Outlawed Baseball

The Long Beach Armada found its pitching staff looking peanut-shell hollow Sunday after Rik Currier and Jerome Williams were picked up by major league farm systems. (Williams was obtained by the Los Angeles Dodgers, an interesting move the GBL will follow closely because clearly general manager Ned Colletti, who knows Williams well from their days together with the San Francisco Giants, is seeing where the veteran may be an emergency solution down the line for the mix of Dodger hurlers ravaged by injury.)

Anyway, the Armada front office contacted Outlaws management during tonight's 13-8 loss to the Edmonton Cracker Cats in Chico. Long Beach was trying to get the ball rolling in a deal for pitching help. This wasn't the night to ask. The Outlaws at that point were well into their 14-walk total in an ugly display that embodied the inconsistency that has dogged the team in the wake of the Boston Red Sox's obtainment of Derrick Loop and Jesse Oster's exit into the Philadelphia Phillies' farm system. So yes, the answer was an easy no.

Another interesting caveat about the conversation was Long Beach's inquiry about putting defensive shortstop Eric Pringle within the package for a possible trade. Pringle is a resident of nearby Inglewood in the offseason -- an unabashed Dodger and Laker supporter at that in touch with his LA County roots. Yet the Outlaws let Armada management know there is no desire to let Pringle go and that it would be tough regardless because he is so content with his Chico situation. Indeed, it's tough to find players more dedicated to the organization's cause.