They May Have to Brown-Bag It

NASHVILLE —  Kevin Towers knows what he has lost.

“He’s the greatest pitcher in the game,” the San Diego Padre general manager said of Kevin Brown, who was signed to a seven-year, $105-million contract by the Dodgers on Saturday.

“He’s by far the best I’ve seen. If I had to win one game and had the choice of pitchers, he’d be it. He makes the whole team better, and he’s just as valuable on the days he’s not on the mound.

“I’ll tell you this, when [Dodger General Manager] Kevin Malone wakes up on the days that Kevin Brown is going to pitch, he’s going to feel very comfortable. I just wish he wasn’t in our division.”

Brown led the Padres to a division title and National League pennant last year, but this will not be the same team.

Ken Caminiti and Steve Finley have left as free agents, in addition to Brown. Greg Vaughn and Joey Hamilton soon could leave in trades.

Towers and owner John Moores insist they are not conducting a fire sale, that the payroll will be more than $40 million, but the perception may be something different to San Diego voters who approved funding for a downtown stadium scheduled to open in 2000.

They may be wondering why their support has now produced a cautious economic approach by management and the loss of several key players.

Towers said the Padres are still a small-market team that is three full seasons away from the improved revenue stream of a new stadium.

“If anything,” he said, “I’d like to think our fans understand why we didn’t match this offer [for Brown]. We’re trying to protect our fans and keep ticket prices in line.

“I mean, what some clubs were offering [Brown] was more than John Moores paid for the franchise. We offered six years at $60 million, which is quadruple what we have ever offered any other player, including Tony Gwynn.

“A couple years ago you could sign anybody for $60 million. Now it’s a little scary where the market is headed, but I can’t knock Kevin Brown for taking $105 million.

“We knew when we traded for him [prior to the 1998 season] that it could be a one-year rental. He helped take us to the World Series. I only wish the best for him and his family.”

Brown’s new contract, the largest in baseball history, was called an apocalypse by club President Larry Lucchino and confirmation of the Padres’ concern when baseball was considering sale of the Dodgers to Rupert Murdoch.

“I’m in mourning,” Lucchino said Saturday. “Not for the Padres, but for baseball.”

Said Moores, who was quoted in Thursday’s editions of The Times as saying that under Murdoch’s ownership the Dodgers have not been acting in the best interest of the game or showing the prudent approach of Peter O’Malley.

“This may portend disaster for the sport,” Moores said of Brown’s contract.

What it immediately portends for the Padres is the likelihood that young pitchers like Matt Clement and Stan Spencer will move into rotation roles. Ultimately, the Padres hope to rebuild with younger players, then beef up in the market as they approach the new stadium.

“We’ve definitely taken some hits, but I’m confident we can remain competitive,” he said. “It’s my job to get it done by trade if we can’t do it by free agency. I’m very proud that we started last season [with a payroll of about $45 million], ended in the low 50s and were one of two teams playing at the end. I hated to lose Caminiti and Finley because they were a large part of our [franchise’s] resurgence, but we made competitive offers to both.

“I hated to lose Brown, but when you make a $60-million offer and aren’t remotely close, you have to wonder where it’s all going to end.”