The St. Francis Friars have traded versatile utility man (and team HR leader) Ben Zobrist to Oakland United for struggling OF Carlos Lee and some minor-league talent, much to the consternation of their fan base. You can read more about the controversy here!
For Oakland GM Anthony Guerra, the move made all the sense in the world. "After days of back-and forth-negotiations, Oakland United has once again made another trade move, sending a handful of prospects. We just felt that Zobrist is a very versatile player. He can play OF, IF whereever we need him to play, he is a very exciting player to have and watch," Guerra explained.
"With the likes of C Derek Norris having a respectable year in the minors," continued Guerra, "and Tony Sanchez getting hurt in Double A ball with a broken jaw, this move isn't surprising cause the expectations was to hope Sanchez would of been ready at the beginning of next season, but now its likely he will be out possibly until 2012. Carlos Lee was a toss in to make room of tight salary issues the Oakland ball club has dealt with the last couple of years."
For Oakland GM Anthony Guerra, the move made all the sense in the world. "After days of back-and forth-negotiations, Oakland United has once again made another trade move, sending a handful of prospects. We just felt that Zobrist is a very versatile player. He can play OF, IF whereever we need him to play, he is a very exciting player to have and watch," Guerra explained.
"With the likes of C Derek Norris having a respectable year in the minors," continued Guerra, "and Tony Sanchez getting hurt in Double A ball with a broken jaw, this move isn't surprising cause the expectations was to hope Sanchez would of been ready at the beginning of next season, but now its likely he will be out possibly until 2012. Carlos Lee was a toss in to make room of tight salary issues the Oakland ball club has dealt with the last couple of years."
In other BARB action:
WORCESTER 7, BROOKLYN 6
WP: Peter Moylan (4-1, 3.00)
LP: J.J. Putz (1-1, 2.25)
Recently called-up OF Delmon Young's hit his second HR of the game in the eighth off reliever Matt Guerrier, and Mark Teixeira delivered a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth against J.J. Putz to hand the reeling Moabs their third straight divisional loss, putting the resurgent Eliminators (45-30) firmly in the Eastern Division lead as the loop approached the league's All-Star Break
FROSTBITE FALLS 5, OAKLAND 3
WP: Matt Garza (4-4, 4.72)
LP: Andy Pettite (3-7, 5.48)
SV: Frasor (4)
A tiring Andy Pettite gave up a go-ahead, two-run HR to rookie Drew Stubbs, and the Squirrels (38-35) held on when Joakim Soria fanned pinch-hitter Carlos Lee with the bases loaded in the eighth to frustrate their hosts in Oakland. Following the game, the high-priced Lee was sent packing along with some prospects in a trade with St. Francis (see above), while continuing to shop veteran pitchers like Pettite and Josh Beckett on the open market.
LOS ANGELES 12, ST. FRANCIS 6
WP: Mike Pelfrey (1-0, 0.00)
LP: Fausto Carmona (1-1, 0.00)
Nursing a 6-0 lead after four innings, the Friars experienced their worst collapse of the year in recent callup Fausto Carmona's second start of the season. After Alexei Ramirez kicked an easy grounder from Mark Reynolds, Lance Berkman stroked a two-out double and Carmona lost his command, loading the bases. Stephen Drew and Nick Swisher then collected RBI against reliever Micah Owings, capping a seven-run uprising.
The PF Flyers then batted around again in the seventh against Owings and rookie Clayton Richards, with things getting so bad that versatile utility man Ben Zobrist actually began tossing in the bullpen with the score 12-6. Zobrist would end up pinch-hitting for Richards and striking out in what would be his final plate appearance with the Friars (34-39), who had been in first place for nearly two weeks in June before their latest losing streak triggered a trade (see above).
BLACK MESA 4, DARWIN 3
WP: Takashi Saito
LP: Ryan Franklin (0-3, 5.92)
Raul Ibanez reached on an error by 1B James Loney, pinch-hitter Curtis Granderson tied the game by beating out an infield single and Franklin Guttierrez drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth to literally....(wait for it).... have a 'walk-off', as the Finches wasted a solid effort by Zack Grienke (7 IP, 3 H, 8 K), dropping them again below .500 as the All-Star Break approached, yet still only three-plus out of first in the surprisingly-competitive Western Division.
The Anomalies late rally gave Black Mesa their fifth straight win, which muddies the picture for the club: on the one hand, below .500 and in the cellar of the division that hosts the defending world champs (Yuma)....on the other hand, playing noticeably better since regaining the bullpen tandem of Jonathan Papelbon and Takashi Saito.
POTTSYLVANIA 6, YUMA 0
WP: Mark Buehrle (7-4, 3.62)
LP: Roy Halladay (6-6, 3.83)
Mark Buehrle scattered eight singles while going the distance, and even added an improbable home run leading off the fifth inning against the great Roy Halladay, as the Creepers (34-38) snapped an eight-game losing streak and moved ahead (34-38) of slumping St. Francis in the unpredictable Central Division. Things definitely went the Creepers way, with rookie Tyler Flowers starting a rally at the bottom of the order and the left-handed hitting Hideki Matsui somehow hooking a ball just off the foul pole off Hong-Chih-Kuo, who was otherwise untouchable (fanning four of the six batters he faced). Carlos Pena added his BARB-leading 29th bomb of the season for good measure.
This is a key stretch for Pottsylvania, which will have nine straight games against Central foes and realistically needs to win their next few series to get back into the Central race.
FRIARS THROW IN TOWEL, DEAL ZOBRIST
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