Birmingham Rolls the Dice, Deals for Jimmy Dugan

[aaronweiner]

Chris Brown has been a good soldier in the Birmingham organization, a solid citizen, a good guy in the clubhouse who rarely makes waves, a guy who played a lot of second base against lefties last year. Yet the rock-solid first baseman is aging, and in coming up with a potential solution, only one thing made sense: trade him.

Birmingham dealt Chris Brown to Vancouver for powerhitting first baseman Jimmy Dugan and $3 million in cash in a deal that is equal parts brilliant and insane, mad scientist and gambler.

"I'm very grateful for the Bandits' organization for bringing me into a playoff team," said Dugan. "I know that I can play better than I've been playing and having a spot on a playoff team will certainly raise my mood."

What makes this deal potentially brilliant and equally insane is that Dugan was terrible last year in Vancouver and has been outplayed by Brown. Dugan lost his job to Roach Kidd and hit just .209 with 17 homers. Furthermore, the first baseman makes $9.5 million dollars, which is now second on the Bandits. However, two things forced GM Aaron Weiner to force this deal.

"Well, it would have helped a lot if Dugan had hit on the road last year, but we don't think it's a big deal," said Weiner. "Vancouver is one of the league's toughest ballparks on home run hitters and Dugan still managed to knock thirty out per year for the Mounties. He would have done it last year too if he had the chance. We've got one of the best hitters' parks in the Frick. Secondly, Brown's not the same guy he was in 1995 and might not be the same guy in 1997 or 1998 as he was this year and he's so injury prone. Dugan's two years younger."

The $3 million dollars in cash will help to offset most of the financial loss for 1996, which means that Dugan's biggest contract issue will likely come in 1997, when he turns 34 years old. However, Birmingham has just $35 million on the salary rolls for 1997 including Dugan's contract, which means that Dugan's contract is hardly a franchise-killer. Birmingham is likely to increase that number to well over $50 million, possibly $60 million, but at this point the Bandits look to be able to slot in Dugan in two years even if he's dead weight.

Chris Brown was particularly saddened to hear the news, but understood why the Bandits had to trade him.

"Well, baseball is a business, and I know that Jimmy Dugan's a big powerhitter and might do well for the franchise," said Brown. "I just hate having to change teams a year after we made the playoffs."

Dugan is expected to move into Brown's fifth spot behind Brett Favre, who last year hit 37 home runs and drove in 127 runs. The two of them could combine to hit over 70 homers from the 4 and 5 spots this year.

[recte44]

A reasonable gamble for one of the teams with some future financial cushion.

[aaronweiner]

That's the hope. He's an interesting player anyway and maybe he'll respond well to an everyday job.