IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Deadline Drama

July 31, 2012 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS -- After defeating the Pawtucket Red Sox on July 24, a small crowd of Indians players gathered around starting pitcher Rudy Owens in the clubhouse. Owens hadn't pitched that night, nor was he even in uniform.

Owens had just been dealt to Houston as part of a deal to bring starting pitcher Wandy Rodriguez to Pittsburgh.

This time of year, with the MLB trade deadline approaching, this is not an uncommon sight. First baseman Jeff Clement, who came to Indianapolis via trade in 2009, said the business is unique.

"I'm not sure there's any profession in life besides maybe athletics where you don't have control over where you're going to be the next day and you get a phone call and they say, 'Hey, you're moving across the country and we're no longer your employer,'" Clement said.

Relief pitcher Bryan Morris, who was traded at the deadline in 2008, said seeing Owens go gave him mixed emotions.

"You look at it both ways," Morris said. "It's exciting for him that he gets to go on a different adventure with different opportunities, but at the same time, you're disappointed that you have a good teammate that got dealt to another place."

Morris played multiple seasons with Owens after being a part of a three-team deal on July 31, 2008 that sent Jason Bay to Boston and Manny Ramirez to Los Angeles. It was Morris' first full season of playing professionally when he received a call from Dodgers' executives telling him he was traded.

Morris, just 21 at the time, arrived in Pittsburgh's Single-A affiliate Hickory without knowing much at all about those on the team.

"It's like the first day of school," Morris said. "You go in on the first day of school not really knowing that many people, so you just go in and make adjustments and see what happens."

Morris made the adjustments he needed to make, and a year later, he had the opportunity to help a fellow pitcher adjust to the Pirates system. Current Indians starting pitcher Jeff Locke came to High-A Lynchburg as part of a deal that sent outfielder Nate McLouth to Atlanta.

Locke arrived in Lynchburg the same day Morris came off the disabled list, and they talked a bit about what it was like to be involved in a trade. Locke was in a good mood about the trade, as it allowed him to have a fresh start for himself and a chance to contribute to the Pirates' resurgence.

"It's a good opportunity to be a part of that team that does turn it around, that does get over the hump and then go above and beyond," Locke said.

Locke now says the trade is the best thing that has ever happened to his baseball career. The night Owens was traded, however, Locke's parents got a scare. They heard a left-handed pitcher had been traded from Pittsburgh and called their son to ask if it was him.

No, Locke assured them. They wouldn't need to start buying Astros gear.

The same season that Locke was dealt to Pittsburgh's system, the Pirates traded for another current Indians player: first baseman Jeff Clement. Clement was drafted by the Seattle Mariners with the third overall pick in the 2005 amateur draft and heard rumors about his trade value each season.

Clement said it was strange to leave the team that drafted him, but he embraced it.

"It was definitely a huge change, but a really good change, too," Clement said. "Any time you're traded, you know that the team that's trading for you wants you, and that's a great thing as a player: to know that they want you on their club."

To make the transition a little more difficult, Clement joined the Indians on the road in 2009, and had to play for a few days before seeing his new home ballpark. When he did arrive in Indianapolis, he felt at home.

"There's no better park in minor league baseball, in my opinion, than here," Clement said. "It was great to know that I was going to be playing my home games in a ballpark that's so good."

Clement has spent the better part of the past four seasons at Victory Field, and now his name doesn't flirt with the trading block quite as much. He does, however, still see the deadline affect teammates.

Morris said the stress of this time of year can be a distraction, but he tries to focus on the game itself.

"The bottom line is no matter who you're playing for, you're playing the same game," Morris said. "You're just out there performing, no matter what team you're playing for. That's what you've got to keep telling yourself."

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