While checking out of the STL hotel, secretary Penny Layne calls and says I have two calls waiting from GM's - what do I want to do? I ask who they are and she replies Farhan Zaidi from SF, and Jeff Luhnow from Houston. I had spoke to Zaidi earlier but we could not come to any deal and I didn't see any progress, but I said I'll take his call first and call Jeff back later. (Look at me! I'm calling these GM's by their first names...
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I listen to Farhan pitch me on trading for Madison Bumgarner - I remember him beating us earlier this year and homering too! I ask what he wants and tell him I cant take on that kind of salary. Zaidi says what about LF Dickerson and a minor league SP? I counter with my last request for RP Jaime Callahan, who the Giants are eyeing as their CL in waiting. Expecting to be told no, Zaidi shocks me by saying he'll put the paperwork in right now. Holy Cow! I have to get my tablet out of my bag and start calling Asst. GM Huntington, to find out who makes the player to be named later (SP). Huntington immediately says Brault is 27 and last year of control for Pittsburgh. OK done - call back to Zaidi who after checking with his scout, agrees to the trade! Woot!
Now I remember I owe a call to Jeff Luhnow too. I leave the arrangements to be set up between Neal and Penny back in the office. I call Jeff and he starts pitching me that I need a "real" CF and he has CF Jake Marisnick who wants to play more, am I interested? Is this the twilight zone coming to life here? I ask him what he is looking for and he laughs, "got a SP"? he inquires and I'm wondering if he hasn't gotten together with Zaidi to prank the new guy... by this time we are at the STL airport waiting to board our charter plane. I quickly grab the Mgr. & Coaches and we try to find a secluded spot to talk. Ray Searage offers up SP Lyles, who I know he's not fond of - and surprisingly everybody on the staff wouldn't mind losing him for a bag of baseballs!!! Well with that consensus opinion expressed, I'm calling back Jeff Luhnow a third time...
I ask about adding RF Myles Straw to the deal, a 24 y/o minor player with some AMAZING speed, and for the second time today I'm shocked when Jeff says "Yeah, I'll go for that". So I agree and set in motion the calls and contacts back in Pittsburgh to make these deals... and then I'm on the flight to ARZ.
Adding third frontline pitcher and a solid CF at the cost of a fan favorite LF and SP. Yeah I think we are sending a message to the team at least I'm serious about winning here...