The reigning World Series champion New York Yankees and runner-up Atlanta Braves each made major deals for pitchers on Wednesday as the second half of the season prepared to get underway.
Clubs were idle because of the mid-season All-Star Game break but the transfer lines were hot, the biggest deal being the one that sends Neagle from the National League to the American League.
Cincinnati, fearing the loss of top pitcher Denny Neagle to free agency, traded the two-time All-Star left-hander to the Yankees for four minor-league prospects.
Neagle was coveted by as many as seven teams, but the Yankees came through with the most attractive package of prospects, sending third baseman Drew Henson, outfielder Jackson Melian and pitchers Ed Yarnall and Brian Reith to the Reds. The Yankees also received minor league outfielder Mike Frank.
The 31-year-old Neagle is eligible to become a free agent at the end of the season and recently turned down a three-year deal worth 18 million dollars from the Reds.
Worried about the struggles of David Cone and the inconsistency of Roger Clemens, the Yankees were seeking to fortify their rotation.
A 20-game winner in 1997, Neagle was 8-2 with a 3.52 earned-run average in 18 starts for the Reds this season. Since 1995, he has an 82-40 record.
Neagle joins a rotation, which features Cuban defector Orlando Hernandez, Andy Pettitte, Cone and Clemens. The addition of Neagle also enables the Yankees to move Ramiro Mendoza back into his familiar role of middle reliever.
The two-time defending World Series champions are 45-38 and tied for first place with the Toronto Blue Jays (48-41) in the American League East division.
But with the acquisition of outfielder David Justice on June 29, and the trade for Neagle, the Yankees are favored to seize command in the second half of the season.
Today's deal probably can be construed as a white flag of surrender for the Reds, who trail St. Louis by 8 1/2 games in the NL Central division.
"We know this deal will be unpopular, but you just can't let these assets walk and not get compensation back," Reds general manager Jim Bowden said.
A birthday present for Andy Ashby came a day late -- he is headed to the first-place Atlanta Braves one day after turning 33.
After failing in a bid to re-acquire Neagle, the Braves obtained Ashby from the Philadelphia Phillies for lefthander Bruce Chen and minor league lefthander Jim Osting. Ashby was also eligible for free agency after this season.
The Braves have been trying to strengthen a rotation that is sorely missing because of the absence of John Smoltz, who underwent season-ending elbow surgery during spring training.
Although Ashby is 4-7 with a 5.68 ERA in 16 starts, Atlanta may have been encouraged by the right-hander’s last two outings.
After winning only two of his first 14 starts, Ashby allowed just three earned runs over 15 innings in wins over Milwaukee on July 3 and Baltimore on July 8.
The Braves' staff is led by perennial All-Stars Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, but the rest of the rotation has struggled. Kevin Millwood, an 18-game winner last season, lefthander Terry Mulholland and John Burkett all have ERAs over 5.00, leaving Atlanta in the unusual position of seeking to add a pitcher.
The Braves (52-36) lead the second-place New York Mets by three games in the National League East.
The Phillies are last with a 39-47 mark and also may unload ace right-hander Curt Schilling, although he is signed through 2001 – (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
