Minor League Spotlight is the MLB FanHouse's look into baseball's minor leagues. But you probably figured that out already.When other teams know that you absolutely have to trade somebody, like the Calgary Vipers of the Golden Baseball League had to trade pitcher John Odom because they couldn't get him in the country for immigration reasons, then you know that you're going to get less than market value for him. But the "haul" they got from the Laredo Broncos is ridiculous:
And so Odom, about a month after being acquired by a Canadian team, found himself Tuesday on the roster of a team on the Mexican border. All for the price of 10 Prairie Sticks Maple Bats, double-dipped black 34-inch C243 style.Wait a second ... maple bats? A Canadian team had to trade a player and all they would get were maple bats which are made primarily in Canada? That's like the Brewers trading Eric Gagne for beer.
"They just wanted some bats, good bats - maple bats," Broncos general manager Jose Melendez said Friday.
The Vipers had signed Odom, but it seems Odom had a "minor," but unspecified, criminal record that he did not reveal to immigration officials before they scanned his passport, Vipers President Peter Young said.I suppose I shouldn't get on Young too much. After all, would a team be willing to trade beer ... or maple bats ... for Gagne right now?
Calgary found the Broncos were willing to take Odom, but the Vipers weren't interested in any of the Laredo players. Plus, it would have cost Calgary $1,000 to fly any new player in from Laredo. Laredo offered cash, but Young said that was "an insult."
