Mets
And Twins Close To Completing Epic Trade
April 13, 2013 (Federal League Wire Service)
The Original Division's traditional powerhouse Parkland Mets and
last season's Championship Final series runners up, the Hallandale
Twins, are expected to finalize a deal this weekend that will
dramatically change the faces of both teams.
When the deal is completed the Mets are expected to send the
rights to last season's Senior Circuit MVP Joe Iacobucci, pitcher
Adam Martinez, and first baseman Alain Friere to the Twins in
exchange for shortstop Matt Rogers, outfielder John Spellman, and
third baseman Angel Rosendo.
Additionally, the Twins are expected to name Martinez as playing
manager, while the Mets have already confirmed that Gary Rogers
will take over as their manager. Rogers spent last season as the
Twins' bench coach.
As a result, the Mets appear to be cutting ties to former manager
Peter Pappas, who was the last direct link to the team's glorious
past. Earlier in the off season, seven time all-star Alex
Rodriguez had announced to the Mets that he planned to retire. The
team has issued no formal statement regarding Pappas and he is
still listed on the club's reserved list. Pappas has not appeared
at any team function's and has not responded to recent attempts to
reach him.
On the other hand, the Twins have made it clear that they
had discharged former manager Ed Bailey
from his duties. Bailey, who had spent the off season pursuing a
coaching job in the Pecos League, failed to represent the Twins at
the league meetings and, as a result, was dismissed. At this time,
it does not appear that Bailey has hooked as a coach or manager on
in any other league.
Although some details of the deal still need to be worked out, an
agreement between both teams exists in principle.
The trade was held up for several weeks as Iacobucci remains
unsigned, causing both sides to refrain from making the deal
official. As of Saturday morning, the slugging outfielder is still
officially a hold out, but the deal is expected to be consummated
regardless.
March 24-Goliaths Purchase Chinea From Sentries:
Seeking some insurance for their infield, the Davie Goliaths have
purchased the rights to slick fielding shortstop Jose Chinea for
cash considerations.
Chinea last appeared for the Gatekeepers in the 2008-2009
Fall/Winter season, when he hit .306 with no home runs and five
RBI.
With incumbent shortstop Anthony Sanchez not yet signed for the
upcoming season, the G-Men felt the need to acquire Chinea. Even
when Sanchez reports, the club may elect to keep Chinea at short,
while moving Sanchez to the outfield. Philistines' manager
Terrence Broussard has long felt that Sanchez's outfield defense
is more valuable to the team than is his defense as part of the
Goliath infield.
With the knowledge that Goliath centerfielder Drew Davis will most
likely start the season on the reserve list, moving Sanchez to
center, a position he played before joining the G-Men, makes even
more sense.
The Goliaths are expecting Chinea to sign with the club
sometime this week.
March 21-Spring Returns-Decides Against Retirement:
The Lighthouse Point Beacons received an important piece of good
news when ace hurler Brant Spring informed the club yesterday that
he intended to return to the team for the 2013 Spring/Summer
season. After an injury plagued campaign last season, it was
previously thought that Spring was leaning toward retirement.
Spring went 2-0 for the Illuminators last season, but only managed
to pitch in four and a third innings. In the playoffs, Spring made
two starts, receiving a no decision in Game 1 and suffering the
loss in Game 3 as the Beacons fell to the Sunrise Sunsets. The
series loss ended the B's unprecedented reign of five consecutive
league championships.
Originally drafted by the Davie Goliaths as a catcher in 2002,
Spring also played briefly for the Hollywood Stars before emerging
as the pitching ace of the old DAS Enterprises Black Diamonds.
Surrounded by the Dark Gems' usual coterie of hard throwers and
fireballers, Spring distinguished himself as the staff leader with
a deceptive assortment of sinkers, sliders, curves, and changes.
After undergoing shoulder surgery, causing him to miss three
seasons, Spring became a free agent and was drafted by the Beacons
in 2008.
In 10 seasons as a Beacon, Spring has compiled a remarkable
regular season record of 36 wins against only three losses.
Spring's ERA as a Beacon stands at an impressive 3.05.
Spring's announcement came fittingly enough on the day of
the vernal equinox, also known as the annual return of spring in
the northern hemisphere.
March 18-Sentries Not Content To Stand Pat; Trade Two
Picks To Tritons For Rights To Libran:
After winning the Expansion Series championship last season, the
Margate Sentries could have been excused had they decided to enter
the upcoming season with essentially the same roster. However, it
is clearly not the Gatekeepers' intention to rest on their laurels
as they have traded two second round draft choices to the
Tri-Cities Tritons in exchange for the rights to unsigned
shortstop Andres Libran.
Inactive all of last season, Libran spent three seasons as a
Triton, last playing in the 2012 Spring/Summer campaign. In the
2011 Spring/Summer season, his first with the club, Libran helped
the Tritons reach the Expansion Series for only the second time in
team history.
The slick fielding shortstop hit .385 with eight home runs and 29
RBI in his Triton career. Libran, possessor of one of the league's
strongest throwing arms, also compiled a 4-3 record in 73 innings
pitched.
In return for the rights to Libran, the Water Dwellers received
the seventh and ninth overall picks in the upcoming draft. The
seventh pick had originally belonged to the Tritons and was
acquired by the Sentries in an unrelated transaction. The Tritons
will also receive a cash consideration from the Sentries.
Libran, who has been coaching high school baseball since
leaving the Tritons, has yet to indicate whether or not he plans
on reporting to the Sentries or resuming his playing career.
March 8-Stars Still Dealing-Send Gonzalez And Nieto To
Beacons:
The Hollywood Stars' plan to overhaul their roster continued to
take shape as they shipped Juan Gonzalez and Raul Nieto to the
Lighthouse Point Beacons for a package of draft picks.
Nieto, who won the Expansion Division MVP award as a member of the
Margate Sentries in the 2006 Spring/Summer season, started last
season well, before tailing off at the end of the campaign. Nieto
wound up hitting .306 with three home runs for the Stars.
Gonzalez hit .338 last season, but only managed to drive in
four runs. On the mound, Gonzalez was
only 1-4 with an ERA of 8.28.
Despite the numbers, Beacons' manager Keith Nicoll is confident
that Gonzalez can be an effective hurler for the pitching starved
Illuminators. Nicoll expects that the versatile Nieto will see the
bulk of his playing time behind the plate as one of the Beacons'
catchers.
In exchange for Gonzalez and Nieto, the Stars received a first
round pick, the sixth pick overall, and a second rounder.
An earlier trade with the Davie Goliaths had netted the Stars
another second round pick, giving them three choices in that round
this season.
Off Season Trading Begins-Goliaths Trade Schaut, Acquire
Arraiz In Separate Deals:
The Davie Goliaths, coming off a strong second place finish last
season, announced a pair of trades this week.
First, the Philistines acquired outfielder Manny Arraiz from the
Hollywood Stars. In return, the Stars received a second round pick
from the G-Men.
In
a separate transaction, the Goliaths traded veteran right
hander Rick Schaut to the Sunrise Sunsets in exchange for a third
round draft choice.
The Goliaths had previously acquired Schaut in a trade with the
Sunsets.
Schaut has not pitched for the past two seasons. In his lone
campaign as a Goliath, Schaut struggled, losing all four
decisions. In three seasons in with the Twilighters, Schaut had a
record of six wins and eight losses.
Prior to his tenure as a Sunset, Schaut was the ace of the
Lighthouse Point Beacons' staff for eight seasons.
Arraiz did not play last season. Two seasons ago, Arraiz hit .238
with two home runs in his rookie season with the Stars.
The trade figures to be the first of many involving the
Stars. Seraphs manager, Angel Canales, Sr. has expressed a desire
to rebuild the team and has spent the early portion of the off
season exploring a variety of deals.
