Going back to season 5, Salem was a budding franchise on the cusp of something special. The prior owners (3 over the first 3 seasons) had clearly acquired talent, but were also clearly tanking. By the time I got there in season 4, there was enough talent to challenge for a playoff appearance, but nearly enough pitching to get us over the top. Despite turning over a sizable portion of the major league talent to get the proper pieces in place, a top of the rotation ace was sorely lacking. After squeezing out a divsion title (despite just 84 wins) and a league championship appearance, Salem went on the hunt for a top shelf ace for season 5 and beyond.
Enter flytekk and the Florida Flytekks, a new owner to this world in season 5, a new owner to the game. Under the prior regime, Fly's new organization had been near the top of the world. Along with average 100+ wins each of the first four seasons, the organization brought home the big trophy in season 3. Fly found himself in the middle of a very solid organization with enough talent to compete right away. However, he had a clear mission in mind. He didn't want to ride the coat tails of the previous staff to a W-S title, he wanted to mold the organization his way. So off the trade market he went, peddling his wares for top shelf talent. Despite more than one brash statement, a handful of pissed off owners and several outrageous demands, Fly held tight to his guns when Salem came calling to incquire about the services of season 3 Cy Young and perinial all star ChadLamb. Salem had a couple of top level prospects worthy of a deal, but Fly in all his brashness was insisting on both CorbanWalters and StewartWells. Both bright young prospects with all multiple all star appearances all but assured.
The demands for Lamb were not only beyond absurd, they were fairly in line with several other deals that had crept thru the grapevine involving Fly and his first offseason. More than 1 owner vowed to never do a deal with him. Personally, I didn't care much either way, but when Fly mentioned that without both Walter and Wells, Lamb wasn't heading for the pacific northwest. Fine I said, told him I'll gladly trade either, but certainly not both should he change his mind. Thinking any deal was pretty much dead in the water, Salem had set its eyes elsewhere until a few days later, Fly relented and offered up a deal so perfect, I hadn't even thought of it. One that fit Salem's current needs so well, as well as Fly's long term goals that it couldn't be passed up. In addition to Lamb, Fly added postseason super star, GalahadDale in exchange for Walters, Wells and the contract of the solid and steady PTAbbott.
With the addition of Dale & Lamb, Salem's rotation was quickly in the running as league's best. Lamb would headline the Salem rotation to the next two world series championships. Dale, in addition to a career best 19 wins in season 6, was his typical postseason dominate self, going 4-1 over seasons 5 & 6, in addition to a 6-0 mark in season 7 helping guide Dover to a W-S, Dale's 4th ring in 5 seasons.
While the deal made perfect sense from a talent standpoint, there was more than one owner concerned that Fly was selling off his high end talent, and wouldn't even be around more than 1 or 2 seasons. Fly gladly claimed he was in it for the long run, and garunteed he'd be playoff bound in his 4th season at worst, and competing for a W-S quickly there after. Well Fly upped that mark by 3 seasons, making his first postseason in season 6 and hasn't missed the playoffs since, adding 4 division crowns in the meantime. Furthur more, when season 9 rolled around, Fly opened up the bank account to re-sign Lamb as he hit free agency, as well as the top pitching coach needed to ensure his services. From the original deal, PT Abbott was quickly flipped, while Wells and Walters are key cogs in their franchise. Now that Fly has won his first title, will number 2 be far behind?
As I look back on how this deal dramatically affected the fortunes of both teams, I'm left to wonder if this isn't one of the biggest deals made in this world. Not only did both teams come up winners in this deal, but both won big.
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