Deal Seemed a No-Brainer, but It Was a No-Elbower

“My elbow is back to 100%.”

--Todd Hundley

“We wouldn’t have gone out and gotten him if we didn’t think he was healthy and ready to go.”

--Kevin Malone

“He’s back, even better than he was.”

--Rick Dempsey

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How could everyone, and I mean everyone, have been so wrong when they assessed Todd Hundley before the season?

Even if Davey Johnson is correct and we will see the healthy and ready-to-go catcher after the All-Star break instead of the one he benched Tuesday, the Dodgers--and Hundley--missed his prognosis by at least eight months when the trade was made with the Mets last December.

They weren’t alone. The New York media was so convinced that Hundley had recovered from his September 1997 elbow surgery that they criticized Met General Manager Steve Phillips for getting so little in return. The Dodgers sent Roger Cedeno and Charles Johnson to the Mets, who traded Johnson to the Orioles for Armando Benitez.

Kevin Malone also believed he had gotten the better of the deal, declaring that if it failed he would accept blame.

Be careful what you ask for.

But no one should accuse Malone of not practicing due diligence. He didn’t only take the recommendation of Rick Dempsey, who managed Hundley during a rehabilitation stint last season at triple-A Norfolk. Malone also talked to Dodger doctors and the doctor who performed the reconstructive surgery and studied results of an MRI exam taken the day before the trade was announced.

It’s easy to say now that Malone shouldn’t have taken the risk. But it seemed safe to assume that Hundley would play at least as well as Johnson, who in 102 games with the Dodgers last season hit .217 and won a Gold Glove on reputation. The Dodgers were so concerned about him at one point that they asked him to undergo an eye exam.

As it turns out, Johnson can see fine in Baltimore.

Cedeno is playing even better with the Mets, but he had numerous chances to win the Dodger center field job in recent years and failed to produce. In 105 games last season, he hit .242 and was at best inconsistent defensively.

If this sounds like an apology for Malone, then I apologize.

All I’m trying to say is that the trade looks a lot dumber today than it did when it was made. But that’s the way it is with most dumb trades. The Dodger trade of Pedro Martinez for Delino DeShields was more popular at the time in Los Angeles than in Montreal.

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One of the dumbest moves in Dodger history, according to the New York media the next day, was the hiring of Walter Alston as manager. . . .

One headline: “Walter Who?”. . .

Tim Leiweke hopes his hiring Monday of what’s-his-name as the King coach turns out so well. . . .

Fans didn’t read the name Andy Murray and rush to their phones to order tickets. . . .

But, as Leiweke said, “We don’t hire coaches to sell season tickets.” . . .

The Kings can’t do that without adding a star player, which Leiweke said they are trying to do in their pursuit of Ziggy Palffy. . . .

Until Tuesday, the Islanders seemed intent on trading him to the Rangers. . . .

On the surface, that’s bewildering. The Kings, according to sources, have offered an attractive package of four young players and, if all things are equal, you would think the Islanders would want to send Palffy out of their division. . . .

Now this is what’s below the surface: In exchange for Palffy, the Islanders also are seeking more guaranteed television dates. The Rangers can deliver because they are owned by Cablevision, which holds the Islanders’ television rights. . . .

A Seattle Times report that the Sparks are among four WNBA teams warned they might be moved if attendance doesn’t improve was “not quite accurate,” Johnny Buss said. It was not quite inaccurate, either. . . .

The Spark owner acknowledged Tuesday that WNBA Commissioner Val Ackerman reminded him of a league stipulation requiring teams to average 6,000 in home attendance or face relocation. . . .

Buss said that the Sparks, who averaged 7,653 last season, are counting on 8,000 a game this season. . . .

Even before finishing his first game with the Angels, rookie outfielder Mike Colangelo was headed to the disabled list. He apparently was eager to fit in with as many teammates as possible. . . .

If you can judge a clutch hitter by whether he delivers with men in scoring position and two out, Mo Vaughn is one. . . .

Under those conditions going into Tuesday night’s game, he was hitting .429. . . .

You can’t say the same for other Angels, such as Garret Anderson (.156), Darin Erstad (.154) and Troy Glaus (.172). . . .

As for Dem Bums in that department, Jose Vizcaino was hitting .389 and Eric Young .360. But others include Gary Sheffield at .208, Devon White at .200, Hundley at .176 and Raul Mondesi at .172. . . .

Dr. Rob Parrish, who performed the operation on Larry Dierker, said he won’t consider it a success unless he removed the part of the Astro manager’s brain that likes to steal third with two out. . . .

Keith Jackson must have bought a copy of Athlon Sports’ College Football Edition, the first preseason magazine on the newsstands. . . .

In the article, “13 Ideas For Better Football,” No. 3 is “Bring back K.J.”. . .

They don’t get to the bowl championship series until No. 8.

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While wondering how hard Jim Courier was trying when he lost an exhibition to John McEnroe, I was thinking: One good thing about the hiring of Phil Jackson is that it means Jerry Buss is listening to Jerry West again, Michael Jordan should play one more season with his former coach for old times’ sake, the Spurs will sweep.

Randy Harvey can be reached at his e-mail address: randy.harvey@latimes.com