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MARLINS-DODGERS BLOCKBUSTER HAS INDUSTRY ABUZZ AND AGHAST

          The Marlins and Dodgers completed the "largest trade"
     in MLB history on Friday, "at the same time putting a giant
     exclamation point on one of the saddest chapters in baseball
     history -- the decimation of the defending world champions,"
     according to Dave Sheinin of the MIAMI HERALD.  The trade of
     Gary Sheffield, Charles Johnson, Bobby Bonilla, Jim
     Eisenreich and a minor-league pitcher to the Dodgers for
     Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile involved $115M in contracts and
     $98M still to be paid in guaranteed salaries.  It is a
     "record amount for players in one baseball trade," and the
     "repercussions were felt across" MLB.  Sheinin wrote the
     trade "comes at a crucial time for the Marlins franchise,
     which is attempting to gain approval" for a publicly-backed
     domed stadium and "several" Miami-Dade and Broward County
     commissioners said Friday they expect the stadium issue to
     be decided by a referendum, and that "this trade will not
     help the Marlins' case in gaining public approval."  Team
     President Don Smiley wants to cut the team's payroll to
     $12M-16M, down from its current $33M, in order to
     "guarantee" to potential investors that the team will not
     continue to have "substantial losses."  With the trade, the
     team's payroll was reduced to $23M, and it is expected to
     further drop if and when Piazza and Zeile are traded for
     prospects (David Sheinin, MIAMI HERALD, 5/16).
          DODGER BLUES? In L.A., Jason Reid wrote the departure
     of Piazza "caused a scramble" among the team's broadcast
     outlets, as KTLA and Fox Sports West 2 "moved quickly to
     yank ads featuring" the departed catcher who had rejected
     the team's reported offer of $79M over six years (L.A.
     TIMES, 5/16).  Also in L.A., Bill Shaikin wrote that the
     Dodgers "lost one of the most recognizable names in
     baseball."  Fox Sports Net Senior VP/Marketing Peter
     Liguori: "Clearly, Mike is and was a marquee player.  But we
     felt we always did a good job of spreading the publicity
     around."  But Shaikin added that the "loss of a local hero
     should be more than offset" by the "flood of prominent
     talent" (L.A. TIMES, 5/16).  In Boston, Peter Gammons
     reported that Piazza will lose some lucrative endorsement
     deals leaving L.A.  He made $2-3M in Japanese endorsements
     and "got tons" of L.A. endorsements (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/17). 
     Piazza also endorses Pert Plus shampoo (THE DAILY).
          THE PLAYERS: In L.A., Ross Newhan reported that the
     final deal was negotiated by Smiley and Fox TV Chair Chase
     Carey.  Dodgers GM Fred Claire said that Carey and team
     President Bob Graziano "reached out to assure me that my
     responsibility hasn't change and that this was a one-time
     thing.  I'll approach that in a positive fashion" (L.A.
     TIMES, 5/16).  Also in L.A., Jason Reid wrote that Claire
     was "cut out" of the transaction.  Talks began when Carey
     called Smiley on "the fate" of Wayne Huizenga-owned
     SportsChannel FL, which is for sale (L.A. TIMES, 5/16). 
     Reid wrote on Saturday, "If this is the end for Claire, he
     deserved a better send-off" (L.A. TIMES, 5/16).
          COMMISSIONER OVERSIGHT? In Miami, Dan LeBatard quoted
     Acting Commissioner Bud Selig: "There's nothing I can do.
     ... The Marlins lost $38 million last year.  I have the
     numbers right in front of me.  What [former Commissioner
     Bowie] Kuhn did [in '76] was block sheer liquidation. ... I
     know this office better than anyone.  There's no precedent
     for commissioners blocking trades."  More Selig: "I've
     watched the Clippers do one silly thing after another.  Do
     you see David Stern doing anything about it?" (MIAMI HERALD,
     5/16).  In Boston, Peter Gammons reported that Selig had MLB
     lawyers go through the language regarding the commissioner's
     power and was given a report showing that he had "no legal
     or moral authority to block trades" as long as players are
     involved and the cash is at or under the $1M limit. 
     Gammons: "Just when a Kerry Wood comes along, up rears an
     owner to make us ill.  But there is no legal or moral
     authority for any baseball commissioner to do anything about
     bad business" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/17).  In N.Y., Murray Chass
     wrote under the header, "Is Selig Right, Or Was Kuhn Wrong,
     On Big Trades?" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/17).  In Hartford, Jack
     O'Connell wrote that if Selig doesn't take action, he
     "should no longer be identified as baseball's acting
     commissioner.  You want to be commissioner, you have to act"
     (HARTFORD COURANT, 5/17).  On "The Sports Reporters," ESPN's
     Mike Lupica: "It speaks to the lack of a real commissioner
     in baseball."  Bob Ryan: "We will never have the 'real
     commissioner' that we pine for" (ESPN, 5/17).
          WHERE WAS FOX? In N.Y., Bob Raissman criticized Fox
     Sports News for not interrupting its coverage on Friday to
     file a story on the trade, especially considering Fox
     Group's ownership of the Dodgers.  ESPN did file a story. 
     Fox Sports Senior VP Vince Wladika: "There's no excuse.  We
     should have done something" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/17).

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