Baseball’s Trading Deadline Passes With a Flurry of Deals by Contenders. . .

The Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees met in the World Series last season. When the closing bell rang on baseball’s trading session Monday, with more than 100 players swapping uniforms over the past month, all the shuffling left the Braves and Yankees as favorites to return to the World Series.

The best player traded Monday landed in Atlanta, with the Baltimore Orioles sending B.J. Surhoff to the Braves to complete a purge of veterans.

The Orioles also dispatched first baseman Will Clark to the St. Louis Cardinals, desperate for help in the absence of the injured Mark McGwire. The Toronto Blue Jays fortified their pitching staff with veterans Steve Trachsel and Mark Guthrie from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The Seattle Mariners struck out on a big deal with the Detroit Tigers for outfielder Juan Gonzalez, then connected on a modest deal with the San Diego Padres for outfielder Al Martin.

Monday’s trading deadline does not preclude further trades, but no player can be traded this month before every team has an opportunity to claim him on waivers. Players must be acquired by Aug. 31 to be eligible for the playoffs.

The Mariners did not intend to offer Gonzalez a contract extension, at least not now, and wanted to rent him for two months. According to sources, the Mariners proposed a package that included pitcher John Halama and several prospects, none elite.

Although Gonzalez has rejected the Tigers’ attempts to sign him to a long-term contract, most recently saying he would not return to Detroit unless the Tigers moved in the fences at Comerica Park, the Tigers opted to risk losing Gonzalez to free agency this fall rather than accept what they considered a lesser deal.

The Yankees did nothing Monday. But they shopped early and often last month, acquiring ace pitcher Denny Neagle--the best available pitcher besides Curt Schilling--and infielder Jose Vizcaino and outfielders David Justice and Glenallen Hill. They also agreed on a trade for Gonzalez in June, but the deal collapsed when he rejected the Yankees’ proposed contract extension.

“It was a very volatile market,� Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman said. “It’s not easy trying to line up matches with people, whether it’s payroll, talent or a whole lot of other issues.

“Some big names got floated out there. But it’s not easy to get to ‘Yes,’ � he said. “I’m comfortable with the team we have. That’s why we were able to walk away and say ‘No.’ �

The Braves, already giddy over their recent trade for pitcher Andy Ashby, filled their one gaping hole with the acquisition of Surhoff.

The Braves will insert Surhoff in left field, where they started the season with the injured Reggie Sanders (.193 with five home runs) and replaced him with Bobby Bonilla (.166 in his past 10 games).

Surhoff, 35, is batting .293 with 13 home runs and 57 runs batted in. Over the past two seasons, he hit .295 with 50 homers and 199 RBIs.

Although he is joining one of baseball’s best teams and leaving one of the worst, Surhoff wept as he cleared his locker in Baltimore.

“It’s not that I don’t want to play in Atlanta. I’m sure I’m going into a great situation and I know it’s going to work out,� Surhoff said. “I just thought I was going to be here.�

So did the Orioles. But, as the Dodgers could have told them, a high payroll guarantees nothing except rich players. After muddling through the bottom of the standings for several seasons, Oriole executives finally convinced owner Peter Angelos that the loyal Baltimore fans would accept rebuilding.

So out went Surhoff, Clark, shortstop Mike Bordick, catcher Charles Johnson, pitcher Mike Timlin and designated hitter Harold Baines. The Orioles shaved some $24 million from an opening-day payroll of $84 million, fueling speculation Cal Ripken Jr. will retire at the end of the season rather than endure several seasons of rebuilding.

“It’s difficult to say goodbye but it’s also exciting that we’re bringing in younger players. I think that is probably what we need to do here,� Baltimore Manager Mike Hargrove said. “We’re taking big steps down that road. It really should be exciting for all of us. It is for me.�

For Surhoff, the Orioles got three players, the most valuable of which is pitching prospect Luis Rivera. The Orioles added 14 players in all, including first baseman Chris Richard from the Cardinals in the Timlin trade.

Oriole reliever Alan Mills reported for work Monday and welcomed Richard with a handshake and this remark: “Who are you?�

The Cardinals, clinging to a fading lead in the National League Central, added a fading veteran in Clark, 36. His power is long gone--he has hit 20 home runs once since 1991--but he is hitting .301.

Suddenly in a pennant race--a double-digit lead has shrunk to four games over the Cincinnati Reds--the Cardinals were reluctant to entrust first base to Eduardo Perez, the son of Hall of Famer Tony Perez and former No. 1 draft pick of the Angels.

McGwire has not played since July 6. The Cardinals are 7-13 without him, and no one is sure when--or if--McGwire will return.

“We think he’s got a chance to come back, but in the meantime Will Clark’s a winning-type of veteran,� St. Louis Manager Tony La Russa said. “I hope Mark comes back, and then we can work them both in there together. But right now, it really helps us.�

The Cardinals gave up minor league third baseman Jose Leon for Clark. They also sent pitcher Heathcliff Slocumb to the San Diego Padres in a four-player trade that brought them catcher Carlos Hernandez. St. Louis catcher Eli Marrero is on the disabled list because of an injured left thumb.

The Blue Jays followed most of the American League contenders in adding pitching, picking up Trachsel, Guthrie and Esteban Loaiza. The Yankees got Neagle, the Boston Red Sox got Rolando Arrojo, the Oakland A’s got Jim Mecir and the Cleveland Indians got Jason Bere, Bob Wickman and Steve Woodard.

The Chicago White Sox, with a young rotation and a shaky defense, added no pitching. The Angels subtracted a veteran pitcher, trading Kent Bottenfield to the Philadelphia Phillies for designated hitter Ron Gant.

*

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Trade-In Time

Players obtained Monday before the trade deadline by teams contending for division titles or wild-card berths:

Dodgers

OF Tim Goodwin

*

Atlanta

OF B.J. Surhoff

*

St. Louis

1B Will Clark

C Carlos Hernandez

*

Seattle

OF Al Martin

*

Toronto

P Steve Trachsel

P Mark Guthrie

*

Florida

OF Henry Rodriguez

Team-by-team acquisitions since June 29: Page 6

Monday’s complete trade list: Page 8

TRADING POST

There were 33 trades involving major league players after the New York Yankees made the first in-season blockbuster deal by obtaining David Justice from Cleveland on June 29. The players acquired by each team after the Justice deal until Monday’s trade deadline (* denotes player being in minor leagues at time of trade):

AMERICAN LEAGUE

EAST

NEW YORK

OF David Justice

P Denny Neagle

IF Jose Vizcaino

OF Glenallen Hill

OF Mike Frank*

BOSTON

P Rolando Arrojo

2B Mike Lansing

P Rick Croushore

3B Ed Sprague

TORONTO

P Esteban Loaiza

P Steve Trachsel

P Mark Guthrie

OF Rob Ducey

OF Alvin Morrow*

BALTIMORE

C Brook Fordyce

IF Melvin Mora

OF Trenidad Hubbard

1B Chris Richard*

P Mark Nussbeck*

P Miguel Felix*

P Juan Figueroa*

P Jason Lakman*

IF Mike Kinkade*

P Lesli Brea*

P Pat Gorman*

C Fernando Lunar*

P Luis Rivera*

3B Jose Leon*

TAMPA BAY

OF Jason Tyner*

P Paul Wilson*

P Jesus Colome*

2B Brent Abernathy*

*

CENTRAL

CHICAGO

C Charles Johnson

DH Harold Baines

CLEVELAND

P Bob Wickman

1B David Segui

OF Wil Cordero

P Steve Woodard

P Jason Bere

P Jake Westbrook*

P Zach Day*

DETROIT

OF Dusty Allen*

KANSAS CITY

P Brian Meadows

MINNESOTA

1B Todd Sears*

C Dan Ardoin*

*

WEST

SEATTLE

OF Al Martin

OAKLAND

P Jim Mecir

P Todd Belitz*

1B Mario Valdez*

ANGELS

OF Ron Gant

OF Chris Hatcher*

P Mike Heathcott*

IF Brett King*

TEXAS

OF Ricky Ledee

P Darwin Cubillan*

IF Mike Young*

NATIONAL LEAGUE

EAST

ATLANTA

P Andy Ashby

OF B.J. Surhoff

P Stan Belinda

P Gabe Molina*

NEW YORK

SS Mike Bordick

OF Bubba Trammell

P Rick White

FLORIDA

OF Henry Rodriguez

P Manny Aybar

MONTREAL

P Scott Downs

PHILADELPHIA

P Kent Bottenfield

P Bruce Chen

OF Travis Lee

P Omar Daal

P Vicente Padilla

P Nelson Figueroa*

P Jim Osting*

*

CENTRAL

ST. LOUIS

P Jason Christiansen

P Mike Timlin

1B Will Clark

C Carlos Hernandez

IF Nathan Tebbs*

CINCINNATI

3B Drew Henson*

OF Jackson Melian*

P Ed Yarnall*

P Jorge Cordova*

P Brian Reith*

CHICAGO

OF Rondell White

P Brett Hinchcliffe*

IF Keith Luuloa*

P Jamie Arnold*

OF Jorge Piedra*

P Ben Ford*

P Ozwaldo Mairena*

OF Ross Gload*

P David Noyce*

PITTSBURGH

OF Alex Ramirez

IF Enrique Wilson

SS Jack Wilson*

MILWAUKEE

OF Richie Sexson

P Paul Rigdon*

P Kane Davis*

C Kevin Brown*

HOUSTON

P Scott Linebrink

*

WEST

ARIZONA

P Curt Schilling

SAN FRANCISCO

P Doug Henry

DODGERS

P Ismael Valdes

OF Tom Goodwin

COLORADO

2B Jeff Frye

P Brian Rose

2B Todd Walker

OF Butch Huskey

OF Todd Hollandsworth

P John Wasdin*

P Jeff Taglienti*

OF Kevin Gibbs*

P Randey Dorame*

SAN DIEGO

IF Gabe Alvarez

P Heathcliff Slocumb

P Jay Witasick

OF John Mabry

P Tom Davey

IF Cesar Saba*

P Dennis Tankersley*

OF Ben Johnson*