The San Diego Padres and Houston Astros made an 11- or 12-player trade yesterday that reflects a decaying franchise's desire to rebuild and a once-healthy club's continuing mission to cut expenses.
In what could become the biggest trade in 37 years, Houston sent All-Star third baseman Ken Caminiti, former Orioles outfielder Steve Finley and shortstop Andujar Cedeno, as well as pitcher Brian Williams and first baseman Roberto Petagine, to San Diego.
In exchange, Houston will get outfielders Derek Bell and Phil Plantier, pitchers Pedro Martinez and Doug Brocail, infielders Craig Shipley and Ricky Gutierrez, and a minor-league player to be named or $50,000.
If it becomes a 12-player deal, it would match the fourth-largest of the century, behind 18-player deals in 1900 and 1954, and a 13-player trade in 1957. There also was a 12-player trade in 1957. There have been five 11-player trades, including two in 1980.
Yesterday's trade was the first since baseball's owners unilaterally imposed their economic plan on striking players last week.
The Padres, stripped of most of their talent in fire sales in recent years, were sold this month to Texas computer tycoon John Moores, who has vowed to restore a team that produced the major leagues' worst record (47-70) in 1994.
"We definitely had some room to improve," said Padres general manager Randy Smith, who made the deal with his father, Tal Smith, the Astros' new president. "This is a deal that could not have been made without a commitment from new ownership."
Houston owner Drayton McLane, having signed the National League's Most Valuable Player, first baseman Jeff Bagwell, for $27.5 million over four years, has talked of drastically reducing expenses.
Yesterday's trade removed one-third of the Astros' regular lineup. Moreover, pitcher Pete Harnisch already had been traded, and pitcher Doug Drabek might not be re-signed.
Combined, all the players Houston obtained yesterday figure to make far less in 1995 than either Caminiti or Finley, who combined will earn more than $7 million. Plantier, signed through 1995, is scheduled to make $500,000; the unsigned Bell made $300,000 in 1994. Shipley made $275,000 last season, and Brocail, Gutierrez and Martinez all made less than $200,000.
Cedeno made $340,000 last season, Williams $190,000 and Petagine the minimum, $109,000.
In sheer volume, this can become baseball's largest transaction since Nov. 20, 1957, when the Kansas City Athletics and Detroit Tigers swapped 13 players.
The biggest trades ever were an 18-player deal between the New York Yankees and Orioles after the 1954 season, involving Don Larsen, Bob Turley and Gus Triandos, and an 18-player swap between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Louisville in 1900 involving Honus Wagner.
Caminiti, 31, was signed to a four-year $20 million contract. He hit .283 and had 18 homers and 75 RBIs. Finley, 30, an outstanding defensive center fielder and leadoff hitter, hit .276, with 11 home runs and 33 RBIs. Cedeno, 25, who led all National League shortstops with 23 errors last season, batted .263, with dTC nine homers and 49 RBIs. Williams, 26, was 6-5 with a 5.74 ERA.
Plantier, 25, a left-handed hitter, had 34 home runs and 100 RBIs in 1993 but slumped last season to 18 homers and 41 RBIs. Bell, 26, hit .311, with 14 homers and 54 RBIs. Brocail, 27, had a 5.82 ERA in 12 appearances. Gutierrez, 24, a former Orioles shortstop prospect, hit .240 and had one homer and 28 RBIs. Shipley, 31, used mostly at third, hit .333, with 30 RBIs. Martinez, 26, had a 2.90 ERA as a setup man.
The trade opens spots for two rookies in the Astros' lineup, shortstop Orlando Miller and third baseman Phil Nevin.