Fred Claire has handled scores of deals during his tenure in charge of Dodger player personnel.
The longtime executive vice president has made trades big and small--good and bad. But during the past decade, Claire's stamp has been on every deal the Dodgers have done.
Until the biggest in franchise history.
Claire acknowledged Friday night that he wasn't the point man on the seven-player deal that sent all-star catcher Mike Piazza to the Florida Marlins. Moreover, his role was almost nonexistent--except for being a messenger.
He was told to inform Piazza and third baseman Todd Zeile on Thursday night that they would be going to the Marlins for all-stars Gary Sheffield, Charles Johnson and Bobby Bonilla, along with Jim Eisenreich and rookie right-hander Manuel Barrios. It was a role to which Claire was unaccustomed.
"I want to be perfectly clear and accurate about this," he said. "I got a call from [President] Bob Graziano, and he informed me that the trade had been made."
Seems simple enough. But that short statement speaks volumes.
The historic trade that sent the Dodger franchise player packing was orchestrated without assistance from the man who has built the team. Instead, Graziano, who holds the job Claire once seemed destined to occupy, was the point man for Fox Group officials.
Claire was left out of the loop throughout the negotiations with Piazza on the multiyear contract extension that spurred the trade, and then his opinion wasn't sought on a deal that has dramatically altered the team he has dedicated much of his professional life to building. Typically, Claire was the loyal soldier Friday night when the trade was finally announced.
"This is a trade that obviously improves our team, and I feel good about that," he said. "We were in a position to add several quality players to our team, and we did that."
But without his input.
The deal was the pet project of Chase Carey, chairman and chief executive of Fox Television, and Florida Marlin President Don Smiley. When it came time to call in a closer, Carey didn't turn to Claire, a man who has done that sort of thing since 1987.
He turned to an accountant.
"I recommended the deal to people at Fox," Graziano said. "I think this helps improve our chemistry, helps improve our hitting and helps improve our defense. I think the team is markedly improved."
Based on all his experience, how couldn't he?
