Bums Trade Grissom for Belle, Valentin May 20, 1999
Vero Beach, FL (AP) - The Vero Beach Bums have traded star centerfielder
Marquis Grissom, mired in a slump so far this year, for power-hitting LF
Albert Belle and SS John Valentin, to the Houston Hellraisers, pending
league approval.
"We've been looking to move Grissom all year long, really, just to see
what we could get," said owner Jason Gohlke. "Grissom has been great for
us since we traded for him our first year in the league. This deal came
along, though, and I couldn't pass on it. We lose a great deal of speed
and defense, but we solidify our situation at shortstop and get an awesome
bat in Belle."
This deal raises questions about the entire makeup of the Bums' defense.
Without Grissom anchoring the field in center, and with a surplus of both
right and left fielders, in Brian Jordan, Jeromy Burnitz, Gregg Jefferies,
Ron Gant, and now Belle, the Bums don't seem like they're done making
moves. One scenario has Jordan moving to center, with Jefferies staying
in left and Burnitz moving to right every day, with Belle as the everyday
DH. Gant and Chuck Carr would continue to back up. Other scenarios
include 3B Phil Nevin, already playing out of position at shortstop,
moving to center to replace Grissom, which would leave either Belle or
Burnitz without an everyday position.
"Either way, we have much more flexibility," said Jordan, who appears to
be the only Bum without a question mark next to his name now that Grissom
has been traded. "I hated to see Marquis go, but I understand Mr. Gohlke
has the best interests of the team in mind."
Team sources indicate that Belle may have a short stay in Vero Beach.
"Frankly, the Vero Beach fans don't really like Belle that much," an
anonymous team source stated. "He was never popular as a member of the
opposing Duluth Bjork, and many fans blamed him for Omar Vizquel's broken
ankle in the 1997 season." Vizquel missed 4 weeks of that season after
Belle took him out with a controversial roll block trying to break up a
double play.
"He's such a power threat, I can't imagine trading him away rashly," said
Bums LF Gregg Jefferies.
