First A Draft, Then A Blizzard Of Trades More Than A Dozen Deals Steal Thunder From Baseball’s Expansion Draft

For 7 hours, the expansion draft dragged on and on, just begging for one name player to be picked. And then the moment it ended, all heck broke loose.

Trades came so quickly that general managers literally stacked up to announce them, with N.L. Cy Young winner Pedro Martinez, Fred McGriff, Robb Nen, Travis Fryman and Spokane’s Kevin Stocker among the stars changing teams.

The two newcomers, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks, got into the act while the World Series champion Florida Marlins continued their breakup. In all, there were more than a dozen trades and free-agent signings.

“Things were coming together and falling apart all night, and that’s what makes it exciting,” Arizona general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said. “This is the kind of activity we used to have at the winter meetings, and fans love.”

The deals included these:

Martinez was sent from Montreal to Boston for young pitcher Carl Pavano and a player to be named.

The Marlins dealt closer Nen to San Francisco for three young pitchers, then traded outfielder Devon White to Arizona for just-drafted pitcher Jesus Martinez.

The Devil Rays got first baseman McGriff from Atlanta for a player to be named and signed free-agent reliever Roberto Hernandez. Tampa Bay also got shortstop Stocker, the Central Valley High School graduate from Spokane, from Philadelphia for just-picked outfielder Bob Abreu.

The Diamondbacks acquired Detroit third baseman Fryman for newly drafted Joe Randa in a four-player deal.

Montreal traded second baseman Mike Lansing to Colorado for three minor leaguers.

Infielder Andy Sheets, one of two Seattle Mariners taken in the draft (pitcher Bob Wolcott was the other), was traded to San Diego by Tampa Bay.

The trades far overshadowed a draft in which the two new teams steered clear of high-priced vets and focused on pitching prospects. The Devil Rays made Florida pitcher Tony Saunders the No. 1 choice and the Arizona Diamondbacks then took Cleveland pitcher Brian Anderson.

In all, 39 of the 70 draft picks were pitchers. Most had little or no bigleague experience - that may be the best way to build, but it hardly makes for high drama.

“Most expansion drafts go this way,” Atlanta general manager John Schuerholz said. “These are not familiar names, not household names to most fans. But I think it’s a wise thing to do, to look for young pitching.”

At best, the choosing of Colorado outfielder Quinton McCracken, Boston pitcher Jeff Suppan, White Sox catcher Jorge Fabregas and Anaheim knuckleballer Dennis Springer - the only player over 30 to be picked in the opening two rounds - prompted a mild response from the small gallery.

But the mention of Esteban Yan, Hanley Frias, Steve Cox and Chris Clemons led some fans to chant, “Bor-ing! Bor-ing!”

Yet as history has shown, picking fading stars such as Gil Hodges, Ted Kluszewski and Bill Singer in expansion drafts rarely produces success. That might be the reason the Devil Rays and Diamondbacks avoided such players as Eric Davis, Eric Karros, Eric Young, Geronimo Berroa and Todd Zeile.

“When we looked at the board, it made sense for both teams to go the way they did,” Tampa Bay manager Larry Rothschild said.

Arizona, which will play in the N.L. West next season, began the third round by picking Pittsburgh third baseman Joe Randa, who hit .302 this year. Later, Tampa Bay, which will be in the A.L. East, took Atlanta pitcher Terrell Wade.

For Saunders and Anderson, it’s a new start.

When last seen together, Saunders and Anderson were pitching in the snow during Game 4 of the World Series. This time, they were linked again amid palm trees and cactuses as the top two picks.

The Devil Rays took Saunders just three weeks after the 23-year-old pitcher helped the Marlins complete their five-year zoom from expansion losers to World Series winners.

“It’s an honor,” said Saunders, reunited with Rothschild, the Marlins’ pitching coach until this month. “That tells me I must have done something right, that they wanted me before anybody else.”

Saunders went 4-6 with a 4.61 ERA in his first season in the majors, though he went 3-0 with a 1.65 ERA against Atlanta. He was in Florida’s postseason rotation, and started and lost Game 4 of the Series at Cleveland.

The Diamondbacks followed by choosing the 25-year-old Anderson.

“I enjoyed my time in Cleveland,” he said. “I’m looking forward to being on a team that’s just starting out.”

Anderson was 4-2 with a 4.69 ERA in eight starts for Cleveland. He had a 2.45 ERA in three relief stints in the World Series, earning a save with three scoreless innings in the Indians’ 10-3 win over Saunders and the Marlins in Game 4.

The draft was held at the Phoenix Civic Plaza, across the street from the Diamondbacks’ new ballpark. The draft hall was decorated to make both teams feel comfortable, with palm trees for the Devil Rays and cactuses for the Diamondbacks.