Stevens, Segui, Fullmer Traded

While the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers met on the field Thursday, they announced a three-way swap of first basemen that also included the Montreal Expos.

Toronto sent David Segui and cash to Texas, which then traded Lee Stevens to the Expos. To complete the deal, Montreal sent Brad Fullmer to the Blue Jays.

“Every place he has played, he has hit,” Toronto Manager Jim Fregosi said of Fullmer. “He has had his problems fielding. He was probably meant to be an AL player because of no DH in the NL, and he will be our DH starting out.”

Segui hit a combined .298 for Seattle and Toronto last season with 14 homers and 52 runs batted in. He became a free agent after the season, then signed a $4,325,000, one-year contract to stay with Toronto.

“We’re saving several million dollars on the face of the transaction,” Toronto General Manager Gord Ash said.

Stevens batted .282 last season for the Rangers, setting career highs with 24 homers and 81 RBIs.

Stevens will make $3.5 million after losing in salary arbitration. Like Segui, he is eligible for free agency after this season.

Fullmer split last season between Montreal and triple-A Ottawa of the International League. He batted .277 for the Expos with nine homers and 47 RBIs.

Fullmer’s contract was renewed earlier this month at a salary of $310,000 if he’s in the major leagues and $185,000 if he’s in the minors.

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Juan Gonzalez says the Rangers don’t treat Latin players well but he isn’t bitter about the off-season trade that sent him to the Detroit Tigers after 14 years in the Texas organization.

In an interview with the Dallas Morning News, Gonzalez called Detroit “paradise” and said the Rangers are going nowhere.

“The people working there in Texas don’t have good relations with other cultures, people from different countries,” the Puerto Rico-born Gonzalez said. “They don’t respect, a lot, the Latin players there.”

Ranger players and the front office disagreed.

“I think this organization treats its Latin players fairly. They have an understanding of our needs,” Cuban-born Rafael Palmeiro said.

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The Padres showed plans for including the 90-year-old Western Metal Supply Co. warehouse in their downtown ballpark, scheduled to open in 2002.

The seven-story brick building will be part of the ballpark itself.

Up to 500 fans will watch games from three levels of balconies, including two tiers of party suites, as well as bleachers on the roof.

The left-field foul pole will be mounted on the southeast corner, 334 feet from home plate. About 30 feet of the building will be in play, forming part of the quirky outfield that the Padres hope will produce lots of triples and doubles. Home runs will drop into the balconies.

The warehouse will be the only brick part of the 46,000-capacity ballpark, which otherwise has a southwestern motif, surrounded by gardens and palm trees.

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Florida right-hander A.J. Burnett will be sidelined at least 10 weeks after rupturing a ligament in his right thumb during pitcher’s fielding practice.

Burnett, injured Tuesday, will be operated on in four or five days by Dr. Brian Fingado at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale. Burnett will wear a cast for six weeks.