Moves Alter Equation for Playoff Race

It is too early for final calculations, but the American League’s wild-card race might have been decided by addition and subtraction in the week of the trading deadline.

The Toronto Blue Jays added David Segui’s bat to their lineup while the Boston Red Sox subtracted closer Tom Gordon, who is expected to have season-ending elbow surgery and was critical of the conflicting role played by team physician Arthur Pappas, who is also a part owner of the Red Sox.

Gordon, on the disabled list since June 11, implied that Pappas was only interested in keeping him pitching, saying the doctor continued to identify Gordon’s discomfort during the Pappas-dictated throwing program as scar tissue and insist that Gordon’s injured ligament was healing.

Alabama orthopedist James Andrews reviewed the films Pappas had been viewing on Thursday and told Gordon that the ligament was torn, that he was risking a total blowout if he continued to throw and that reconstructive surgery was needed.

“Where would I be if I had taken care of this in spring training?” Gordon said, suggesting that he would be far along the road to recovery.

This is not the first time in Pappas’ long tenure with the Red Sox that his dual role has come under criticism, but he took one of his heaviest hits when Boston reporters wrote that Nomar Garciaparra told teammates, “Our doctors are killing us.”

Pappas, in a radio interview, said Gordon was a full participant in discussions about his treatment, and, when asked about Garciaparra, said:

“It is not uncommon that when someone excels in the athletic arena, everyone believes their opinion is the accurate opinion all the time.”

The Red Sox had hoped to address their bullpen situation before the trade deadline. In the meantime, they acquired outfielder Butch Huskey from the Seattle Mariners, and now expect to have Pedro Martinez off the disabled list and starting Tuesday night. They also swept two midweek games from the Blue Jays--who are 1-14 against Boston and New York--and benched All-Star second baseman Jose Offerman and his $26-million contract because of defensive deficiencies.

In what may be no surprise to Dodger fans with long memories, Offerman is next to last among American League second baseman in fielding percentage. The Yankees’ Chuck Knoblauch is last with 18 errors.

Said Offerman, who had been replaced by Donnie Sadler before returning to the starting lineup Saturday: “They pay me too much money to be on the bench. I don’t want to be in this situation, that’s for sure.”

In getting Tom Davey and Steve Sinclair, the Mariners acquired two young and strong arms in exchange for Segui, but the loss of Segui and Huskey--and the failure to significantly improve the pitching--does not seem to be the direction that Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez have in mind as they decide whether to stay in Seattle when eligible to become free agents after the 2000 season.

According to the Seattle Times, Griffey has received a new offer of eight years at an undisclosed sum believed to be in the area of $120 million. He is believed to be thinking hard about it, but it may be too late, given the absence of pitching improvement.

“An important week?” Griffey said of the trade deadline. “This was an important season. Alex and I gave them a warning. I told them, ‘This is the year.’ It’s not about being ‘the Man’ anywhere. It’s all about having a goal and being able to achieve that goal. They’ve got to show Alex and me they want to go out and get people to help us win.”