WASHINGTON--The WAshington Sea Dogs owner, Aaron WEiner, has officially
protested the Phoenix/Deadwood deal that sent starting pitcher Greg
Maddux, first baseman Rafael Palmeiro, and center fielder Steve Finley to
Phoenix in exchange for starting pitcher Chan Ho Park, center fielder
Shannon Stewart, first baseman David Ortiz and a second round amateur
pick.
"While this deal is not as far beyond the realm of possibility as some of
the deals which Mr. Bridges has pulled, it is still preposterous," Weiner
said.
Weiner pointed out clearly that while the players Deadwood received were
younger, only one - Stewart - was clearly more valuable than the matching
component of the deal.
"Simply put, Ortiz will never become Palmeiro, Chan Ho Park has no
pipedreams of becoming Maddux, and while Shannon Stewart is likely to
become better than Steve Finley, these three prospects for the strong,
established major-leaguers Deadwood has surrendered is preposterous."
Weiner also pointed out that the second-round amateur was unlikely to make
up the difference.
"We feel that this deal lands too far apart to be viable, and the
second-round amateur is certainly nowhere near enough to bridge the gap,"
Weiner said.
If the deal is protested, it is asked simply that the deal be
restructured, not that Phoenix return the players. This is despite the
fact that Washington and Phoenix are bitter rivals on and off the field.
"I have no interest in robbing Mr. Bridges of his players; I am simply
interested in seeing an even deal on both sides," Weiner said. "Any
insinuations that this deal has been protested because of a divisional
rivalry is purely bunk."
