Saunders and Brian Anderson join a nondescript list of players selected No. 1 in previous expansion drafts:

Player: Eli Grba

Pos.: P

Year: 1960

Teams: Angels from Yankees

Comment: Went 20-24 with 4.40 ERA for Angels. 200 strikeouts, 199walks.

W *

Player: Bobby Shantz

Pos.: P

Year: 1960

Teams: Washington from Yankees

Comment: Near end of 16-year career, Shantz went 20-16 with 2.98 ERA

*

Player: Eddie Bressoud

Pos.: IF

Year: 1961

Teams: Houston from San Francisco

Comment: Traded to Boston, hit 68 homers before retiring in 1968.

*

Player: Hobie Landrith

Pos.: C

Year: 1961

Teams: N.Y. Mets from San Francisco

Comment: Spent only half a season with Mets. Retired in 1963.

*

Player: Roger Nelson

Pos.: P

Year: 1968

Teams: Kansas City from Baltimore

Comment: 18-22 with 3.02 ERA for Royals.

*

Player: Don Mincher

Pos.: 1B

Year: 1968

Teams: Seattle Pilots from Angels

Comment: Hit 25 homers in only season with Pilots, 27 homers for Oakland in 1970.

*

Player: Manny Mota

Pos.: OF

Year: 1968

Teams: Montreal from Pittsburgh

Comment: Traded to Dodgers in first season with Expos. Set record for pinch hits.

*

Player: Ollie Brown

Pos.: OF

Year: 1968

Teams: San Diego from San Francisco

Comment: Starting outfielder for Padres for three seasons. Retired from Phillies in 1977.

*

Player: Ruppert Jones

Pos.: OF

Year: 1976

Teams: Seattle Mariners from K.C

Comment: Hit 51 homers in three years with Mariners.

*

Player: Bob Bailor

Pos.: IF

Year: 1976

Teams: Toronto from Baltimore

Comment: Hit .310 in 1977. Finished career as utility infielder for Dodgers.

*

Player: David Nied

Pos.: P

Year: 1992

Teams: Colorado from Atlanta

Comment: Started first game in Rocky history. Career ended by ofarm troubles.

*

Player: Nigel Wilson

Pos.: OF

Year: 1992

Teams: Florida from Toronto

Comment: No hits in only 16 major league at-bats with Florida. Playing in Japan.

Research by HOUSTON MITCHELL / Los Angeles Times