Let's Make A Deal

In a stunning trade that completed Florida's payroll purge, the Marlins dealt Gary Sheffield, Bobby Bonilla and Charles Johnson to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Mike Piazza in a seven-player deal Friday night.

The World Series champions also gave up outfielder Jim Eisenreich and a player to be named, and the Dodgers sent third baseman Todd Zeile to Florida.

The last obstacle was Sheffield's approving the deal the teams had already settled on the players late Thursday night. The outfielder, in the first season of a $61 million, six-year contract, had a no-trade clause. But after traveling to Los Angeles on Friday and meeting Dodgers management, he agreed to go.

"The Dodgers really overwhelmed me ... the sincerity they showed in wanting me here," Sheffield said. "I know those are big shoes of Mike's to fill. Hopefully, we can all fill them."

In all, the players involved have guaranteed contracts calling for $98 million from 1998 through 2003, a record amount for players in one deal.

"I'm looking forward to going there," Bonilla said. "I know it's a great tradition."

A source close to the negotiations, speaking on the condition he not be identified, said Sheffield was reluctant to leave Florida, which has no state income tax, unless the Dodgers agreed to increase his salary. He also wants the Dodgers to guarantee his contract's $11 million option for 2004.

Florida, which got rid of 12 players from its World Series roster during the offseason, lowered its payroll to $24 million, down from $53 million at the end of 1997. Just two position players remain from the starting lineup in Game 7 of the World Series: shortstop Edgar Renteria and second baseman Craig Counsell.

"There's nothing to say. If it happens, you go," Eisenreich said before Florida played at St. Louis on Friday night.

Piazza, completing a $15 million, two-year deal, clearly isn't a long-term acquisition. The catcher is eligible for free agency after the season and the Marlins will either deal him for prospects or let him leave in the fall.

Now that the Marlins have Piazza, a trade to Baltimore, Colorado or the Yankees is a possibility. San Diego and the Chicago Cubs might also be short-term possibilities to get him.

If he still becomes a free agent after this season, even the Dodgers theoretically could go after him.

Te Marlins eliminated $20.6 million in 1998 salary: Sheffield ($10 million), Bonilla ($5.9 million), Johnson ($3.3 million), and Eisenreich ($1.4 million). They would take on $11.2 million: Piazza ($8 million) and Zeile ($3.2 million), although neither player is expected to spend much time with Florida.

The deal is among baseball's biggest. Bonilla is a six-time All-Star, while Piazza is a five-time selection. Sheffield is a three-time pick and Johnson, a three-time Gold Glove winner, appeared in his first All-Star game last season.

Terms for the trade were worked out between Chase Carey, chairman and chief executive office of Fox Television, and Marlins president Don Smiley, The Associated Press learned. There were indications Johnson was the player the Dodgers most wanted, and that Florida insisted they take Sheffield, too.

Fred Claire, Dodgers executive vice president, had spoken with the Marlins about a possible trade for Piazza several weeks ago. The final structure of the deal was agreed upon after Carey and Smiley, who had been in discussions regarding Fox and SportsChannel Florida, turned their attention to the trade.

According to a source, Claire got a call in his box from Dodgers president Bob Graziano during the seventh inning of Thursday's night game at Los Angeles, telling him that the deal was done. On Friday, Claire called Piazza whom the Dodgers drafted in 1988 to tell him the final deal was put together without him.

Piazza broke off negotiations for a long-term deal with the Dodgers last month. The team was said to have offered about $80 million over six years, but the catcher is believed to be asking for more than $100 million over seven seasons.

"Throughout the negotiations, Mike and I always talked about the possibility of a trade," said Piazza's agent, Dan Lozano. "So we were not surprised by a trade. We were surprised it happened so soon."

"There were a lot of reasons we could not complete an agreement with the Dodgers. Timing, very bad timing, had a lot to do with this," he said. "But I think deep down, Mike always believed and hoped things would work out with the Dodgers."

The Marlins, who are being sold by H. Wayne Huizenga to a group headed by Smiley, were 13-28 going into Friday, the second-worst record in the NL, ahead of only the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks. Smiley intends to cut the payroll more, down to about $16 million next year.

Moises Alou, Kevin Brown and Robb Nen were among those dealt during the offseason, and Sheffield recently complained about the stripped-down club, comparing it to the "Bad News Bears."

The struggling Dodgers, who some believed are underachievers and others feel are overrated, were 19-21 after a 4-0 loss to Philadelphia on Thursday night their eighth loss in 11 games.

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