There Is No Justice In Atlanta Blockbustertrade Sends Cleveland’s Lofton To Braves In Exchange For Justice, Grissom

In one of baseball’s biggest trades in years, the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians struck a shocking deal Tuesday involving David Justice, Marquis Grissom and Kenny Lofton that reshaped two of the sport’s strongest teams.

“This is a trade of enormous magnitude for two very, very good franchises,” Indians general manager John Hart said. “We’re talking about franchise-type players. We talked about this at some length, and we realized that if we were going to get it done, it had to happen soon.”

The Indians, who faced losing Lofton to free agency at the end of the season, gave up the All-Star center fielder and pitcher Alan Embree.

The Braves, projected to have the majors’ highest payroll at $62 million, had talked this spring about trading Justice - whose home run beat Cleveland 1-0 in the clinching Game 6 of the 1995 World Series.

Atlanta made it an even larger deal by including another All-Star outfielder, Grissom.

It was an old-fashioned, superstar-for-superstar deal predicated by the economics of modern sports, saving the Braves $7.7 million.

“It’s painful in the respect that I think baseball in the ‘90s is extremely apparent in this trade,” Hart said. “For both teams, not just the Indians.”

The N.L. champion Braves traded the high-priced Justice so they can try to resign pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, both free agents at the end of the season. Justice, who missed nearly all of last season with a shoulder injury, will make $12.5 million in the next two seasons.

The A.L. Central champion Indians could have lost Lofton, winner of four straight Gold Gloves and five consecutive A.L. stolen base titles, to free agency at the end of the season.

“We had to make this trade based on the fact that Kenny Lofton is a free agent at the end of the ‘97 season,” Hart said. “We went through it last year with Albert Belle, and Albert left us. We were not prepared to let that happen again.”

As for recent baseball trades involving so many star players, few compare.

Toronto and San Diego pulled off a big deal after the 1990 season with Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar going to the Blue Jays for Fred McGriff and Tony Fernandez.

In late 1992, the Oakland Athletics sent Jose Canseco to Texas for Ruben Sierra, Bobby Witt and Jeff Russell.

Lofton, 29, batted .317 last year, setting career highs with 210 hits, 14 homers, 67 RBIs and 75 stolen bases.

“I can’t really think too well right now,” Lofton said. “Maybe I can say I’m disappointed. I’ve done everything they’ve asked me to do in Cleveland, and I thought I would be rewarded. I guess they rewarded me by trading me to Atlanta.”

Indians catcher Sandy Alomar and first baseman Jim Thome both had tears in their eyes as they talked with reporters.

“My son loves this guy,” said an emotional Alomar, one of the few mainstays left from Cleveland’s 1995 A.L. champion team. “I know when I tell him Kenny Lofton was traded, he’ll cry.”

Grissom, also 29, was acquired from Montreal in a trade before the 1995 season. He batted .308 with 23 homers, 74 RBIs and 28 stolen bases. His on-base percentage was .349, compared to Lofton’s .372.

Justice, 30, had his best season in 1993 with 40 homers and 120 RBIs, but missed most of the ‘96 season after dislocating a shoulder May 15. He had surgery and appeared to have no lingering effects this spring.

“I’m in shock,” Justice said. “If I was supposed to shed any tears, it was when I said goodbye to the guys.”