Bums Make Last-Minute Move, Acquire Nevin August 31, 1998
Vero Beach, FL (AP) -- In an unconfirmed report, team sources state that
the Vero Beach Bums have sent starting pitching prospect Mike Bottenfield
to the Anchorage Abominations in exchange for 24-year-old 3B Phil Nevin.
The Bums have also sent the Abominations their next #1 amateur draft pick.
Bottenfield has not pitched an inning in the majors, but was slotted to get
a chance at next year's rotation in Vero Beach. The unnamed Bums source
said that the team is not sure what plans Anchorage has for Bottenfield.
In Nevin, the Bums get a third baseman who is potentially as talented as,
if not more than, current 3B Dave Hollins. For now, the Bums expect Nevin
to be a powerful bat off the bench. Nevin is hitting just .246 in 90 games
with Anchorage/Cincinnati this year, with a .253 average against
right-handed pitching, who he is more likely to face with the Bums. Nevin
has 26 home runs in 252 career games. Hollins is the Bums' all-time home
run leader with 47 in 264 games and sports a .285 career average. However,
Hollins has slumped to a .259 average this year, batting mostly in the 5-7
spots in the order.
Nevin improves the Bums bench in the middle of their stretch run towards an
almost certain playoff berth. Nevin is expected to replace weak-hitting
utility man Joe Fitzke on the major-league roster, who recently replaced
the surprisingly good Dan Jourdan. The Bums are currently 18 games ahead
of the red-hot (but too late) Spokane Pirates in the race for the Picard
Division crown.
