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).
