Fetters does
a double switch

The former Iolani star
is traded from Milwaukee to
Cleveland to Oakland

By Al Chase
Star-Bulletin

Mike Fetters was enjoying a typical off-season day with his family at their Arizona home yesterday when suddenly his baseball life landed on a pogo stick and didn't get off for six hours.

"It was pretty exciting and this is exactly the way it went down," said the right-handed reliever who played at Iolani School and Pepperdine University.

"Sal Bando (the Milwaukee Brewers' general manager) called me just before noon to say I had been traded to Cleveland and that someone from the Indians would call me in about an hour.

"But, nothing happened and I began to wonder if the trade fell through. It wasn't until 3 p.m. that Cleveland's public relations guy called to say they would have a press conference for me Wednesday.

"I told him I hadn't heard anything from the Indians yet. He was surprised and we both hung up.

"Then I tried to call my agent, but he wasn't available, so I turned on CNN and heard that I had been traded by Cleveland to Oakland.

"By the time I got off the telephone with Billy Bean (Oakland's general manager) it was 6 p.m."

The first trade had the Brewers sending Fetters, right-handed pitcher Ben McDonald and left-handed pitcher Ron Villone to Cleveland for outfielder Marquis Grissom and right-handed pitcher Jeff Juden.

Later, the Indians traded Fetters to the Athletics for right-handed pitcher Steve Karsay.

Fetters said it was "pretty awesome" to be traded to Cleveland, a contender, but the emotions took a dip when he heard he was headed to Oakland.

But, after talking with Bean, several positives emerged that made Fetters feel a lot better.

"Bean told me he brought me in to be the closer," Fetters said. "I'm looking forward to it. I have to prove I can still close, then we'll see what happens after next year. I may like it in Oakland and decide to stay."

Fetters had said last month that he wanted to test the free-agent market after the 1998 season.

In nine major league season with the California Angels and the Brewers, he is 16-25 with a 3.31 earned run average and 80 saves.