The World [Series] Is Not Enough

Dave Paisley

It's been a quiet signing and trading season so far, despite the promise of blockbuster deals for the likes of Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez. The Atlanta Braves, once presumed to be frontrunners for Griffey, have backed off, at least for the moment. It's no surprise why -- they see no compelling reason to give the Mariners a decent package for Griffey until they see a compelling need. If they're lucky, they'll be able to wait until next July, prssuming Griffey was still available then, and only trade for him if they saw a strong need to bolster the team for another run at the World Series.

Well, that compelling need may become obvious in the very near future. The Braves have banked on winning the NL East since they moved there, and have won eight division titles in the last nine years. The Mets provided them with a pretty decent wake-up call this year, though, and even the lowly Phillies looked to be within striking distance until Curt Schilling went down.

So, if I'm John Schuerholz, I'm thinking I may have to start thinking seriously about bolstering my offense. Sure, I've got MVP Chipper Jones and Brian Jordan, and I'll presumably be getting back a healthy Javy Lopez and Andres Galarraga next year (no guarantees on performance, though), but the rest of the offense is looking decidedly weak. Bret Boone, Walt Weiss and Gerald Williams aren't going to get any better, and an enigmatic Andruw Jones may develop more, but might not.

With a rotation of Schilling, Ashby, Paul Byrd, Robert Person and Randy Wolf, the Phillies should have a little fun next year. The offense is weaker than the Braves', but with Abreu, Rolen and a decent supporting cast, they'll be in contention. Who knows -- they may surprise a bunch of people.

The key to the Braves trading needs, though, will likely be determined by what the Mets are able to accomplish. If they can resign John Olerud, then things will likely remain close to the status quo. It's a decent plan for the Mets, but not necessarily the best. Seattle's new GM, Pat Gillick, wants Olerud and he has the money and the connections to make it happen. If, or when, it does, the Mets will be forced to improvise.

''We have plans B, C, and D lined up,'' Mets GM Steve Phillips said. ''We are keeping those alive in a way that protects us. Timing is an issue and they understand that. We don't want to get to a point where we have to pursue some alternative plan because they're not ready to make a decision. But it could come to that.''

Plan B is probably trading for Toronto's Carlos Delgado, eligible for free agency after next season and the Jays want to unload him while he still has some trade value. Plan C is likely signing free agent David Segui, who split time last year between Seattle and Toronto. That's not a good option, because Segui is a good bit worse than Olerud and a whole lot worse than Delgado.

If the Mets can get Delgado without giving up precious pitching (and Toronto is anxious to unload him, so it can be done), they will improve themselves significantly. While Olerud is a tremendously patient bat and a considerable talent, Delgado would add the pop that Olerud lacks and would take the heat off Piazza as the lone power threat. As the Mets were finding out, having your catcher as the main power source can be tricky at the end of a long season.

Regarding that wearing down process, Phillips downplays talk about Piazza moving to first. ''If we move Mike to first then we have to find someone who can give us what Olerud gives behind the plate,'' Phillips said. ''We can get closer to John by finding a first baseman than a catcher. It's an option, but it's not one anywhere near happening.''

Once the first base puzzle is complete, I expect the Braves to move quickly to counter the Mets upgrade, and that move will likely be to get Griffey. So Seattle's quickest and best move to unload Griffey is to get Olerud signed as quickly as possible, forcing the Mets to show their hand, and ultimately forcing the Braves to panic.

So, as John Schuerholz ponders the last decade, he must ask himself, "Is it enough to get to the World Series every other year, even if I only win it one time in five?"

about the author

Dave Paisley has some loose change burning a hole in his pocket. Send him suggestions for free agent signings under $10 at drdjp@strikethree.com