[MIJB#19]

Merchanmen announce addition of quarterback Shane Bower
With Justin McDavid out for the season and Leonard Lyon traded in a surprise move for the #35 pick overall, the Merchantmen had a big gap at quarterback. The Astoria Heroes were not so worried about trading Shane Bower, having their own prince of passing Julius Irvine and also having acquired Wally Christopherson in a trade from Orlando.

The management knows that the scouting staff hasn't had a closer look to Bower yet, but general manager M.IJ.B. called it a nice move: "We eyed Bower in the 2005 offseason, yet weren't in time to make him a free agency offer and saw him go to Astoria. He looks like Justin (McDavid), yet he's older and more experienced."

With the addition of Bower, the expected battle for the starting job between recent acquisitions Mel Atkins and Moe Baxter seems already over. In fact, Baxter has been cut to make room for Bower on the roster. General manager M.IJ.B.: "Yes, maybe not the birghtest moves off all, yet the big mistake was to let the other two quarterbacks go for these two guys (Atkins and Baxter). Baxter's salary was too big for a possible third string passer, especially with Justin McDavid also sitting on the roster."

To get Bower, the Merchantmen send the #95 and #100 overall selections in the upcoming draft, while the receive Astoria's #176 overall, sixth round pick. This leaves the Merchantmen with six draft selections in the upcoming draft at #12, #28, #30, #35, #51 and the newly acquired #176 overall.

Whether the team will use a draft selection on a quarterback remains yet to be seen, but the management won't deny the desire to at least take a good look at the option. General manager M.IJ.B.: "Leonard Lyon was supposed to be our franchise quarterback for years. Our new lead scout Gabe Avila was pretty sure he won't as good as we hoped he will be, despite his decent showing as a rookie and with him being a pretty different passer then McDavid, we hope to get a guy fitting the system better."

Interesting detail in the trade was the absence of the Astoria Heroes' general manager, who is on vacation. A familiar face to the Merchantmen is filling in for him. Wademoore, President of the Fumblin Justin Fanclub, is stepping in until the draft. Wademoore was unable to comment on the trade at the moment of writing.