Trade: River Cities sends All-Star Beeks to Hickory!

Dateline: Marietta, OH – In a move that caught relief pitcher Harold Beeks by surprise today River Cities owner Nate Wooley sent Beeks and left fielder Franklin Jackson to Hickory for a package of players, prospects, and picks. Coming to the confluence from Hickory are injured RF Lowell Maclin, young OF Robert Amos, and minor leaguers Malcolm Birdwell and Robert Turner. River Cities will also receive Hickory’s first round pick in next year’s minor league draft.

Beeks, reached at his palatial West Side estate in the Harmar region responded to questions by saying, “WTF? I’ve been with River Cities almost longer than anyone! Most of the guys I’m playing with weren’t even playing professionally when I came to the Sternwheelers for the 2008 season! Now I’m switching to Hickory?”

Reached at the Washington County, OH fairground where he was chaining himself to a fence near the farmer’s market River Cities owner Nate Wooley told this reporter, “Harry’s a great pitcher, sure. I can’t dispute that. But both Brown and Fullen in AAA have earned their opportunity to play in the majors. Also, why was I paying five and a half million dollars to some guy pitching 60 or so innings per year? Fah! Now help me get this thing locked up. Protests don’t happen by themselves, you know!”

Jackson, who joined the team last year from Cleveland, said he wasn’t surprised by the deal. “With the suspiciously fast development of Jesse (Dubreuil) it was only a matter of time. He’s really shown a lot of talent and poise and I know that I’ve been passed by someone younger, better, and cheaper. It’s the right thing to do.” Jackson then turned to a River Cities public relations executive and whispered, “Can I have my twenty now? I’ve got a train to catch.”

Reports from the front office state that Maclin will come to the team on the disabled list but the team is looking forward to seeing him perform when perfectly healthy. Amos will move directly into the major league roster backing up DuBrueil and right fielder Patrick Valdes. Birdsell and Turner will be assigned to AAA and AA, respectively.