The Los Angeles Dodgers were one of the most interested teams in search of Brian McRae at the trading deadline. But these days in the major leagues, teams often do the cheap thing rather than the right thing.
“There was a price we were willing to pay and a price we weren’t,” said Fred Claire, Dodgers executive vice president.
In other words, welcome to L.A., new center-fielder and leadoff man Chad Curtis. Curtis was acquired from Detroit for pitchers Joey Eischen and John Cummings to fill the position left vacant after cancer sidelined Brett Butler.
“We didn’t have to tear away the foundation of our club,” Claire said.
If the Dodgers had been further out of the NL West race, Cubs General Manager Ed Lynch might have had a better chance to pry loose the pitcher or power hitter he wanted from Claire.
He has arrived: The Cubs ran into an offensive powerhouse this weekend in Shane Andrews, who was a one-man wrecking crew in helping Montreal to a 7-1 homestand that ended last weekend. Andrews was 6 for 14 with three homers and 11 RBIs in a three-game series against Cincinnati.
“I’ve played with him for four years,” said outfielder Cliff Floyd, who climbed through the Montreal system with Andrews. “I’ve seen him do in the past what he’s doing now. I knew he had the potential.”
Self-promoters: The Florida Marlins do a great job of picking up one another. One day it’s manager John Boles saying Gary Sheffield is the MVP of the league, and the next day it’s Sheffield saying shortstop Edgar Renteria is Rookie of the Year material.
“Usually I don’t give a guy that kind of credit this early,” Sheffield said. “But this guy is for real. He is going to be a great player.”
Right back at ya, big guy, from Boles: “I’ve never seen anyone as good as Sheffield. He’s the best hitter I’ve ever seen. It must be what it was like with Ted Williams. This guy is off the board.”
Olympian tasks: Braves center-fielder Marquis Grissom will have a job in baseball as long as he wants one. That’s because he has the right attitude.
Road trips don’t set him to complaining and he knows something about them. Not only has he just returned from that 20-day, 6,493-mile jaunt with Atlanta during the Olympics, but he was forced to the road for 26 games with Montreal when Olympic Stadium had a concrete beam collapse in 1991.
“We came together on that trip as a club,” he said of the Expos. “Same scenario here. There are no excuses. Some people might get tired being on the road, but I accept it as part of my job. I came to play baseball.”
In trouble: Country Club Hills’ Marvin Freeman can blame it on the Colorado atmosphere if he wants to, but Rockies manager Don Baylor is starting to run out of patience with his struggling pitcher. “He has had problems his last few outings, and it’s a problem I don’t know how to address,” Baylor said.
Getting old: Shawon Dunston has talked all year about understanding now what veteran players told him when he was a young whippersnapper and injuries were a blip on his screen. “It all catches up with you,” the Giants shortstop lamented. “I’m feeling old.”
Especially after needing surgery Friday for a fractured left-eye orbit and cheekbone. He suffered the injuries sliding into Houston shortstop Ricky Gutierrez.
Late bid: Curt Schilling probably started too late to be considered for NL Comeback Player of the Year. But the Phillies pitcher is making up for lost time.
In his first five starts after the All-Star break, he got through the seventh inning every time out. Not bad for a guy who began the year on the disabled list. He had shoulder surgery last August and was limited to 13 starts in ’94 because of elbow surgery.
On a roll: Andy Benes learned that being perfect is not a goal any player should have. When the Cardinals pitcher was seeking the perfect pitch earlier this season, all he found was a 1-7 start.
“He had to draw deep into his well of toughness,” manager Tony La Russa said of a pitcher who won his eighth straight game early last week to improve to 11-8.
Said Benes: “At the start of the year, I was trying to throw a perfect pitch to each guy, and you can’t do that.”
Making a name: Astros lefty Billy Wagner isn’t a big name. But he will be if he continues to strike out talent such as Barry Bonds and Matt Williams with the bases loaded, as he did last week.
“He’s a lot tougher than people think he is,” manager Terry Collins said of Wagner, recalled June 2. “He has a feel for the situation.”
Giants manager Dusty Baker knows fastballs span the generations. “Doesn’t matter if you’re 15 or 51,” Baker said. “When you’re a lefty and throw 94 to 95 (m.p.h.) and can throw strikes, you’re going to get guys out.”
Growing pains: Bill Russell’s run-in last week with Raul Mondesi for arriving late to the clubhouse before a game, resulting in a benching, is just the beginning of his crackdown in Los Angeles, by the sound of things.
“It’s growing-up time for everybody,” said the new Dodgers manager. “You have to play every game like the next game is the World Series. That’s the way I have to manage.”
