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player ready...The New York Mets are searching for an established shortstop and willing to buy or trade for same. But, according to a reliable source, they are not interested in Shawon Dunston. Larry Himes, the Cubs’ general manager, is trying to move Dunston because of severe back problems that have limited him to 25 games the last two years.
Apparently, Joe McIlvaine, who has been restored as the Mets’ front-office boss, doesn’t believe Dunston has recovered fully and isn’t willing to gamble on what would be an expensive experiment. Dunston has two years to go on his $3 million annual contract.
I can’t help but wonder if McIlvaine saw Dunston when he returned to the lineup for seven games in early September. Dunston appeared to be 100 percent and went 4 for 8 in two games against the Mets. Dallas Green, the Mets’ field manager, should be disposed favorably toward Dunston. It was Green, when he was with the Cubs, who plucked him out of the 1982 draft of amateur free agents.
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Equally interesting was Thursday’s Philadelphia-Houston trade-Mitch Williams to the Astros for Doug Jones. Williams, 29, is seven years younger than Jones and also has the “smaller” 1994 contract: $2.5 million compared to $3 million.
It was a situation where both had to be traded. Williams, of course, had those horrid World Series performances and was certain to receive an ice-cold reception by the Philly boo-birds. As for Jones, he, too, was no longer welcome in Houston; his teammates had lost confidence in him.
Jones was 26 for 34 in save opportunities for 76.5 percent, the third-worst record among National League closers. Although Jones should have had the righty-righty advantage, right-handers batted .326 against him; over-all it was .298. Williams was much more effective during the regular season: only six blown saves in 49 opportunities, an outstanding 88 percent success ratio.
It wasn’t a straight exchange. Lee Thomas of the Phillies, an excellent trader, also extracted Jeff Juden from the Astros. A 22-year-old, 6-foot-7-inch right-hander, Juden was a first-round choice in the 1989 draft. He didn’t show well when the Astros brought him up for a September look but should be ready after another season in the minors.
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Hats off to Brett Butler, the Dodgers’ star center-fielder who spent much of his youth in Libertyville. In this age of ballplayer whiners, Butler refuses to join the chorus. He has been charged with only two errors, both in ’92, in his three years with the Dodgers. Thus, he has had two errorless seasons. Yet he never has made the Rawlings Gold Glove team. Butler nonetheless had words of praise for outfielders Barry Bonds, Marquis Grissom and Larry Walker who were chosen on this year’s NL team.
“They’re very good players,” Butler said. “They deserve it.”
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There was a big hush-hush meeting here Thursday of baseball’s Executive Council, interim Commissioner Bud Selig presiding. The owners obviously are convinced the fewer press conferences, the better.
But it would be nice to know what’s happening in the commissioner derby. The silence could indicate the lack of an outstanding field. There was a time when baseball’s top job was a big plum. For example, after Happy Chandler was dismissed in 1951, Gen. Douglas MacArthur was among the candidates.
Selig said many important topics were discussed, but there was no talk of further expansion. This surprises me because of the enormous success last season of the new Colorado and Florida franchises. Together, they had a home gate of almost 8 million.
Selig conceded if and when new teams are added the entrance fee would be more than the $95 million paid by the Rockies and Marlins. This sum was 13 1/2 times more than the previous expansion charge of $7 million in 1977. If the price escalates at an identical pace, civic leaders in Phoenix and St. Petersburg, Fla., should proceed with caution. The cost for a major-league franchise would be $1.2 billion.