They’ll Wait to See How Fantasy Ends

When he first heard the names Friday and reflected on the magnitude of the proposed seven-player trade between the Dodgers and Florida Marlins, San Francisco Giant General Manager Brian Sabean said he thought it was something out of a rotisserie league.

“Amazing,” Sabean said. “It’s as unbelievable as it is believable.”

How does the deal that sends Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile to the Florida Marlins for Gary Sheffield, Bobby Bonilla, Charles Johnson, Jim Eisenreich and rookie pitcher Manuel Barrios affect the race in the National League West?

“As for that,” Sabean said, “we’ll have to see how it plays out. However, I have to think it had to be heartbreaking for the Dodgers to trade Mike Piazza, as much as he’s meant to that team.

“I have all the respect in the world for him. He’s one of the most consistent and dangerous hitters we faced. We’ve faced those other guys with other teams, but I don’t know if they’ll bring the same flavor to the Dodger lineup that Piazza did.”

It’s difficult to predict, difficult to even guess what the Dodger lineup will look like.

Where will Sheffield and Bonilla bat? How often will Eisenreich play? Will Roger Cedeno remain in center? Who goes to make room?

Piazza and Zeile combined for 71 homers and 214 runs batted in last year when Sheffield and Bonilla combined for 38 and 167 amid a lineup that won a World Series.

Will they be able to compensate for the Dodgers’ offensive loss? Will the switch-hitting Bonilla and versatile Eisenreich provide the left-handed balance that the Dodgers have needed? Will Johnson’s Gold Glove skills behind the plate compensate for Bonilla’s defensive liability at third and Sheffield’s in the outfield?

“I figured the Dodgers would do something soon,” San Diego Padre General Manager Kevin Towers said. “Things weren’t working out the way they expected, and I’m sure they felt that they had to shake things up. They’re adding four players who played on a World Series winning team, so I certainly have to think that makes them a better team, but regardless of who they bring in, we can’t worry about what they’re doing. We have to stay focused on our own business.”

The Padres went into Friday’s games with a 3 1/2-game lead on the Giants and a seven-game lead on the Dodgers.

“I still think it will go down to the last month,” Towers said. “If we continue to play good baseball and get good pitching, I feel we can beat anyone. We think we can go head to head with the Dodgers or anyone else. We’re certainly not in awe of them.”

In response to Friday’s blockbuster, one National League general manager said it seemed to support the concern that many owners had when the Dodgers were sold to Rupert Murdoch. “I think it definitely supports the belief that the Dodgers are out to be the Yankees of the West now,” he said.

Sabean wouldn’t comment on that but said, “I think there was definitely a sense of urgency to it. [The Dodgers] felt they had to do it from a performance standpoint and [the Marlins] from a salary standpoint. The magnitude is amazing--not only for this year but the future.” Sabean referred to the multiyear contracts that Sheffield and Bonilla carry, only part of their baggage. Sheffield would be joining his fourth team, Bonilla his fifth.

“[The Dodgers] better be right,” said the NL general manager who requested anonymity. “I don’t think you can trade those two guys again. It’s a bitter pill to swallow.”

Even more bitter if the Marlins were to trade Piazza to an NL West rival.

“We would be nuts not to have interest in Mike Piazza, but I don’t think it would happen here,” Towers said, adding that Piazza’s acquisition would put the Padre payroll over $50 million and complicate the fact that Wally Joyner, Kevin Brown, Ken Caminiti and Steve Finley are all eligible for free agency when the season ends and have to be re-signed.

“The Dodgers made quite a statement,” Towers said, “but gave up quite a player in the process.”