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Punxtawney, the lone .700 team remaining in the PVBL, has completed another that sent 2 of their best players off to another team. Roger Clemens, one of the best in Defiant League, along with Roberto Alomar, top second baseman in the game and rookie prospect Curtis Goodwin, were sent to Sean Corwin's DC United. In return, Punxtawney got DC ace Pedro Martinez, top-notch closer Ricky Bottalico, and veteran starter Rick Aguilera.
Aguilera has been on the disabled list for some time but is not returning. Bottalico has yet to yield a run in his innings of relief work, and Pedro Martinez, though only 2-2 so far, is a very similar pitcher to Roger Clemens and is far younger. Shapiro followed John Dybala's lead and handed out name tags to his team as in the last few days, Punxatawney has completed the following moves--
Sent Jack Broskie and Brian Giles for Socks Byrne and Dario Veras with Larimer
Sent Pete Schourek and Socks Byrne for Tony Batista and Marty Cordova
Sent Roger Clemens, Roberto Alomar, and Curtis Goodwin for Pedro Martinez, Rick Aguilera, and Ricky Bottalico.
A few days prior, Rondell White was acquired for Ernie Young and Mark Portugal.
When asked what in gods name he was thinking, breaking up a team that had won 26 of its first 37 games, Shapiro simply shrugged and answered, "You gotta have some fun with it. I enjoy shaking the team up and seeing how we do. I feel these trades are really going to help us. We have a very young pitching staff now, just one veteran. Pedro, Dustin, Jon, and Rocky will be the team of the future. We now also have 2 of the best closers in the game, Randy Myers and Bottalico. Our outfield is stronger with the addition of Cordova. Batista gives us some much needed speed. Throw all that together with the big bats of Klesko, Giambi, and Stanley. This team is better. And our backups are better in case we get injured. We are ready to win the league not just this year but for the next few years. Giambi, Batista, Rolen, Cordova, White, Klesko--nobody older than 24. Dustin, Pedro, Jon, Rocky--nobody over 24. Even if we don't win this year, this team is going to be powerful in years to come."
With that, Shapiro strode out, mentioning one last fact to the reporters standing nearby. "Oh yeah," he said, "let everyone know that we're willing to trade Bottalico, Myers, or Leskanic now."
Written by Dan Shapiro