CHICAGO LANDS BONDS & JETER

For Immediate Release
December 20, 2004

     CHICAGO — When Derek Jeter checked his cell phone early Saturday night, the two calls he’d missed were from Barry Bonds and a Kentucky beat writer.
In less than a span of 8 hours after talks heated up between the Kentucky Head Hunters & the Chicago Mobsters a deal was in place, that would send two of the biggest names in the game just a little north and west to the Windy City.
Jeter had no idea that Bonds was calling him with such important news.
“I thought, ‘Man, G.M. Brian Scantland traded someone else,'” Jeter said. “I just figured Bonds was calling to tell me who it was.”
Turns out that was exactly what Bonds was doing. But it never occurred to Jeter that Bonds might be calling about himself, and it never crossed Jeter’s mind that he would be included in a deal.
“Not in a million years,” Jeter admitted. “It didn’t cross my mind for a second.”
To say Jeter was surprised by the news that the Head Hunters had sent Bonds, & Jeter to Chicago in exchange for pitcher Joel Pineiro, Infielders David Eckstein, B.J. Upton, and prospect Andy Marte is an understatement. Along with those players 9 draft picks switched hands as well.
To say that Bonds was surprised would put you in the Understatement Hall of Fame. “I don’t even know if they have a word for what I felt,” said Bonds, who got the news over the phone from Head Hunters general manager Brian Scantland. “I mean it was complete and utter shock, I didn’t know what to say. It’s like I was paralyzed. Brian’s talking to me about it, and I honestly couldn’t carry on a conversation. My head was swimming, just trying to comprehend what it all means.”
To many, what it seemed to mean for The Chicago Mobsters, is that the future is now, and there in it to win it. “We’ve got to put it together now & make a solid run at it. This deal really gives us a shot to reach our goal” said Chicago G.M. John (STRAY) Corrado.
“No way did I ever think Bonds and myself would be headed elsewhere,” Jeter told the beat writer from Kentucky, late Saturday evening. “Trading both of us I thought was absurd.” And then he paused for a moment and added, “Then again, I’d have probably thought [going into the off season] that trading one of us would be absurd.”
On Monday, in the blustery cold winter, of downtown Chicago, Bonds and Jeter were introduced as the newest members of the Chicago Mobsters at a press conference.
“We are extremely excited to have obtained the high caliber type of players that Bonds & Jeter represent,” Mobsters GM John (STRAY) Corrado said. “They are game breaking players, that we’ve been working hard to obtain over the course of almost six months. It was difficult to part with the four young players that we traded, (as well as the high draft picks) but to acquire players like Bonds & Jeter, we felt that this deal made sense for us in several ways.”
“Right now, I’m kind of excited about going to the Mobsters and getting a chance to D.H. some, and having a chance at another World Series ring,” Bonds said. He later joked with the press and said ‘Dude, give it a couple days to sink in. It hasn’t really sunk in. When it does, I’m sure I am going to be even more excited about our chances.”
Mobsters G.M, Corrado said, “We had to make improvements in both the pitching and the offense, during the course of the off season. After the acquisition of Clemens, we just felt that one of the strategies we needed to work on was to improve our offense, and defense. Acquiring Bonds offense, and Jeter Defense we felt that was the best way to accomplish our goals.”
“It’s definitely weird in a way, no doubt,” Jeter said. “I mean, I’ve never really thought I’d be traded out of Kentucky. I made a lot of good friends down there, and the people there treat you like a rock star, but I am really looking forward to playing in the big “Windy” city of Chicago.
“Am I surprised by all of this? Yeah, a little,” Jeter said. “But did I think Bonds and I would be traded away from Kentucky together? No. That’s seemed unrealistic two days ago. The bottom line is that we’re now in Chicago and have jobs to do, and I’ve been around long enough and seen enough of what it takes to win a World Series Championships. I have complete faith in whatever G.M. Corrado’s master plan might be. “Even if you don’t understand something while it’s happening, you just have to trust him on it. His track record of winning teams speaks for itself.”
“I hope people realize how special these two guys are,” said Corrado. “Twenty years from now, people are going to be telling their grandkids, ‘I was there when those two guys were traded to Chicago, what a glorious day and season that turned out to be”.
Jeter, who still hadn’t spoken with Bonds as of late Saturday night, was still a little frazzled to really contemplate the entire ordeal “It’s still a zoo right now,” he said. “But I feel so good for Barry & myself, because we’re going to a team that has a shot at the MWBL World Series. I just hope everything works out for us. ”
Said Jeter: “It’s a shame, man. I really hope everything works out for the Head Hunter’s, too, especially those young guys they traded for. But right now, as a member of the Mobsters we have something pretty special going on.”

TRADE DEADLINE
WEDNESDAY 07/24/2024
AT 11:59 PM - ET!

Days
1
1
7
Hrs
2
0
Min
2
2
Sec
4
8