OOPS! - Knights Admit '09 Draft Error Leaves Kendall Unprotected

(New York Daily Mirror - May 28, 2009)

NEW YORK - For the second time in two season, a glitch in the NASBL state of the art draft system has cost a team an important position player.

In early 2008, Doug Sherlag, grand poobah of the Illinois Chow Chows, selected "D. Young" in the draft, thinking he had just selected promising youngster Delmon Young. In actuality, and as Sherlag was later to find out to his dismay, he had actually selected broken-down nobody (and ex-Knight, of course) Dmitri Young. Sherlag, justifiably, complained rather loudly and after weathering some bad press and obtaining the consent of the other 15 clubs, the NASBL front office permitted Sherlag to switch his pick and select the "correct" D. Young.

Now, over two months into the '09 campaign, the Knights have red-facedly admitted that Knights GM Mitch Pak mistakenly selected the wrong "J. Baker" in this year's rookie draft. Thus, instead of selecting promising young John Baker to back up veteran Jason Kendall behind the plate this year, Pak instead selected Jeff Baker, an injury-prone backup infielder who has had an unremarkable career.

The error leaves the Knights without a backup catcher for this season, meaning that absent Chow-like dispensation from the league, Jason Kendall will be compelled to catch all 162 games this season, virtually guaranteeing an overusage penalty.

The error was reportedly discovered two weeks ago, when Knights CEO and majority owner, the ordinarily reclusive Samuel Zachary, called his club's GM on the carpet to inquire as to why the team was using Jason Kendall exclusively behind the plate this year. Pak advised that the Knights had drafted a backup catcher in John Baker, whom the Knights hoped would succeed Kendall after this season as the club's everyday catcher. However, upon visiting the Knights clubhouse to speak with Baker, he found that the Baker suiting up for the Knights was not the Baker he thought he was getting.

"This is on me," said Pak at a press conference yesterday. "I'm the GM, I select the players. I should have been more careful about who we were drafting. I apologize to Jason for the additional workload and will gladly pay for any surgery he may need after the season."

Kendall was amused when advised of the error. "I was wondering why my name was in the lineup every day. I like to play a lot, but catching 162 games? At my age? I'm not going to be able to stand up come October."

Baker, who is hitting .400 for the club in 15 at bats, had little comment on the issue. "I was sitting in my living room in Denver when I got the call from my agent that the Knights had drafted me. I was a little surprised because I thought the Knights' infield was pretty set, but I didn't ask any questions. I packed up my stuff and here I am."