Minor Leaguer Traded For Some Bats
Every once in a while there is a baseball story that makes you think that Bull Durham didn’t tell you half of the stuff that goes on in the minor leagues.
A minor league player got traded for 10 bats. According to MSNBC:
For now, (John) Odom is headed to the Laredo Broncos of the United League. They got him Tuesday from the Calgary Vipers of the Golden Baseball League for a most unlikely price: 10 Prairie Sticks Maple Bats, double-dipped black, 34-inch, C243 style.
“They just wanted some bats, good bats — maple bats,” Broncos general manager Jose Melendez said.
Well, as long as they were good bats. Nothing beats the feel or good wood in your hands. Did I just write that? Damn. This story would have been much funnier if Odom had been traded for two balls. That would have been a blogging dream.
Odom, in an attempt to cling to some shred of personal dignity, is trying to make the best of it:
Odom said he was supposed to be traded for Laredo’s best hitter. But when that player balked at moving to Calgary, the bats entered the deal.
Yeah, because that’s the natural progression of any trade conversation. I bet it went just like this:
“Hey we want to trade Odom for your best player?”
“No.”
“Mmmm. Okay. How about Odom for that Louisville Slugger and some Big League Chew?”
“Deal on the bat. No go on the chew, it’s my personal stash”.
“I understand, it’s a deal. You coming to the Tonya Harding fight?”
“Nah, too low-brow, I’m going to the topless mud-wrestling at Joe’s game instead”.
“Classy, Bob. Classy”.
“Yeah, the missus has really improved my culture, she graduated community college you know?”.
