DODGERS ACQUIRE SWEENEY FROM
GIANTS
LOS ANGELES The Los Angeles Dodgers announced today that they have acquired veteran first baseman Mark Sweeney from the San Francisco Giants for a player to be named later or cash, according to Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti.

Mark provides us with another experienced bat off the bench and from time to time he may be called on in a starting role, said Colletti. He has tremendous makeup and will bring a lot to this club.

Sweeney, 37, is one of the best pinch-hitters in baseball history and recently surpassed Dodger coach Manny Mota for second place all-time with 155 pinch-hits. The 13-year veteran trails only Lenny Harris (212) on the pinch-hit list and leads all active players in pinch-hit home runs with 15 and pinch-RBI with 96.

The Massachusetts native has played 1,090 games with the Cardinals (1995-97), Padres (1997-98, 2002, 2005), Reds (1999), Brewers (2000-01), Rockies (2003-04) and Giants (2006-07), compiling a lifetime .260 batting average, with 42 homers and 242 RBI. This season, the left-handed hitter is batting .256 (23-for-90) and leads the Major Leagues with 16 pinch hits, including six pinch-hit doubles, the most in baseball.

Sweeneys best season came in 2005 with San Diego, when he established career highs in games (135), at-bats (221), hits (65), doubles (12), average (.294) and stolen bases (4). In 17 career postseason contests, Sweeney is hitting .357 (5-for-14) with three runs scored, a double and an RBI. The 1991 graduate of the University of Maine went 2-for-3 with an RBI in three games during the 1998 World Series for the Padres.

The Dodgers originally selected Sweeney in the 39th round of the June 1990 First-Year Player Draft out of Maine, but he returned for his senior season and was drafted by the Angels the following year.

The deal marks the first time the Dodgers and Giants have orchestrated a trade since December 11, 1985, when Los Angeles sent outfielder Candy Maldonado to San Francisco in exchange for catcher Alex Trevino.