EmpireWF
Giants in the Super Bowl
Look back to the 1997 offseason when the World Series Champion Florida Marlins tore down their team to cut payroll. One of the big pieces they sought to get rid of was RHP Kevin Brown.
When he first reached free agency, Brown signed a one-year deal with Baltimore in 1995 where he had a solid year. Right back to free agency, he signed a 3-year deal with Florida for $12.9M ($3.6M, $4.5M and $4.8M + $100k if he pitches 100 innings in year 3)
In '96 he was #2 in the Cy Young vote and in '97 he had another nice year (one of top 10 or so pitchers in the league).
Florida tore down the team that off-season and he was one of the prime pieces of meat being offered. They were asking for a lot, though. Plus, Brown was entering his walk year, so teams knew they had to pony up big dollars, too.
At least some of the packages/players they were requesting from teams:
- From STL - 25-year-old rookie RHP Manny Aybar (he'd go on to earn 10 wins for STL over the next two years before being part of the deal to COL in 1999 for Darryl Kile and others) and prospect RHP Braden Looper (he debuted in 1998 with just 3.1 IP before being traded in December to Florida in a package for Edgar Renteria)
- From NYY - minor league prospect RHP Eric Milton (ended up being dealt to Minnesota months later in a deal for Chuck Knoblauch), prospect RHP Mike Jerzembeck (only pitched 6.1 innings in the majors before injuries cost him his career) and OF Ricky Ledee (came up in 98, was never a starter, played decently off the bench before being dealt in 2000 with Jake Westbrook and another piece to Cleveland for David Justice)
- From NYM - RHP Jason Isringhausen (back when he was starter, he was "healthy again" coming off a season he only pitched 29.2 innings….however, that December, he was diagnosed with a partial tear in his right elbow and the Mets were done), OF Preston Wilson (top offensive prospect, he was coming off A & AA in 1997 where he hit a combined 30 HR with 95 RBI. He ended up playing in just 8 games for the Mets in 1998 before being part of the deal sent to Florida for Mike Piazza)
- From SD - RHP Rafael Medina (a midlevel prospect at best, went on to pitch 90 innings for the Marlins in two years before picked up by Atlanta and he never pitched in the bigs again) and RHP Matt Clement (their #1 pitching prospect, finished his career with an 87-86 record and his best years with the Cubs in 2002 and beyond)
The Yankees and Cardinals didn't want to give up too much, the Mets raised the asking price but fell out of it so San Diego was essentially the last team standing.
In the end, Florida dealt Brown to San Diego for RHP Rafael Medina, LHP Steve Hoff (never made the big leagues, he was traded in 1998 to the Cubs organization) and 1B Derek Lee (hit 129 HR for FLA over 6 years, part of the 2003 WS Champions).
Of course...after the Padres got swept by the Yankees in the World Series, Kevin Brown signed a record-setting free agent deal to go to the Dodgers for 7-years and $105M (the first nine digit baseball contract ever)
When he first reached free agency, Brown signed a one-year deal with Baltimore in 1995 where he had a solid year. Right back to free agency, he signed a 3-year deal with Florida for $12.9M ($3.6M, $4.5M and $4.8M + $100k if he pitches 100 innings in year 3)
In '96 he was #2 in the Cy Young vote and in '97 he had another nice year (one of top 10 or so pitchers in the league).
Florida tore down the team that off-season and he was one of the prime pieces of meat being offered. They were asking for a lot, though. Plus, Brown was entering his walk year, so teams knew they had to pony up big dollars, too.
At least some of the packages/players they were requesting from teams:
- From STL - 25-year-old rookie RHP Manny Aybar (he'd go on to earn 10 wins for STL over the next two years before being part of the deal to COL in 1999 for Darryl Kile and others) and prospect RHP Braden Looper (he debuted in 1998 with just 3.1 IP before being traded in December to Florida in a package for Edgar Renteria)
- From NYY - minor league prospect RHP Eric Milton (ended up being dealt to Minnesota months later in a deal for Chuck Knoblauch), prospect RHP Mike Jerzembeck (only pitched 6.1 innings in the majors before injuries cost him his career) and OF Ricky Ledee (came up in 98, was never a starter, played decently off the bench before being dealt in 2000 with Jake Westbrook and another piece to Cleveland for David Justice)
- From NYM - RHP Jason Isringhausen (back when he was starter, he was "healthy again" coming off a season he only pitched 29.2 innings….however, that December, he was diagnosed with a partial tear in his right elbow and the Mets were done), OF Preston Wilson (top offensive prospect, he was coming off A & AA in 1997 where he hit a combined 30 HR with 95 RBI. He ended up playing in just 8 games for the Mets in 1998 before being part of the deal sent to Florida for Mike Piazza)
- From SD - RHP Rafael Medina (a midlevel prospect at best, went on to pitch 90 innings for the Marlins in two years before picked up by Atlanta and he never pitched in the bigs again) and RHP Matt Clement (their #1 pitching prospect, finished his career with an 87-86 record and his best years with the Cubs in 2002 and beyond)
The Yankees and Cardinals didn't want to give up too much, the Mets raised the asking price but fell out of it so San Diego was essentially the last team standing.
In the end, Florida dealt Brown to San Diego for RHP Rafael Medina, LHP Steve Hoff (never made the big leagues, he was traded in 1998 to the Cubs organization) and 1B Derek Lee (hit 129 HR for FLA over 6 years, part of the 2003 WS Champions).
Of course...after the Padres got swept by the Yankees in the World Series, Kevin Brown signed a record-setting free agent deal to go to the Dodgers for 7-years and $105M (the first nine digit baseball contract ever)
