McKeon Is Given Hand by Feeney

CHICAGO â€”  It was Chub Feeney, not Jack McKeon, who finished up the Padres’ seven-player trade with the San Francisco Giants Saturday night, but McKeon’s feelings are not hurt.

McKeon, the Padre general manager who is known as “Trader Jack,� said Sunday he “knows the new ground rules.�

And rule No. 1 is that Feeney, the new Padre president, will take a more active role in baseball decisions as opposed to his predecessor, Ballard Smith, who used to tell McKeon, in effect: “Do whatever you want, Jack.�

McKeon had made every Padre trade alone since he became general manager in 1980, unless you count the time Smith helped get Graig Nettles from the Yankees. The way McKeon tells it, Yankee owner George Steinbrenner would only deal with Smith, so Smith negotiated with Steinbrenner over the phone, as McKeon sat nearby and told Smith what to say.

McKeon’s streak is over, but if he’s offended, he won’t say so.

“Ballard didn’t know the players as well (as Feeney),� McKeon said here Sunday. “Chub’s involved more. But it’s no different than before; it’s just Chub made the last call (Saturday night). No big deal.

“As far as him helping, it doesn’t bother me. It’s a team effort. He’s the boss. He’s the president. I understand the ground rules. I used to check with Ballard every time I could. If he was unavailable, I’d do it on my own. I’m sure it’ll be the same way here.�

McKeon said he had been talking to the Giants as far back as two months ago. At one point, McKeon offered pitcher Storm Davis for Giant pitcher Mark Davis but was turned down.

Then, about three weeks ago, McKeon started shopping pitcher Eric Show to the Giants. He was interested in third baseman Chris Brown, but he said the Giants didn’t want to trade Brown at the time. Last Monday, McKeon said trade talks appeared dead, though Al Rosen, the Giant president, indicated that he might be willing to trade Brown.

McKeon alerted Feeney of the talks, and Feeney--who lives in the Bay Area--met with Rosen Thursday at Candlestick Park. They talked names. By now, McKeon and Feeney were talking three or four times a day on the phone. And, according to McKeon, the Giants would trade Brown only if pitcher Dave Dravecky was involved.

McKeon and Feeney decided they’d give up Dravecky for Brown, but they also wanted pitchers Mark Davis and Mark Grant. For Rosen to do that, he wanted third baseman Kevin Mitchell and reliever Craig Lefferts. Feeney and McKeon said yes, but only if the Giants threw in left-handed reliever Keith Comstock.

Feeney completed the trade Saturday.

“That’s what I’m there for,� Feeney said Sunday in a telephone interview from his home. “I’ll be involved in all facets of the organization. It’ll include everything that goes on down there.�