SILENT KNIGHTS PLAYING CARDS CLOSE TO THE VEST

(New York Daily Mirror - January 31, 2008)

NEW YORK - There was once a time, not very long ago, when the off-season meant a flurry of activity for the Knights. Seldom would a week pass that did not find Mitch Pak juggling several potential trades with a few different clubs. It seemed that the Knights forever had feelers out, scouring the trade wires, inquiring as to the availability for this player or that, boldly trading early-round draft picks. The Knights had a way of keeping the winter interesting.

But no more. The Mid-Season Massacre of 2004 did more than ship out the Knights then-cornerstone group of players. It signaled a sea change in how the Knights do business. Where Mitch Pak would often openly speak about the direction of the club and what his intentions were for the draft or pre-season trades, now almost no information is forthcoming from the Knights front office. Like the gunslingers of the Old West, Mitch Pak is keeping a poker face and holding his cards close to the vest, while trades and signings occur almost daily around him. The era of trading for the sake of trades appears to be over. A perfect example of the Knights new policy occurred this week, when ex-Knight Mike Cuddyer was drafted #1 in the 2008 Supplemental Draft by division rival Grundy County. When called for comment and to address some fans' complaints that Cuddyer should have been retained, the New York sports media was blandly advised that Mitch Pak would make no personal comment but that "the club" would be making a statement. The Knights thereafter simply faxed a terse statement to New York sports media outlets, wishing Cuddyer well in his new city. Not a word has been heard about the issue since.

Its difficult to predict where Pak is going this winter and spring in terms of addressing the club's needs. While at least one NASBL observer has predicted that the Knights will draft Yovani Gallardo with the #8 pick, this would not seem likely, since the Knights already have six starters on the staff. While the Knights have shopped Dontrelle Willis to the other NASBL clubs, the prevailing rumor is that the Knights have not received what they deem to be fair trade offers for him. Again, there has been no confirmation on this point, and it remains as likely as not that the Knights will draft Gallardo. Its anyone's guess.

In the opinion of this page, it seems most likely that the Knights will be looking for a bat with their first pick, to make up for some of the offense lost by the paring of Mike Cuddyer and Jacque Jones from the roster.