HORNED TOADS, ACES GEAR UP FOR STRETCH RUN

Lee: 82-63, 3.98 ERA, 829 K in eight-plus BARB seasons

With playoff spots in sight, Casselton and Sin City made a swap that benefitted both sides. A few days later, the Aces completed a small-scale deal with reigning champion Frostbite Falls.

The important trade saw a large-salaried hurler on the move after months of rumors surrounding many teams. Cliff Lee, 5-4 with a 4.02 ERA in 13 starts for Sin City, was acquired to bolster a staff that already boasts the league’s 3^rd-best team ERA. The Horned Toads, five and a half games up in the Central Division in mid-July, issued a simple release from GM Landon Bolt: “We are pushing hard for the playoffs. We are on top of our division and expect to do nothing but improve between now and the end of the season.”

In return for the crafty lefty (and reliever Clay Hensley), Bolt sent Anthony Guerra a package of established players and highly-valued prospects. The jewel of the deal was young catcher Mike Zunino. Also moving to Sin City are useful pieces in outfielder Lucas Duda, starting pitcher Doug Fister and relievers Francisco Rodriguez and Darren O’Day.

“I felt Lee’s value to us was in what we can get for him now going forward to win and our future and before next season when we would be faced with a tough 20 million dollar salary option,” Guerra said.

Guerra then went and completed a deal for an all-around outfielder. He had been in talks with Frostbite Falls for weeks, going through many different players before finding a match. A package of four prospects was dealt to northern Minnesota in exchange for injured-but-talented fly-chaser Jayson Werth.

The acquisition of Werth was, quite simply, to gain another power bat. All Guerra said to the media was, “It’s showtime!”

Frostbite Falls management had been looking to trade outfielders for starting pitching help or prospects. With Mike Trout, Bryce Harper and Austin Jackson producing for cheap salaries for the next few years, the older and expensive players were expendable. Added to the Flying Squirrel farm system in exchange for Werth were infielder Christian Colon, outfielder Reymond Fuentes, right-handed pitcher Taylor Jungmann and left-hander Manny Banuelos.

“This trade helps re-stock our farm system in case we decide we’re ‘buyers’ closer to the trade deadline,” Frostbite owner Andrew Haynes said. “It also isn’t the type of deal that hurts our chances to defend our title.”