<\/p>\n
Trading Jeff Kent<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0<\/em>Jeff Kent, like Manny Ramirez, is one of those unusual players whom teams are equally eager to acquire and unload. This, of course, is because of the maddening way in which he combines outstanding power and solid defense with poor leadership and a tendency towards clubhouse strife. Three times in his career he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been traded; each time, a championship-caliber team was seeking to add a final piece. Once, he was supposed to be that piece, and twice he was dealt to bring it in. In this way, Kent is woven into the narrative of the 1990s above and beyond his contributions on the field. Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s see how it all played out.<\/p>\n August 27, 1992: The Blue Jays trade Kent and outfielder Ryan Thompson to the Mets for pitcher David Cone.<\/em><\/p>\n Kent was drafted in the 20th<\/sup> round in 1989\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthat was strike one. Strike two was a seriously unimpressive minor league line in three seasons, to wit, a .257 batting average across three levels, topping out at Double-A Knoxville in 1991. Despite this, he earned a spring training invite in 1992 and managed to make the roster, and a few Kelly Gruber injuries allowed him a good amount of playing time at third base. Again, he was merely mediocre at the plate (.240\/.324\/.443 in 222 plate appearances), but played above average defense and generally established himself as a solid prospect.<\/p>\n For Toronto, however, Kent\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s skill set was thoroughly redundant, with Gruber and Roberto Alomar entrenched at third base and second base respectively. What the Jays really needed was another starting pitcher. The first four starters (Jimmy Key, Jack Morris, Juan Guzman and Todd Stottlemeyre) were strong enough, but the last slot fell to David Wells and Dave Stieb, and neither had acquitted themselves very well (combined 6.04 ERA as starters, with a 9-13 record and .288 batting average against). In a tight AL East race (up just two games on Baltimore on the eve of the trade), the Blue Jays could ill afford a weak link in their rotation. The Mets, meanwhile, were 14 games back in their division, and were looking to retool. For Cone, they picked up not only Kent, but also the promising Thompson, who they hoped would roam their outfield for years to come.<\/p>\n From the Blue Jays\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 perspective, the deal paid immediate dividends. In September, Cone won two games by a score of 1-0 and another 3-1. His ERA in seven starts was 2.65, and hitters managed only a .201 batting average against him. In the ALDS against Oakland, he pitched eight shutout innings in Game 2, and also started the second game of the World Series against the Braves. His overall performance was spotty, but his big games were huge as the Blue Jays captured their first title in franchise history.<\/p>\n After the playoffs, Cone was gone as quickly as he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d come, signing with the Royals in the off-season. Despite the loss, the Jays picked up another crown in 1993, with Pat Hentgen taking Cone\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s spot in the rotation.<\/p>\n In New York, Kent earned his first starting job in 1993, playing in 140 games with the lackluster Mets. He hit 21 home runs, tied for tops at his position, and joined Alomar, Carlos Baerga and Craig Biggio as an up-and-coming second baseman. The following two years, his numbers were even better; in 498 career games with the Mets, Kent had a line of .279\/.327\/.453, with 67 home runs and a 107 OPS+.<\/p>\n This performance, especially the power numbers, attracted the attention of the Indians. There, Baerga had worn out his welcome by reporting to camp in 1996 20 pounds overweight and falling short of his previous numbers.<\/p>\n