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Kyle Kendrick traded to Yomiuri Giants; Beltran declares Mets "team to beat"
No, Kyle Kendrick was not traded.
But he sure thought he was after an elaborate hoax put together by his teammates, Phillies management and a hand from the media, too.
Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. ushered the impressionable, 23-year old pitcher into his office to break the news: he was dealt, along with $1.5 million, to the Yomiuri Giants in exchange for highly-touted pitcher Kobayashi Iwamura.
"It's a deal we thought was important for us to make and the fact of the matter is we're trying to get to the next level," Amaro Jr. said. "While Kyle had a hell of a year for us last year, we certainly felt like we had to do it."
The joke went out for a while longer - Amaro turned the questions over to Kendrick - who was smiling, which I thought meant he knew what was up, but it turned out he was shocked and nervous.
He answered a few questions, including: "Aren't you mad that they're trading you after last season?" and "You're going over there - did you get your shots yet?" but all Kendrick could muster were a few, one-word answers and, "do they have good food over there?"
Finally, Brett Myers crept into the media circle and proclaimed: "You just got punked!"
I must say, this was very well done. The best part was Kendrick, taking a VERY deep breath after he found out it was a practical joke.
"I've never been so happy," Kendrick said. "I was not going on that flight in the morning. Thank God."
Comcast SportsNet had camera and microphones going the whole time, so tune in to their programs later on - it'll be well worth your time for a few, Phillies laughs.
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On to a far more serious matter: Mild-mannered, New York center fielder Carlos Beltran has told Newsday that his Mets is "the team to beat."
"Without (newly-acquired pitcher Johan) Santana, we felt as a team we had a chance to win in our division," Beltran said. "With him, now I have no doubt we're going to win in the division. I have no doubt we have what it takes."
Beltran later added: "So this year, to Jimmy Rollins, we are the team to beat in the division."
Jimmy Rollins is not in camp yet. But Charlie Manuel offered Philadelphia Associated Press writer Rob Maadi a quick reply.
"We'll let Louisville do the talking," Manuel quipped.
But he sure thought he was after an elaborate hoax put together by his teammates, Phillies management and a hand from the media, too.
Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. ushered the impressionable, 23-year old pitcher into his office to break the news: he was dealt, along with $1.5 million, to the Yomiuri Giants in exchange for highly-touted pitcher Kobayashi Iwamura.
"It's a deal we thought was important for us to make and the fact of the matter is we're trying to get to the next level," Amaro Jr. said. "While Kyle had a hell of a year for us last year, we certainly felt like we had to do it."
The joke went out for a while longer - Amaro turned the questions over to Kendrick - who was smiling, which I thought meant he knew what was up, but it turned out he was shocked and nervous.
He answered a few questions, including: "Aren't you mad that they're trading you after last season?" and "You're going over there - did you get your shots yet?" but all Kendrick could muster were a few, one-word answers and, "do they have good food over there?"
Finally, Brett Myers crept into the media circle and proclaimed: "You just got punked!"
I must say, this was very well done. The best part was Kendrick, taking a VERY deep breath after he found out it was a practical joke.
"I've never been so happy," Kendrick said. "I was not going on that flight in the morning. Thank God."
Comcast SportsNet had camera and microphones going the whole time, so tune in to their programs later on - it'll be well worth your time for a few, Phillies laughs.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
On to a far more serious matter: Mild-mannered, New York center fielder Carlos Beltran has told Newsday that his Mets is "the team to beat."
"Without (newly-acquired pitcher Johan) Santana, we felt as a team we had a chance to win in our division," Beltran said. "With him, now I have no doubt we're going to win in the division. I have no doubt we have what it takes."
Beltran later added: "So this year, to Jimmy Rollins, we are the team to beat in the division."
Jimmy Rollins is not in camp yet. But Charlie Manuel offered Philadelphia Associated Press writer Rob Maadi a quick reply.
"We'll let Louisville do the talking," Manuel quipped.
posted by Ryan at
3:16 PM
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