Trade: River Cities and Walla Walla

Dateline: Marietta June 10, 2011

In a move predicted by this reporter as fallout from the Sternwheelers acquisition of Starting Pitcher Ed Scull today River Cities dealt Starting Pitching prospect Pedro Marez and MR Fletcher Mahurin to Walla Walla for RF prospect Santiago Salazar and Walla Walla's 1st round pick in next year's amateur draft.

Marez, drafted in the third round by River Cities in the 2007 draft, is a four star starting pitcher just breaking into the majors this year. He currently is the #5 starter for the River Cities squad and goes to a Walla Walla club who recently lost #3 starter Jeremy Brunton to injury.

"Well, I'm sorry to leave the banks of the Ohio", said Marez, reached at his home on Harmar Hill, "But I'm glad to be going to a team with a great young talent core and that has a shot at winning soon. With luck I'll be beating my old teammates in River Cities soon!"

Mahurin, a talented middle reliever who had yet to break into the majors said, "Well, at least I'll get a chance this way. I'm as developed as I'll ever be and I just never got the call. The team Scouting Director kept promising me he'd sent emails to Mr. Wooley saying that I was ready and should be called up but neither of us ever heard back. I bet he never even checks that email address. Probably some dumb old guy who has Prodigy or something."

River Cities owner Wooley responded, "I'm sorry that Fletch feels that way. I do have a laptop and all the accountrement. Heck, it even comes with a cupholder right there on the side. How sweet is that? Anyway, we needed to move someone out and Pedro was the right fit for Walla Walla. We wish him all the best there. And we always love to pick up prospects under 22 and picks. It's a fetish of mine."

Salazar, the 6th pick overall in this year's amateur draft, is a right fielder with the potential to be a powerful offensive force, even if, in this reporters opinion, he shouldn't be allowed to wear a glove and take the field.