METS TRADE HEARN, ANDERSON TO ROYALS THE NEW YORK TIMES Published: March 28, 1987
The Mets sent Ed Hearn and Rick Anderson to Kansas City today for David Cone, a 24-year-old right-handed pitcher.
The trade also involved the switching of uniforms of two minor leaguers. Chris Jelic, a 23-year-old catcher, will join the Mets' Lynchburg farm team in the Class A Carolina League. The Royals also received Mauro (Goose) Gozzo, a pitcher, who will be assigned to the Royals' Memphis team in the Class AA Southern League.
In Miami tonight, Darryl Strawberry's three-run homer led the Mets to a 9-8 exhibition victory over the Orioles. Gene Walter pitched two shutout innings in relief for the victory.
Earlier today, Joe McIlvaine, the Mets' vice president for baseball operations, had high praise for Cone, calling him ''the premier pitching prospect in the Kansas City organization.''
Cone, the Royals' third-round pick in the June 1981 free-agent draft, made his major league debut last season. He had no won-lost record and compiled a 5.56 earned-run average in 11 games, all in relief. He pitched 22Z innings and gave up 29 hits and 14 runs - all earned - with 13 walks and 21 strikeouts.
''I've never seen him pitch, but he may be our sixth starter, and also a short man in the bullpen,'' said Davey Johnson, the Mets' manager.
Johnson said the Royals received two players who could help them immediately in Hearn, a 26-year-old catcher, and Anderson, a 30-year-old right-hander.
''Anderson can flat-out pitch, and Hearn was a big help to us last year,'' said Johnson. ''But in both cases we have an abundance of people at their positions.''
The Mets' starting catcher, Gary Carter, is expected to play most of the games.
Hearn, who had been in the minor leagues for nine years, played in 49 major league games last season, batting .265 with four homers and 10 runs batted in. When Carter injured his left thumb last season, Hearn became the Mets' starting catcher.
Anderson, who was starting his 10th season with the Mets organization, also finally made it to the major leagues for the first time last season, but only briefly. He had a 2-1 record with a 2.72 e.r.a.
GOODEN MAKING MOVE
Dwight Gooden has bought a home on Long Island and will move there in April. He plans to live there year-round. He had been living with his family in Tampa, Fla., where he was born and raised.
''I'll be more comfortable in New York,'' he said.
During the off-season, Gooden and some friends got into a fight with the Tampa police.
A lawyer for Gooden, Ron Cacciatore, said he is investigating reports that in another incident the police unfairly stopped Gooden last month to check the New York license plate on his car. If his investigation shows that Gooden was unfairly stopped, Cacciatore said, he intends to send a letter of protest to the Tampa police chief. A police spokesman, Johnny Barker, said police officials are unaware of such an incident.
''The move is best for my family,'' Gooden said, referring to his moving to Long Island. ''The situation with the police is not the number one reason I'm leaving Tampa, but it's one of them.''
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