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Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Seamheads: Murphy: Trading Jeff Kent

Or as cyclamatin’ Francesspool said the other day…“Biggio and the HOF? You might as well put Jeff Kent in!”

Looking back on Kent’s career from 1992 to 1997, there are a number of tantalizing what-if questions. Would the Blue Jays have won back-to-back titles with Kent? Surely, his bat would have been useful, but again, there was no place for him in the lineup, and Cone was clutch in his short time with the team. Why did the Mets trade him for the declining Baerga? The 1996 team was a collection of driftwood; by the time they got to the NLCS three years later, only three regulars (Alfonzo, Rey Ordoñez, and John Franco) remained. And, most hauntingly, would the Indians’ fortunes have changed with Kent on board? Their 1997 infield would have had Omar Vizquel at short and either Kent at second with Thome at third and Julio Franco at first, or Kent at third with Thome at first and Tony Fernandez at second. Matt Williams’ production can not be faulted for the World Series loss, but there’s no way of knowing how Kent’s stellar 1997 season would have fit in—or, indeed, whether he could have had it in Cleveland at all.

As it happened, fans of all four teams—Toronto, New York, Cleveland and San Francisco—have Kent to thank or curse for their respective success or failure, all as they see fit. His integral role in the power dynamics of the decade was due not only on the field. Through him, the aspirations and concerns of fans and GMs alike were expressed, resulting in victory parades in some cities (Toronto, Florida) and bitterness in others (Atlanta, Philadelphia, Cleveland). When it comes time to vote on his Hall of Fame candidacy, the visceral opinions formed by these three controversial trades will not be easily suppressed, by writers or by the public.  Such is the game of baseball, and such was the career of one of its most reviled, most talented practitioners, Jeff Kent.

Repoz Posted: April 15, 2009 at 12:30 PM | 7 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
  Related News: GeneralHistoryHall of FameClevelandNY MetsSan FranciscoToronto

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   1. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader Posted: April 15, 2009 at 12:57 PM (#3138899)
I didn't mind Kent. He played hard, worked to improve himself and his teams generally won. I don't have to share a locker with him so the rest of it means very little to me. I'll save my reviling for the Brett Myers' of the baseball world.
   2. flournoy Posted: April 15, 2009 at 01:07 PM (#3138914)
Through him, the aspirations and concerns of fans ... were expressed, resulting in ... bitterness ... (Atlanta)


I was momentarily quite confused how I was supposed to be bitter about Jeff Kent. But I guess the sequence is that the Blue Jays won the '92 World Series against the Braves with the help of David Cone, for whom they traded Jeff Kent.

Yeah, screw Jeff Kent for messing up my 1992! Bizarre...
   3. Hotel Coral Esix Snead (tmutchell) Posted: April 15, 2009 at 03:54 PM (#3139191)
His integral role in the power dynamics of the decade was due not only on the field.


What the hell does that even mean???
   4. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader Posted: April 15, 2009 at 04:00 PM (#3139199)
What the hell does that even mean???

! I missed that sentence, or my brain refused to acknowledge it. We should have some kind of HOM for sentences here at BBTF.
   5. Home Run Teal & Black Black Black Gone! Posted: April 15, 2009 at 04:21 PM (#3139234)
It's called the Hall of Merit, not the Hall of Very Confusing.
   6. SOLockwood Posted: April 15, 2009 at 04:55 PM (#3139308)
Through him, the aspirations and concerns of fans and GMs alike were expressed, resulting in victory parades in some cities (... Florida) and bitterness in others (... Cleveland).


I don't understand this reasoning at all. Both Kent (.300/.417/.900 in the NLDS) and Williams (.385/.515/.538 in the World Series) performed quite well against the Marlins in 1997.
   7. Hang down your head, Tom Foley Posted: April 15, 2009 at 06:34 PM (#3139581)
It's Jeff Kent's fault that Matt Williams isn't still married to the first one.
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