SAN DIEGO -- In U.S. Major League Baseball's biggest trade in 37 years, the San Diego Padres have acquired third baseman Ken Caminiti, shortstop Andujar Cedeno and center fielder Steve Finley in a 12-player deal with the Houston Astros.


The deal detailed Wednesday, the first move by any team since owners imposed a salary cap last Friday, also involves a father-son combo. Tal Smith was hired Nov. 22 as the Astros president. His son, Randy, was hired by the Padres as general manager on June 9, 1993.


"Obviously we talked about it as we got closer to finalizing it,'' Randy Smith said, "but 99 percent of the conversations were with (Houston GM Bob) Watson.''


The Padres, with a Texas-size hole to manuever in under the new salary cap and a new owner willing to spend money now, also received right-hander Brian Williams and first baseman Roberto Petagine. They will also get an additional minor league player to be agreed on by April 30.


If it becomes a 12-player deal, it would match the fourth-largest of the century, behind 18-player deals in 1900 and 1954, and a 13-player trade in 1957. There also was a 12-player trade in 1957.


Houston will receive left fielder Phil Plantier, center fielder Derek Bell, shortstop Ricky Gutierrez, third baseman-shortstop Craig Shipley and relievers Pedro Martinez and Doug Brocail.


"I like this deal,'' said Randy Smith, who had a radically different start to his tenure when he was forced by ownership to trade Gary Sheffield, Fred McGriff, Bruce Hurst and Greg Harris to complete a salary purge in 1993.


"It's a real nice mixture for us, and we did not have to give up our young prospects,'' Smith said. When and if the players' strike ends, the deal is expected to dramatically improve a Padres team that finished last season at 47-70, the worst record in the major leagues. It boosts their defense and speed, and they did not have to deal any starting pitchers, considered the team's strength.


The Padres knew the Astros needed to drop salary, and began looking at options when they visited Houston in the final series before the strike began Aug. 12.


The deal is baseball's biggest since Nov. 20, 1957, when the Kansas City Athletics and Detroit Tigers swapped 12 players, including Billy Martin, Gus Zernial and Mickey McDermott.