The Northstars made international headlines this week with the signing of MBBA superstar-to-be Bailey Attoehow. The EBA's 2027 leader in WHIP, Attoehow was widely expected to sign a big money deal to pitch for the Tucson Cactus, who claimed his rights earlier this fall in the Rule 6 Draft. He instead inked a six year deal with the Belfast Northstars of the European Baseball Alliance, clearly a testament to the negotiating prowess of the club's new GM, Adam Dee.International baseball's imperialistic regulations mean that the Cactus have the right to match Attoehow's contract and force him to play in America, even if that is clearly against the wishes of the player in question. Adam Dee has hinted to the press that his club intends to challenge this rule in a court of law -- thumbing their nose at the Monty Brewster Baseball Association league office that he himself was a part of mere months ago. While international legal experts don't think he has much of a chance -- the MBBA-EBA Association Agreement is very clear and leaves very little room for differences of opinion -- this doesn't seem to dim Dee's enthusiasm about his chances.
"Look, he obviously doesn't want to play for Tucson. He wants to play for Belfast. We signed a contract. You know there were American clubs offering him more money -- we're not exactly on an even footing economically, are we? But Bailey chose to play for us and Tucson should respect his wishes. And if they don't, well, we have lawyers here in Belfast."
Players have been crossing the Atlantic via the annual Rule 6 Draft for years, but this is the first time a European club has attempted to fight the system that has been in place since the EBA was founded. The Northstars shouldn't expect much support from their own league either, as it shares a commissioner with the more powerful MBBA. Matt Rectenwald, himself the General Manager of the reigning American champions, the Las Vegas Hustlers, is widely expected to place his full support behind Tucson's claim.
Tucson's General Manager, Stephen Lane, was unavailable for comment at the time of printing. Sources close to the situation, however, claim that he and Dee spoke after news of Attoehow's contract broke Thursday morning, with Dee urging Lane to respect the contract. According to these sources, Lane claimed that Tucson's pitching situation was so dreadful that he "had no choice" but to force Attoehow to come to America. When Dee mentioned that his organization would not take the move lying down, Lane is said to have mocked the Irish club: "Oooooh, I'm so intimidated".
Attoehow himself has declined to comment on the situation, making only a brief statement through his agent:
"Bailey is just looking forward to playing baseball. We will be discussing the matter with both the Cactus and the Northstars, and I am certain we can come to an amiable agreement shortly."
