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To all members of the newly founded PVBL--
Phil the Groundhog Predicts Baseball in Punxatawney!
That's right, folks! The Pepper Virtual Baseball League awarded a franchise to Dan Shapiro. The franchise, originally based in Colorado, was moved to the Pennsylvania rural area. The team was named the Groundhogs after town celebrity Phil, the famed groundhog who predicts whether winter will have an early end or continue later. They plan on playing in Punxatawney Phil Municipal Stadium, located near the town's traffic light. The team colors will be white, green, and black. A team logo is forthcoming, and may be released soon.
The "Hogs" (as they are often called) announced their third trade earlier today. Pending approval of the commish, they traded Andy Pettite and Gregg>Jefferies to the Atlanta Knights to obtain Pete Schourek, Randy Myers, Ryan Klesko, and AAA player Jim Burright. Said Groundhog owner Dan Shapiro of the trade, "I hated letting Pettite go, but the offer gave us so much more. Schourek is capable of holding down a spot in the rotation, Myers can anchor our bullpen, and Klesko is an amazing young hitter. Also, we were able to get rid of Jefferies, a head case who can't hit or field. Burright is a great prospect too--only 18 years old and possibly the best arm in the minors. He'll be up within a year or two to dominate the league."
Previous deals included trading Juan Guzman for Roger Clemens and giving up Paul O'Niell for Roberto Kelly and Arthur Rhodes. Shapiro also wanted to make it known that Scott Rolen, the young third baseman, was not available for trade for anything less than a superstar. He said, "Rolen is the best young player in this league. He can hit for average, power, has decent speed, and is one of the best defensively. Combine that with the fact that he has a whole career ahead of him and you'll see why we value him so highly."
With that, the interview ended, as does this Press Release.
Written by Dan Shapiro