Angels Finally Close the Book on Lee Smith

The game’s all-time saves leader for whom? That’s what Angel fans are probably asking after Monday’s trade that sent disgruntled reliever Lee Smith to the Cincinnati Reds for Chuck McElroy, a left-handed middle reliever with a bloated earned-run average and a fat contract.

The Angels, who had shopped Smith for about a month, had hoped to acquire a starting pitcher, but instead, General Manager Bill Bavasi went for “the first decent offer” that came along.

“The reason we could not get a starting pitcher is because they were not available, and Lee Smith was not going to bring us one,” Bavasi said. “The market is going to tell you what you can get for him.”

Market to Bavasi: There’s not much demand for a 38-year-old reliever with a fading fastball and a surgically repaired right knee that could go out at any time.

Those 471 saves Smith accumulated in a storied 16-year career that will probably land him in the Hall of Fame? Hardly meant a thing on the trading block.

So instead of a front-line starter, the Angels wound up with McElroy, a well-traveled 28-year-old with a 2-0 record and 6.57 earned-run average this season, a spotty resume and a hefty price tag.

Not only will the Angels assume the bulk of McElroy’s $817,000 contract this season, they’ll pay Smith an additional $883,000--the difference between McElroy’s salary and Smith’s base salary of $1.7 million.

The Angels will also assume the remainder of McElroy’s multiyear contract, which calls for him to make $817,000 in 1997 and ’98. McElroy, who also played with the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs, went 1-2 with a 2.34 ERA in 1994, but he was hampered because of shoulder pain and the chicken pox in 1995 and had a 3-4 record with a 6.02 ERA. This year, left-handed hitters are batting .200 against him, but right-handers are batting .310.

And to think, the Angels could have re-signed left-handed set-up man Bob Patterson last winter for $500,000 a year.

“McElroy gives us more versatility,” Bavasi said. “We’ve got another left-hander in the bullpen who can go a couple innings, as opposed to having Lee, a solid guy who could only go one inning. Plus, it settles things in our bullpen a bit. Their roles are more defined.”

Smith, who was not available to reporters Monday, took with him the remnants of an Angel closer controversy that began when he returned from the disabled list in late April and declared he would retire or ask to be traded before being anything less than the closer.

This, despite the dominance of flame-throwing Troy Percival, who has 13 saves and 26 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings.

Manager Marcel Lachemann, keeping a promise that Smith would close when healthy, used him in a save situation against Kansas City on May 8. But Smith, who never seemed to fully recover from a winter hunting accident in which he tore his right patella tendon, gave up the tying run and the Angels lost in 14 innings.

Though the run was unearned, Lachemann drew heavy criticism for trusting Smith, instead of the nearly untouchable Percival, with a game on the line. Smith had a 2.45 ERA and gave up only one earned run in nine appearances since coming off the disabled list, but most of those appearances were in lopsided games. Percival assumed closing duties.

“I’m sure there’s a little relief now that there’s no question who’s going to be out there [in a save situation],” Percival said. “It takes a lot of pressure off Lach, but I’m going to miss Lee.”

There was still a reminder of Smith in Percival’s locker. The two chatted early Monday afternoon in Anaheim Stadium, and Smith gave Percival an autographed Angel jersey before departing.

“There’s no man I respected more,” Percival said. “It’s going to be nice to have this to hang on my wall. He taught me a lot.”

Smith moves on to a situation he’ll recognize. Jeff Brantley, who has converted 11 of 13 save opportunities, is the Reds’ closer and does not appear ready to relinquish the job.

“I’m not gonna promise [Smith] he’s closing,” Reds Manager Ray Knight said. “I respect and trust Jeff Brantley too much. He’s my closer.”

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The Numbers

The lifetime statistics of the relief pitchers involved in Monday’s trade between the Angels and the Cincinnati Reds:

Lee Smith

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Yr, Tm G W-L Sv SO ERA ‘80, ChC 18 2-0 0 17 2.86 ‘81, ChC 40 3-6 1 50 3.49 ‘82, ChC 72 2-5 17 99 2.69 ‘83, ChC 66 4-10 29 91 1.65 ‘84, ChC 69 9-7 33 86 3.65 ‘85, ChC 65 7-4 33 112 3.04 ‘86, ChC 66 9-9 31 93 3.09 ‘87, ChC 62 4-10 36 96 3.12 ‘88, Bos 64 4-5 29 96 2.80 ‘89, Bos 64 6-1 25 96 3.57 ‘90, Bos 11 2-1 4 17 1.88 ‘90, StL 53 3-4 27 70 2.10 ‘91, StL 67 6-3 47 67 2.34 ‘92, StL 70 4-9 43 60 3.12 ‘93, StL 55 2-4 43 49 4.50 ‘93, NYY 8 0-0 3 11 0.00 ‘94, Bal 41 1-4 33 42 3.28 ‘95, Cal 52 0-5 37 43 3.47 ‘96, Cal 11 0-0 0 6 2.45 Ttl 954 68-87 471 1201 2.94

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Chuck McElroy

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Yr, Tm G W-L Sv SO ERA ‘89, Phi 11 0-0 0 8 2.86 ‘90, Phi 57 0-1 0 16 3.49 ‘91, ChC 71 6-2 3 92 2.69 ‘92, ChC 72 4-7 6 83 1.65 ‘93, CHC 49 2-2 0 31 3.65 ‘94, Cin 52 1-2 5 38 3.04 ‘95, Cin 44 3-4 0 27 3.09 ‘96, Cin 12 2-0 0 13 6.57 Ttl 327 18-18 14 308 3.53

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