Leon Traded for Beer

[KWhit]

The irony is outstanding.



Sports briefs: Baseball player traded for beer
The Salt Lake Tribune

The Fullerton Flyers, an independent minor league baseball team that begins play next month, recently traded for a pitcher from a team in Schaumburg, Ill., whose season already is under way.

The Flyers acquired the pitcher by sending the Schaumburg team, also known as the Flyers, 60 cases of Budweiser. That's because the pitcher is Nigel Thatch, who is 0-3 in seven starts but is also the actor who played cocky athlete Leon in Budweiser commercials.

''This trade was a bargain for us,'' Fullerton general manager Ed Hart said. ''We were prepared to throw in a Clydesdale.''

Rich Ehrenrich, owner of the Schaumburg team, told the Chicago Tribune, ''Nigel really gave us a unique presence in the sports marketplace. In the true spirit of 'Leon Time,' we'll have a cold one courtesy of Fullerton and thank Nigel for his time here."

[Pumpy Tudors]

From the Golden Baseball website (which has an eye-damaging design, BTW), this news is almost as good:

May 23

Fullerton Flyers: Placed RHP Nigel Thatch on Suspended List for failure to report.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Full story below (from hxxp://oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3315848):

Pleasanton, CA. May 24, 2006) The Golden Baseball League announced today that RHP Nigel Thatch of the Fullerton Flyers has been placed on the Suspended List for failure to report to Spring Training. Thatch, better known as the actor who played "Leon" in Budweiser commercials, was traded to Fullerton from the Schaumburg Flyers of the Northern League last month for a pallet, or 60 cases, of Budweiser beer.


"We have had many conversations with Nigel and his agent and hope that they end this holdout soon," said Ed Hart, General Manager of the Fullerton Flyers. "The Leon Watch is now entering Day 3 and we only have another nine days until the season starts. He's really jeopardizing his chances of making this ball club."

There are currently 28 players in the Flyers Spring Training camp, of which 22 will make the Opening Day roster. Thatch was 0-3 with a 10.22 ERA in seven games last season with the Schaumburg Flyers, and retains his rookie status because of limited playing time. The Fullerton Flyers have offered him the standard rookie contract of $700 per month. The Flyers retain his playing rights through the 2006 season and his placement on the GBL Suspended List is notification to major league baseball and other minor league teams that he is not available to be signed unless a trade is agreed by Fullerton.

In addition, the league may seek to void the trade and request that Schaumburg return the beer.

"It is a shame that we've had to suspend Thatch," said GBL Commissioner Kevin Outcalt. "We feel the contract is a fair offer and we are treating him as we would any other player in this situation."

The Fullerton Flyers open their 2006 season the road in Chico, California as they take on the Outlaws on Friday June 2nd, where league co-owner Pat Sajak will be throwing out the first pitch.

I bolded part of the last sentence because I find that news just as funny.

[rkmsuf]

How many Wheel of Fortune jokes does it take to get Pat Sajak upset?

[sovereignstar]

Sonuva bitch! I didn't know Leon was playing in the Northern League last year.