Desert Sun, 16 March 1978 — Vida Blue Traded To The Giants [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Vida Blue Traded To The Giants

PHOENIX, Ariz (AP) - The Oakland A’s have traded pitcher Vida Blue to the San Francisco Giants for seven players and an undisclosed amount of cash, the teams announced earlv today. The Giants gave up outfielder Gary Thomasson, pitchers Dave Heaverlo, Alan Wirth and John Johnson, catcher Gary Alexander, minor league pitcher Phillip Huffman and a player to be named later. The deal was consummated at about 11:55 p.m. PST Wednesday. Just before the end of the March 15 interleague trading deadline, and announced at an early morning press conference. Blue, 28. finally leaves Oakland after two attempts by A's owner Charlie Finley to deal him away him were voided by Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn. In 1976 Kuhn stopped Finley from selling Blue to the New York Yankees and on Jan 30 commissioner blocked a move that would have sent the lefthander to the Cincinnati Reds. Kuhn disapproved the deals because of the huge cash amounts invoked Finley would have received $1.5 million from the Yankees and $1 75 million and minor league-player Dave Revering from the Reds for Blue. The commissioner said selling a ballplayer for such astronomical sums was ndt in the best interests of the game. At the press conference, attended by Giants General Manager Spec Richardson, Manager Joe Altobelli and co-owner Bud Herseth, the team officials said Blue probably would report to the Giants here today. The trade came after the Giants beat the A’s 3-1 in an exhibition game, and during negotiations between the two teams and their respective cities over a proposal to move the A’s to Denver and have the Giants play half their games in Oakland.

VIDA BLUE traded to Giants