What is the relationship of the Frostbite Falls Flying Squirrels and Lexington Rebels? It might be something like that of the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics in the 1950s and 1960s: another farm club for the champions.
"We don't really see it that way," said Squirrels GM Jack Zduriencik. "They just make offers that are too good to pass up, and we accept them.
The latest Nomad desire was the bat and glove of #1 prospect OF Jay Bruce. The Squirrels picked Bruce late in the 2007 draft after he was overlooked by the rest of the league, and he was brought to the majors for his first B.A.R.B. at bats just less than a week ago. But with a small surplus of talented outfielders and needs both in starting and relief pitching, the Frostbite Falls front office decided Bruce was expendable when they received an offer of four very talented players.
Zduriencik, with the help of Assistant GM Andrew Friedman, negotiated the acquisition of RHPs Joakim Soria and Dustin McGowan AND two top prospects to be named, rumored to be an OF and another RHP, for Bruce, and Bruce alone.
"Wow," said Friedman. "I was not expecting to have our pitching staff bolstered by something like this so quickly. We've had a few pitchers performing poorly in the 'pen, and then Pat Neshek went down for the season. There have been some injuries and poor performances from our starters. But all of a sudden we have the youngsters Soria and McGowan, and we are much more comfortable. We also know we can probably pick up other talented players and trade them for Jay next season. That's just the way things happen with Trader Ron."
Both Soria and McGowan expressed their surprise and excitement about joining B.A.R.B.'s most successful franchise.
"That's the team everyone wants to play for. They had the Murderer's Row offense in 2003 and then a dynamite starting rotation in 2005 and 2006. I hope I can help bring the title back to northern Minnesota," said McGowan.
Though he didn't say much, Soria mentioned he was eager to work with all of the young talent in the bullpen.
The players to be named will transfer to the Frostbite minor league system at the end of the 2008 season, but it was not made known to the media who they were.
Jay Bruce left the Squirrels clubhouse in a huff after hearing about being traded and was not available for comment.
