O's Get Conine--Waive Hoiles
The Baltimore Orioles, looking to add right-handed power, got Jeff Conine from the Kansas City Royals in a trade Friday for minor league pitcher Chris Fussell.
Conine, a two-time All-Star and MVP of the 1995 game while with Florida, hit .256 with eight home runs and 43 RBIs last season for Kansas City.
The first baseman-outfielder batted .321 with one homer and seven RBIs this spring.
Conine, 32, has hit .310 against left-handed pitchers in the last five years.
"Jeff fills the final pressing need of our team," Orioles general manager Frank Wren said. "He is a right-handed hitter with some versatility and he can bat in the middle of our lineup when necessary."
The Orioles made the deal before their exhibition game at Atlanta.
Conine's best year came in 1995 with the Marlins when he hit .302 with 25 home runs and 105 RBIs.
Conine began his major league career with the Royals in 1990 and was taken by Florida in the expansion draft before the 1993 season. The Marlins traded him back to Kansas City after winning the 1997 World Series.
Fussell, 23 next month, made his big league debut last year with Baltimore, going 0-1 with an 8.38 ERA in three games. The right-hander is 28-26 in five minor league seasons.
Hoiles put on waivers
The Baltimore Orioles gave up Friday on Chris Hoiles, the catcher whose career was hurt by injuries.
The Orioles said they will ask waivers on him Monday for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release. The 34-year-old Hoiles was offered another job within the organization.
Hoiles was guaranteed $3.7 million this season in the final year of a five-year deal. He concludes his Orioles career in ninth place on the team's career list with 151 homers and eighth with a .467 slugging percentage.
"In all my years in baseball, this was singularly the toughest thing I have had to do," Orioles manager Ray Miller said. "It is my sincere hope that Chris stays with the Orioles because the goal of every organization is to surround itself with quality people. "
"Chris Hoiles is one of the most professional players and classiest men that I have ever had the honor of being associated with."
Hoiles hit .262 with 15 home runs and 56 RBIs in 267 at-bats last season. He caught in 83 games.
With his hip and lower back unable to withstand the rigors of catching, Hoiles hoped to remain with the team as a first baseman and designated hitter. But the Orioles have Will Clark at first base and are expected to use Willis Otanez as their right-handed DH.
Otanez is out of options and would have to clear waivers if assigned to the minor leagues. He is nine years younger than Hoiles and had 104 RBIs with Triple-A Rochester last season.
Hoiles' finest year came in 1993 when he batted .310 in 126 games with 28 dubles, 29 homers and 82 RBIs.
Last August, Hoiles became the ninth major leaguer to hit two grand slams in a single game, performing the feat at Jacobs Field in Cleveland.
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