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tdneu99 · 08-31-2018, 10:43 PM

In one of the blockbuster trades in baseball history, the New York Nlets sent Tom Seaver to the world champion Cincinnati Reds last night for four players of far less magnitude.

Seaver, the premier pitcher in baseball for the last decade, was traded after 14 months of public feuding with the chairman of the team'team hoard of directors, NT. Donald Grant.

But he also was traded after 11 years as a public favorite on the national sports scene, and the return value was surprisingly low: The Mets received Pat Zachry, a pitcher now in his second season in the major leagues; Doug Flynn, a utility infielder, and two minor league outfielders, Steve Henderson and Dan Norman.

Not only that, but the directors of the Mets did not stop there in breaking up their last‐place team as the annual deadline for trading players arrived. They sent the leading home‐run hiller on the club, Dave Kingman, to the San Diego Padres at midnight for Bobby Valentine, a utility infielder, and Paul Siebert, a pitcher fresh from the minors.

Then, having divested themselves of their two ranking “contract problems,” Seaver and Kingman, the Mets swung yet another midnight deal: Mike Phillips to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Joel Youngblood, a reserve outfielder. Phillips was not a contract problem, but he was a utility infielder —and the Mets apparently were getting crowded with them.

The Mets’ most stunning move in the flurry of trades, sending Seaver to the Reds, was announced simultaneously in three cities: in New York, where the hoard of directors met to approve the deal “with sincere regret,” and in Atlanta, where the Mets were defeating the Braves while Seaver was flying home, and in Cincinnati, where the Reds were beating the Philadelphia Phillies.

Before it could be announced, though Seaver and his antagonists in the front office went through a series of longdistance telephone conversations that poured even more melodrama into their vendetta. Because of his seniority, the 32‐year‐old pitcher held a veto over any trade. And on Tuesday night, he apparently cast his veto during a call to Joe McDonald, the general manager.

In their “other” blockbuster of the night, the Mets finally unloaded Kingman, his big bat and his unsigned contract. The 28‐year‐old outfielder led the major leagues in homers and RBI last year, but he refused to sign his contract this season in another running battle with Grant. The Mets offered him $200,000; he demanded five‐year package for about $2 million.

He then said he would play out his option and would offer himself as free agent at the end of the season. He was the Mets’ only established power hitter.

https://www.nytimes.com/1977/06/16/a...two-minor.html

Lightly edited for fictional replay

08-31-2018, 10:43 PM	#249
tdneu99 All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2018 Posts: 663	06/15/1977 - Mets Trade Tom Seaver and Dave Kingman In one of the blockbuster trades in baseball history, the New York Nlets sent Tom Seaver to the world champion Cincinnati Reds last night for four players of far less magnitude. Seaver, the premier pitcher in baseball for the last decade, was traded after 14 months of public feuding with the chairman of the team'team hoard of directors, NT. Donald Grant. But he also was traded after 11 years as a public favorite on the national sports scene, and the return value was surprisingly low: The Mets received Pat Zachry, a pitcher now in his second season in the major leagues; Doug Flynn, a utility infielder, and two minor league outfielders, Steve Henderson and Dan Norman. Not only that, but the directors of the Mets did not stop there in breaking up their last‐place team as the annual deadline for trading players arrived. They sent the leading home‐run hiller on the club, Dave Kingman, to the San Diego Padres at midnight for Bobby Valentine, a utility infielder, and Paul Siebert, a pitcher fresh from the minors. Then, having divested themselves of their two ranking “contract problems,” Seaver and Kingman, the Mets swung yet another midnight deal: Mike Phillips to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Joel Youngblood, a reserve outfielder. Phillips was not a contract problem, but he was a utility infielder —and the Mets apparently were getting crowded with them. The Mets’ most stunning move in the flurry of trades, sending Seaver to the Reds, was announced simultaneously in three cities: in New York, where the hoard of directors met to approve the deal “with sincere regret,” and in Atlanta, where the Mets were defeating the Braves while Seaver was flying home, and in Cincinnati, where the Reds were beating the Philadelphia Phillies. Before it could be announced, though Seaver and his antagonists in the front office went through a series of longdistance telephone conversations that poured even more melodrama into their vendetta. Because of his seniority, the 32‐year‐old pitcher held a veto over any trade. And on Tuesday night, he apparently cast his veto during a call to Joe McDonald, the general manager. In their “other” blockbuster of the night, the Mets finally unloaded Kingman, his big bat and his unsigned contract. The 28‐year‐old outfielder led the major leagues in homers and RBI last year, but he refused to sign his contract this season in another running battle with Grant. The Mets offered him $200,000; he demanded five‐year package for about $2 million. He then said he would play out his option and would offer himself as free agent at the end of the season. He was the Mets’ only established power hitter. https://www.nytimes.com/1977/06/16/a...two-minor.html Lightly edited for fictional replay