PVBL: Phoenix Gila Monsters
Phoenix Trades for Bagwell
May 28, 1998

Phoenix(AP) - In a continued effort to improve his team, Phoenix GM Patrick Bridges sent switch-hiting outfield super-prospect Ryan George (potential 86/99/70) and RF/1B prospect Damon Buford(potential 47/81/54), along with their first-round pick in the upcoming amatuer draft, the 23rd overall pick, to the Laurel Lynx. This continues a Laurel move for young prospects and draft picks in their effort to rebuild from previous mis-management while the team was under different ownership.

In return, Phoenix gets superstar Jeff Bagwell. Phoenix GM Bridges has stated that he expects to start Bagwell at DH, and move Mondesi to 1B. This should add even more pop to a solid lineup. Bagwell will move into the #4 spot in the lineup, with the rest of the lineup shifting down by one.

The Phoenix lineup vs RHP is now:

                   CH	PH	SP
RF  Stewart, S.    55	44	65
CF  Lankford, R.   53	86	74
DH  Mondesi, R.    67	92	67
1B  Bagwell, Jeff  67	97	54
LF  Justice, D.    69	91	49
3B  Sprague, E.    45	99	36
SS  Gonzalez, A.   45	68	61
2B  Meares, P.     53	60	56
 C  Monteleone, R  41	66	31



vs. LHP, Meares and Lankford switch positions.



Phoenix's management believes that this potent lineup matches well
with their excellent pitching staff, which has a team ERA of 3.07 to
this point.



--written by Patrick Bridges