Counting Eggs

So the Red Sox are trading Freddy Lynn. Too bad, huh?

If that's your first reaction, that's okay. It was mine too, until I saw the name Mickey Hatcher in the negotiations.

Hatcher is a third baseman-outfielder in the Dodger organization. He split the year between Los Angeles and the club's AAA affiliate in Albuquerque, where he knocked home 32 runs in 34 games while swatting .343. His fielding at third base isn't spectacular, but it's solid. His hustle and timely hitting are spectacular.

The problem is that the Dodgers don't want to trade him. The two teams have agreed on the basics: Steve Howe, Joe Beckwith and something else for Lynn. The Sox want that something else to be Hatcher, but the Dodgers have countered with an offer of speedster Rudy Law, and one of two pitchers, Ted Power and Dave "Smoke" Stewart.

Power, who came on strong for Albuquerque during their stretch drive to the Pacific Coast League (PCL) Championship, is at least a year away from the majors. Stewart is a fastballer with all the tools, but control problems. He led the PCL in walks.

His fate as yet unknown, Hatcher has left for the Dominican Republic where he will work on his outfield play with the Licey club. With Ron Cey a fixture for Los Angeles at third (fixture means no-trade contract), the club sees Hatcher as a possible replacement for Dusty Baker, whose big-money salary is being offered around both leagues.

The one big question mark concerning Hatcher, however, is his shoulder. He sat out half a dozen games in Albuquerque because of an ailment variously diagnosed as a pulled muscle, torn ligaments and that most dreaded of all ballplayer ailments, a torn rotator cuff. The results of a midsummer examination by the Dodger team physician have not been publicized, but Hatcher did play 40 games in L.A. after his promotion, which may indicate it has healed.

According to an official in the Dodger organization, those are all the names being thrown around at this time. If however, the Dodgers refuse to surrender Hatcher, two things could happen.

Either the Sox will nix the deal completely and talk trade with any of a dozen other interested teams, or new names will crop up--perhaps Baker or (with his permission) Cey.

The key, however, would be to get Hatcher. The guy can play, and the rap that he is slow is unwarranted. He's no speedster, but his time from first base to third base compares favorably with, say, Dave Stapleton. His bat is better.

We may have seen the last of Lynn in a Sox uniform, but believe it or not, if Boston gets Hatcher it may be worth it.

If not, and Law and a pitcher are substituted, the trade will be a giveaway of the Rod Carew variety: a high-priced superstar for an established player (Howe) and a handful of tenuous could-be's.