Pedroza and Hess Sold to Calgary

The Victoria Seals have traded their best pitcher and hitter, Isaac Hess and Sergio Pedroza, to the Calgary Vipers for cash and "future considerations". In Cleve Dheensaw's column in the T-C on Tuesday, the deal is portrayed as a "blockbuster trade" where "the Seals have their eyes pointed to next season." Something doesn't quite add up here.

According to Cleve's column, the Seals are due to receive four players in return. But if GBL players are typically only signed to one-year contracts, these "future considerations" are meaningless. Basically, everyone is a free-agent in the GBL off-season.

I realize that the Victoria Seals are a business and that they are entitled to make a profit for all of their hard work. But let's call a spade a spade. This "trade" was nothing but a cash sale. To portray it as a deal that helps the team in the long run is simply disingenuous. The biggest thing going for the Seals is the fact that Victoria is a great city to play pro baseball in. That in itself will attract free agents in the off-season and be much more beneficial to the team that this latest transaction.

The deal follows on the heels of the "trade" of the team's hottest pitcher, Roberto Sotolongo, to the York Revolution of the Atlantic League approximately three weeks ago. Sotolongo was traded for "future considerations" as well. We're still waiting on those.

In any event, don't let the standings or these latest transactions get you down. Baseball is a great game and get out and enjoy it before the home schedule ends on Sunday. It will be a long and rainy winter.