NEW-CITY SLICKERS
WAYNE Krivsky was in an airport en route to Las Vegas when he returned a midweek phone call. This usually would be the place where a bad turn of phrase about a baseball executive taking another gamble normally would be slipped in.
Nevertheless, Krivsky is no longer a baseball official, fired as Reds’ general manager 21 games into the season. He was heading to a vacation rather than to Shea for Cincinnati’s weekend series against the Mets. “Everything is good, except I don’t have a job anymore,” Krivsky said.
And in reality, Krivsky already had taken his big gamble by making the most intriguing deal from an offseason full of that species. In a swap of worrisome promise for worrisome promise, Krivsky’s Reds dealt center fielder Josh Hamilton, 25, to the Rangers for starter Edinson Volquez, 24. At this moment that represents the major league RBI leader in exchange for the NL ERA leader.
“It is a fascinating trade,” an NL executive said. “It reminds me of the [Joe] Mauer/[Mark] Prior [young hitter or young pitcher] debate before the 2001 draft.”
Hamilton’s Movie of the Week-esque story is well known: No. 1 overall pick (in 1999) whose drug addiction led to eight stays in rehab and three suicide attempts before he cleaned up, landed on the Reds in ’07 and almost magically had not lost his five-tool skills. Volquez’s background is not as well known. But he was a touted prospect who was rushed to the majors (in 2005) and performed so poorly he eventually was busted all the way back down to A-ball.
“But we saw him in the minors last year and in Arlington in September and we liked everything about him,” Krivsky said. “There was improvement in mound presence, demeanor, control of his breaking ball and fastball. We felt he had a high ceiling, and really the only way I was trading Josh Hamilton was for a pitcher we felt that way about. Look, I am sure the Rangers are pretty happy about this, too.”
Are they? One AL official said, “It is funny, but the Rangers need pitching and traded the pitcher, and the Reds need hitting and they traded the hitter.”
Hamilton, who some officials think was traded because the Reds feared his brittle nature (Krivsky denied that), had played in all but one of Texas’ 37 games, and had 37 RBIs. Volquez (5-1, 1.06) had used a dastardly mix of 95-mph fastballs and devastating changeups to become the first pitcher since Mike Norris in 1980 to begin a year by allowing one or fewer runs in seven straight starts. A scout said, “He used to be hard-hard-hard. The changeup has transformed him.”
As for the trade, Krivsky said, “I thought it was quality for quality, and in the early going that is exactly what it looks like.”
Hamilton and Volquez were not the only players excelling after relocation. Here is Hardball’s early New Faces in New Places All-Star Team:
CATCHER
Paul Bako, Reds. The guy Volquez has thrown to initially signed a non-roster deal to reunite with a manager (Dusty Baker) and pitching coach (Dick Pole) he knew from his Cubs days, but with a team with two established catchers (David Ross and Javier Valentin). Injury to Ross provided an opening and the journeyman (the Reds are Bako’s ninth team) was hitting .310 with a .552 SLG, and led the NL by throwing out 42.1 percent on steal attempts.
FIRST BASE
Eric Hinske, Rays. Another non-roster invite, who is playing his best since his 2002 AL Rookie of the Year. He entered the weekend second in AL slugging (.583).
SECOND BASE
Kaz Matsui, Astros. Baltimore never did ship Brian Roberts to the Cubs and make this an easy choice. So there are not many appetizing options. Matsui prevails despite five errors in 19 games after missing three weeks with anal fissures.
SHORTSTOP
Miguel Tejada, Astros. A year of horrible revelations tied to steroids and his actual age. Nevertheless his .338 BA and .545 SLG motivated one scout to say: “He is rejuvenated. Getting out of the losing atmosphere in Baltimore has done wonders for him. He is a much better defender than I was led to believe and the same offensive threat as always.”
THIRD BASE
Pedro Feliz, Phillies. Same as always: A top fielder with extra-base power who will not hit for a high average or draw many walks. But those qualities really help Philadelphia.
LEFT FIELD
Carlos Quentin, White Sox. Chicago had chased Quentin for several years, but finally Arizona’s set outfield (Eric Byrnes, Chris Young, Justin Upton) made Quentin available for A-ball first baseman Chris Carter, who was soon redirected to Oakland as part of the Dan Haren deal. Quentin led the AL with eight home runs.
CENTER FIELD
Hamilton. But there are many good candidates: San Francisco’s Aaron Rowand, the Angels’ Torii Hunter, Milwaukee’s Gabe Kapler and Atlanta’s Mark Kotsay. And Mets export Carlos Gomez did have a cycle for the Twins.
RIGHT FIELD
Ryan Church, Mets. A case could be made for Texas’ Milton Bradley and the Cubs’ Kosuke Fukudome. But Church is mimicking another lefty-swinging right fielder who came to New York about midway through his career in Paul O’Neill. Church has hit (including against lefties), hit for power, played excellent defense and performed with spirit.
STARTING PITCHER
Volquez. But also Jair Jurrjens has helped Atlanta withstand rotation injuries to John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Mike Hampton. The Haren (4-2, 3.04) trade has worked for both sides with Oakland’s haul including Greg Smith (2-2, 3.00) and Dana Eveland (3-2, 3.05). And don’t forget Johan Santana (4-2, 3.10) is a second-half pitcher.
CLOSER
Brad Lidge, Phillies. Another category with worthy options such as Tampa’s Troy Percival, Baltimore’s George Sherrill and Cincinnati’s Francisco Cordero. Lidge, though, was 9-for-9 in saves with a 0.00 ERA and a .136 batting-average against. “He’s got his old slider back,” an NL scout said. “But the big thing is getting off on such a good foot in a tough place like Philly. He has a free pass for now. Get back to me when he has blown a few saves and tell me how he has handled the sour fans.”
