Major Trade Between Seattle and Hickory

November 29, 2019 (SEATTLE) - The Seattle Monarchs and Hickory Huskers announced a major trade this morning. Seattle is sending superstar catcher Alberto "Nitro' Granado" along with two prospects to Hickory in exchange for fading star catcher Thomas Geter, a prospect, and two draft choices.

"I'm outraged," spluttered local yokel Cletus Spackler. "We lose to those doofuses from Maui and the front office's response is to trade away the best catcher in the game? They're morons. I don't want to build for the future. I want an eighth championship t-shirt, not another damn draft pick!"

Granado has won four Gold Glove awards and has hit 154 home runs over his eight years with the Monarchs. The 28-year-old had his best year ever at the plate last season, hitting .304 with 28 home runs and 111 RBI. However, he was deemend expendable by the front office due to the rise of top prospect Steve "Sinner" Jones, who is expected to be ready for the majors sometime during the 2020 season. Granado has one year remaining on his contract at $12 million.

Geter is 36 and the whispers of his decline grew pronounced last year. His batting average has dropped from .323 to .298 to .264 over the last three years and he hit just six home runs last season. Geter is owed slightly more than $15 million this year and his contract has a mutual option for another season at the same price.

Coming to the Monarchs along with Geter is relief prospect Carlo "Basher" Humphrey, a third-round pick last year. The draft choices will be Hickory's selections in the first and second rounds on next Spring's draft.

Leaving with Granado is rookie reliever Shigenaga Murakami and AAA outfielder Manuel Cardona, a former #1 overall pick. Murakami, an international signing in 2017, made his debut with the Monarchs this year. Cardona had been the top pick in the 2015 draft and reached AAA Tacoma this season. Seattle is also sending Hickory $2 million in small, umarked bills. The money reportedly will pay for playboy financier Frank Ferrara's expense account for October.

"So, we traded away our star catcher and a former #1 draft pick to get an old fart and another draft pick. Great job, front office," fumed Spackler.