THE PURGE BEGINS - Grady, Scott, Vlad Quickly Shipped Out in Trades

(New York Sunday Mirror - November 7, 2010)

NEW YORK - We all knew it was coming, and now it has begun - the Great Knights Purge has commenced in earnest in the makeover of the Knights into the Slatington Bulldogs.

The first swing of the axe came last week when Bulldogs honcho Adam Leickel traded CF Grady Sizemore, the Knights #1 draft pick prior to the 2006 season, to Lake Champlain for pitcher Kevin Slowey and outfielder Jeremy Hermida. Also going to the Cannibals are the Knights top two draft picks for 2011 (a strict no-no under Mitch Pak's regime), in exchange for which the 'Dogs get back a package of three picks, including Steve Beard's #1 pick for '11.

A fan favorite in New York, Sizemore was a highly regarded prospect when Mitch Pak selected him first in the early spring of 2006. Touted as a slick outfielder with speed, some power and a great glove, Sizemore spent five seasons in New York, the first four as the Knights starting center fielder. His best season came in 2009, when he smashed 28 homers and knocked in 73 runs from the leadoff spot in the lineup. Although he batted just .266 that year, he had dramatically cut down on his strikeouts from the previous two seasons. Injuries hampered hi 2010 season, in which he played in a career-low 127 games and failed to reach 500 at bats for the first time. He still managed to hit 16 homers and leg out 9 triples, tying his career high set in 2007.

Hermida just completed his fourth NASBL season, spending his first three in New Jersey, where he was used mostly as a platoon player and pinch hitter. His best season in The Garden State was 2008, when he hit .270 with 13 homers and 46 RBI. He was dealt to Lehigh Valley before the 2010 season and played in 99 games, batting .271 with 9 homers and 35 RBI.

Slowey is a youngster with some promise. Drafted by the Iron Pigs prior to the 2009 season, Slowey made 19 starts, going 6-10 but with a very respectable 4.15 ERA and 116 strikeouts against only 39 walks in 148 innings. He took a step back in 2010, however, posting a 5.91 ERA in 16 starts and allowing 144 hits in just 105 innings.

Coming on the heels of the first deal, Leickel swung the axe again and this time, the cut ran very deep, exiling the team's ace and two of their better bats to Lehigh Valley. Going to the Pigs are Josh Johnson, Vladimir Guerrero and Luke Scott and donning the 'Dogs laundry in '11 will be pitcher Phil Hughes, right fielder Justin Upton, center fielder Dexter Fowler and infielder Eric Aybar.

Clearly, this trade was about getting the 'Dogs younger. Johnson was the Knights #1 pick prior to the 2010 season and he responded by becoming the staff ace. For a losing club, Johnson was 14-11 with a 4.16 ERA. He established the new record for strikeouts in a season by fanning 258, smashing the old record of 238 jointly held by Mike Mussina and Doug Davis. Surprisingly, Johnson will be joining his fourth NASBL team, having already put in time in both Illinois and Vermont. In Hughes, however, the 'Dogs will be getting a solid young hurler with great promise. 2010 was his rookie season and the 'Pigs used him mostly in relief, appearing in 38 games (including three starts) over which he compiled a 4.32 ERA and fanned 93 in 77 innings. Figure the 'Dogs to put Hughes in the rotation for '11. Can he replicate Johnson's numbers? That remains to be seen.

Vlad Guerrero turns 36 next year and Leickel clearly wanted to take advantage of a declining asset while he still had the chance. One of the most feared hitters in NASBL history, Vlad came to the Knights in exchange for pitcher Adam Wainwright midway through the 2009 season. He took immediately to New York, batting .314 with 15 homers and 41 RBI in just 60 games. Hampered by injuries in 2010, Vlad still managed to hit .300 for both Mitch Pak and Matt Eddy with 8 homers and 35 RBI. With close to 400 career homers, over 1200 RBI an a lifetime batting average of .309, Vlad looks like a shoo-in for the NASBL Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible.

Luke Scott was a late round draft pick for the Knights prior to the '09 season. Platooning with Jason Kubel, Scott hit 13 homers and knocked in 48 runs in 340 at bats, but his .229 average and 88 strikeouts led Mitch Pak to cut him after the season. He was picked up again by the Knights late in the '10 draft but again was just a marginal player, hitting just .226 with 11 homers and a weak .654 OPS.

Upton, who just turned 23 in August, was drafted by the Iron Pigs prior to the 2009 season. His rookie season was only so-so, as he batted just .236 but he did have 11 homers and 35 RBI in just 284 at bats. His numbers improved in '10 when he became a full time player, posting 19 homers and 31 doubles in 135 games and raising his average to .260.

Fowler, who will turn 25 next March, was a rookie in 2010 and proved to be a major disappointment. Batting just .200 in 360 at bats spanning 115 games, Fowler had many more strikeouts (110) than hits (72), never a good sign.

Aybar, at 26 the "old man" of the group, was a rookie in 2008 with the 'Pigs and was used sparingly, compiling just 108 at bats and batting .231 with an unsightly .560 OPS. He was released by the 'Pigs after '08 and remained undrafted in 2009. The 'Pigs picked him up again in 2010 and he fared better, batting .263 in 140 games with 15 triples and 27 stolen bases.

Have the 'Dogs made themselves better with these trades? Difficult to tell, as its virtually a given that more trades will be forthcoming and these new players may be dealt again in other deals. Bulldogs fans should wait and see what else Leickel has in store.