TRADE - Park and Lieber In To Bolster Rotation

Baltimore and Atlanta have hooked up once again, completing their second deal in less than a month.  This time, starting pitchers are on the move.  In the five player deal, the Stouts send Kevin Appier and Shawn Estes, along with their 1st round pick in the 2001 MBL Draft, to the Stonecutter for Chan Ho Park, Jon Lieber and pinch-hitting specialist Dave Magadan.  This deal was an attempt by Baltimore to strengthen their rotation for the current season.

Park comes to town having gone 3-7 with a 5.38 ERA for Atlanta.  His main issue this season has been the long ball, having given up 16 homers in just 78.2 innings of work.  In 2000, he only gave up 21 in 226 innings, so the Stouts are hoping he will be able to realign his numbers to his norm.


Lieber is another pitcher victimized by the big fly in the season's early going, also allowing 16 homers in his 72 innings of work.  He arrives in Baltimore with a 2-6 record and 6.88 ERA.  The big right-hander is looked at as a top of the rotation starter for the next couple years.  In 2001, Lieber enjoyed his best MLB season.   In 34 starts, Lieber recorded a career-high 20 victories to go with just six losses, posted a 3.80 ERA, and struck out 148 as opposed to 41 walks. His 20 wins ranked fourth in the league.  His 232.1 innings pitched ranked fifth in the league, and his five complete games tied for second in the league.  He finished fourth in the NL Cy Young Award vote, behind Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, and Matt Morris.

Dave Magadan comes to the Stouts to serve as their primary pinch-hitter.  He was toiling in the Atlanta minor leagues at the time of the trade.  Never a source of power, having hit only 42 homers in his 16 year career, Magadan is adept at getting on base.  In 2000, he had an on-base percentage of .410, which was slightly above his career average of .390.

Going to Atlanta are Kevin Appier and Shawn Estes.  Both started ten games in a Baltimore uniform.  Appier was the Stouts opening day starter, but he failed to record a single win.  He compiled a 6.58 ERA in 53.1 innings of work.  Estes fared a little bit better.  He leaves town with a 5-2 record and 5.28 ERA.