Rockbinder Traded in 3-Way Deal
GORGOROTH - Ralin Rockbinder, the first player selected to play for the SGCBL in 2003, has been traded from Gorgoroth (formerly Bree) in a 3-team deal that involved the Balrogs, Bears and Fairies. Rockbinder, 28, was the league's first Frodo Rookie award winner and a 4-time All-Star. The details of the historic (and complex) trade follow.
Gorgoroth, looking to move what they see as a declining Rockbinder off their payroll, put out trade feelers earlier in the off-season. Carrock, seeing the opportunity to acquire a relatively young, speedy, power hitter who is also an excellent outfielder, approached Balrog owners about the possibility of a trade. However, in order to take on Rockbinder's $13.6 million salary, the Bears would have to get rid of someone. The likely candidate was Hafur Goblincrusher. Goblincrusher, 33, has been Carrock's slugging first baseman since coming from Mirkwood in 2005. He is currently making $10.8 million, and his contract runs out at the end of this season.
The Balrogs, however, were not interested in Hafur. They turned their sights to Carrock's young catcher, Novathiel Novathien. The proposed deal would have sent Rockbinder and minor league outfielder, Kayoti the Wiley, to the Bears for Novathien and Akhakan Dimcirion. But with Carrock owners unwilling to lose Goblincrusher's bat without anything in return, they needed a third party willing to take Hafur in trade.
Enter Bucklebury. Responding to Carrock's queries about Goblincrusher, the Fairies offered to a straight swap of their 1B, Galogorn Elvol, for Goblincrusher. Elvol, 32, doesn't have Hafur's power, but he has a better batting average, and for $8 million less than Goblincrusher, the Bears jumped at the opportunity.
Additionally, Gorgoroth agreed to a deal that would send outfielder Rabur "Rocky" Rockback to the Fairies in exchange for reliever Haleodriel Grilbo.
So, Gorgoroth gets Novathien, Dimcirion and Grilbo; Carrock gets Rockbinder, K. the Wiley and Elvol; and Bucklebury gets Goblincrusher and Rockback.
Posted at June 17, 2005 01:55 PM | more from Bree, more from Bucklebury, more from Carrock