We Got Wood - 45.23 - Portland Sends Gomez to Chicago

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Many wondered if new Lumberjacks assistant General Manager Kate Fiscus would do any dealings with the Chicago Black Sox in her first season with the team. After controversy surrounded the two over the "Pig Shit Fiasco" that brought the two organizations into a triangle with Yellow Springs, many wondered if the two franchises would ever do dealings. But it appears the new AGM Mrs. Fiscus is putting her past discretions behind her to help build the Lumberjacks franchise as she hooked up with the Black Sox to send star catcher Pedro Gomez to Chicago for a package of prospects.

"Vinnie, their owner, tried to butter me up with a fruit basket but I told him to keep that bullshit to himself. I was interested in any of his manipulation tactics and horse shit nonsense" commented Kate on how negotiations began. "I told him we either do business the right way in this league or we don't do business at all." Fiscus said the emasculated Vinnie deferred the rest of the talks to their GM Benny Vitale where Kate commented "talks were smooth after that."

In the end, the two struck a deal that sent Portland's catcher Pedro Gomez and pitching prospect Xing-li Cong to Chicago in exchange for pitching prospects Juan Martinez, Randolph Marable, and Rafael Gomez. The deal further supports the Phase II portion of the Lumberjacks building plan to stockpile as many arms as possible for the future.

"When you look back on the moves" added Fiscus, "we've lost some pieces but are trying to build them back up now." Fiscus is commenting on the fact that the Lumberjacks gave up two solid pieces to acquire Gomez back in 2043 from New Orleans when the team traded Christian Burgos and Marine Karetu to acquire the young catcher.

"We'd clearly like to have those pieces back and never have made the move to start with" added Fiscus, "but what's done in the past is done. You can either dwell on that mistake and continue to suffer as an organization, or just admit you fouled up and get back to what the organization had originally planned to do. We tried, we failed. Now let's move forward and get this organization built into a power for the future."

All 3 arms acquired in the trade are projected to be big league arms in some fashion down the road. Fans could see Gomez and Martinez as soon as 2046 while Marable is a little more of a project down the road. Gomez reported to Single-A and could see a call-up to Double-A around the all-star break. Martinez is already at Triple-A where he's expected to stay the rest of the season. Marable, at just 19 years old, is waiting for the start of rookie league ball which will begin in a few weeks after the 2045 amateur draft concludes.