[0] PIAZZA ZAPPED; BLOCKBUSTER DEAL ADDS UP TO NEARLY $100 MILLION.

Byline: Marc J. Spears Daily News Staff Writer

Eric Karros remembers the days when he thought Steve Garvey would finish his career in Dodger blue. And he always thought Tommy Lasorda would take his final breath while managing at Chavez Ravine.

But now, Karros is a seasoned veteran who understands the reality that professional baseball is more than just a game. It is a business where even the most unthinkable can happen.

Unthinkable like the Dodgers trading catcher Mike Piazza. The Dodgers traded the five-time All-Star on Friday to the Florida Marlins in a seven-player deal that is one of the biggest blockbuster trades in major-league history. In all, the players involved have guaranteed contracts for $98 million from 1998 through 2003, a record amount for players in one deal.

The Dodgers also sent third baseman Todd Zeile - a Hart High graduate - to the Marlins for outfielder Gary Sheffield, catcher Charles Johnson, third baseman Bobby Bonilla, infielder/outfielder Jim Eisenreich and a player to be announced. The Dodgers need to make further transactions because the deal left them two players over the 25-man limit.

Dodgers executive vice-president Fred Claire said, ``It is a trade that will obviously have an impact on this team.''

The irony about Claire's comment is the trade may have the biggest impact on him. The deal was not made by Claire - the person usually responsible for player transactions - but by Chase Carey of the Fox Group. Carey and Florida Marlins president Donald A. Smiley were talking about a television sports deal and ended up working out the seven-player trade.

For Piazza, the Marlins most likely will not be his final destination. The Marlins, who won the World Series a year ago, got rid of 12 players during the offseason and cut their payroll from $53 million to $33 million before the season.

Piazza - who has an $8 million salary and will be a free agent at the end of the season - and Zeile ($3.2 million) are expected to be dealt from Florida before the July 31 trade deadline. It is believed the Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Colorado Rockies, Atlanta Braves and Angels will be interested in Piazza.

``For six years, I have had the privilege to play for these fans, and with teammates, who showed tremendous amount of appreciation (for me). And for that I will always be grateful,'' said Piazza, who was batting .282 with nine home runs, in a prepared statement. ``The business of baseball is complicated and I try to keep the game simple. As long as I play, I'll swing hard and play hard and be grateful for the chance to play this great game, no matter where I'm playing.''

Piazza's career has been a storybook one. He went from an unknown 62nd-round selection in the 1988 free-agent draft to a future Hall of Famer. Piazza - revered by Dodgers fans - had his best season in 1997 when he hit .362 with 40 home runs and 124 RBI.

But like the Marlins paring their payroll, the Dodgers trading Piazza was a business decision. Piazza wants a seven-year deal worth more than $100 million when his current contract expires at the end of the season. Fearing they wouldn't be able to sign the 29-year-old made sure they got market value for Piazza.

``I was concerned about `What if we don't sign Mike?' '' Dodgers president Bob Graziano said. ``We have something to show for it and we improved our team.''

Piazza's agent Dan Lozano told the Daily News, ``The negotiations were ongoing and Mike was prepared for that. Baseball is a business and nobody knows that better than Mike. He knew there would be a possibility that he would be traded.''

A no-trade clause in Sheffield's contract prevented the deal from becoming official until late Friday night. According to a Dodgers spokesman, Sheffield - who arrived in L.A. Friday afternoon - and his agent Jim Neader met with Graziano, executive vice president Fred Claire and Sam Fernandez, executive secretary and general counsel.

Sheffield, who is in the first season of a six-year, $61-million contract, wanted the seventh year - a club option - guaranteed for $11 million. The Dodgers didn't secure the option, but Neader said Sheffield's concern about California's state income taxes was taken care of. Florida has no state income tax, and Sheffield may have been compensated by the Dodgers for his future California taxes.

``(I liked) being in a traditional organization that really wanted me here for a big role,'' said the power-hitting, three-time All-Star Sheffield, who will be in uniform today and possibly so too the other ex-Marlins. ``I had previously mentioned other teams (Tampa Bay, Atlanta). But the Dodgers showed they were sincere in their interest.''

Sheffield, who played right field for Florida, will more than likely play left for the Dodgers. Johnson is one of the best defensive catchers in baseball and hit 19 homers a year ago.

``I'm sorry to see this happen,'' said former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, a close friend of the Piazza family. ``It is like seeing two people get divorced that you love very, very much.''

Forgotten in Piazza's farewell was Zeile, who was batting .253 with seven home runs. The 32-year-old recently moved from Valencia to Westlake Village with his wife and six-month-old baby.

``Everybody is going to have an opinion about what you can and can't do,'' said Karros, who was Piazza's closest friend on the Dodgers. ``New ownership came and they felt some moves were needed. This is the direction they want to go.''

BASEBALL'S BLOCKBUSTER TRADES

The Dodgers-Marlins deal is one of the biggest in baseball history. Here is a look at some of the other huge trades:

April 17, 1960: Detroit Tigers' Harvey Kuenn was sent to the Cleveland Indians for Rocky Colavito. Kuenn was the reigning batting champion and Colavito was the American League's top home-run hitter. Although Colavito kept with his reputation, Kuenn didn't live up to expectations.

Dec. 9, 1965: Cincinnati Reds traded Frank Robinson to the Baltimore Orioles for right-handers Milt Pappas and Jack Baldschun and outfielder Dick Simpson. Robinson was a future Hall of Famer who was an MVP and played in four World Series with the Orioles. Pappas was 28-24 from 1966-67 in Baltimore and was eventually traded to Atlanta. He pitched a no-hitter for the Chicago Cubs in 1972. Baldschun and Simpson didn't work out.

November 29, 1971: Houston Astros traded second baseman Joe Morgan, infielder Denis Menke, outfielders Cesar Geronimo and Ed Armbrister and righty Jack Billingham to the Cincinnati Reds for first baseman Lee May, second baseman Tommy Helms and outfielder Jimmy Stewart. Then Astros manager Harry Walker saw Morgan as a bad seed. Morgan, a Hall of Famer, ended up winning two MVP awards. Although May had some decent years in Houston, he was no Morgan.

Dec. 5, 1990: Toronto Blue Jays traded first baseman Fred McGriff and shortstop Tony Fernandez to the Padres for outfielder Joe Carter and second baseman Roberto Alomar. Alomar has a good shot at the Hall of Fame and Carter and McGriff have had long careers.

December 28, 1994: The San Diego Padres sent pitchers Doug Brocail and Pedro A. Martinez, shortstop Ricky Guiterrez, outfielders Derek Bell and Phil Plantier and infielder Craig Shipley to the Houston Astros for third baseman Ken Caminiti, shortstop Andujar Cedeno, outfielder Steve Finley, first baseman Roberto Petagine, pitcher Brian Williams and a player to be announced (Sean Fesh).

--- Compiled by Marc J. Spears; ESPN SportsZone added to this.

CAPTION(S):

7 Photos, Box

PHOTO NEW IN BLUE

(1--Color) BOBBY BONILLA

Pos: 3B

Age: 35

Contract: $17.7 mil. (through 2000)

Vitals: Fifth on all-time home run list for switch hitters (264). Career .285 hitter was member of NL East champion Pittsburgh Pirates teams in 1990 and '91.

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

(2--Color) GARY SHEFFIELD

Pos: OF

Age: 29

Contract: $61 mil. (through 2003)

Vitals: Marlins' all-time home run leader (122) joins his fourth team (also played in Milwaukee and San Diego). Three-time All-Star is a converted third baseman.

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

(3--Color) CHARLES JOHNSON

Pos: C

Age: 26

Contract: $3.3 mil. (through 1998)

Vitals: Three-time Gold Glove catcher didn't make an error in '97 (123 games). Career-high 19 home runs last year raised three year total to 44. Lifetime .241 hitter.

Reed Saxon/Associated Press

(4--Color) JIM EISENRICH

Pos: OF

Age: 39

Contract: $1.6 mil. (through 1998)

Vitals: A 13-year veteran, played in 120 games last year (started 66). Was a member of Phillies' 1993 World Series team. Lifetime .425 hitter against the Dodgers.

Mark Lennihan/Associated Press

(5--Color) Mike Piazza leaves Dodger Stadium on Friday night after he was informed about his trade to Florida.

Jeff Gritchen/Long Beach Press-Telegram

(6--Color) Dodgers players, while stunned, look forward to changes the trade of Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile (pictured) will bring.

Michael Caulfield/Associated Press

(7--Color) PIAZZA

AP File Photo

BOX: BASEBALL`S BLOCKBUSTER TRADES (see text)