BREAKING NEWS – Lewis Addresses Hancock Rumors
November 25th, 2013
Serenity Summers
Just moments ago, Florida‘s Kevin Lewis addressed the swirling Hancock rumors on the A.K & Nelly Show. Here is a transcript of what Lewis has to say:
Just like the other 23 front offices, my phone rang off the hook once word leaked out that Markus was available. The first person I called was Drew Streets, who was vacationing in Cabo San Lucas. Yeah, I know… lucky guy, right? First, a charity event in Honolulu, and now Cabo San Lucas. I asked him one simple question, “Do you want Hancock?”
Streets thought I was joking. I told him, no, Tempe was having a fire sale. Kirkland and Sharp were traded last week. There are rumors that García and González are next, with Hancock following shortly. Streets thought I was pulling his leg. I told him to check the websites. It’s all over the news.
That’s when he realized that I wasn’t joking. I asked him again if he wanted Hancock. He bluntly told me, “No.” Now I was the one thinking my chain was being pulled. I had to ask him again to be sure. Once again, he told me no on Hancock. He must have been out of his mind, I thought. It must be that Cabo San Lucas air.
That’s when he explained it to me. He said that Hancock belongs in Tempe. The baseball world needs Hancock in Tempe. Hancock belongs in Tempe as much as Morimoto belongs in Florida. I literally thought he was off his rocker. Just a week ago, he privately told me to do whatever it takes to bring the championship back to Florida in 2014. He had already promised the fans that it would be brought back in 2014. Now he is telling me differently?!
Streets went on to say that he wants to win… but not this way. Hancock belongs in Tempe, he said. I still didn’t understand what he was getting at. That was when he hit me with some crazy stuff. Let me tell you, Streets will do that to you sometimes. Just when you have figured him out, he does something to surprise the heck out of you.
He pretty much tells me that the PEBA is a prestigious group. There are only 24 people that can call themselves owners. The game itself… the league is bigger than any team. For the sake of the league, Hancock belongs to Tempe. As much as it is about hoisting the Cup and bringing pride to your city, it’s still a fraternity. It doesn’t feel right taking Hancock from a city that needs him. Hancock made the city of Tempe relevant.
If you ask me, that’s crazy talk. But that’s Drew Streets for you. I told him if we don’t make a deal, someone else will, so stop with the fraternity talk. This isn’t a brotherhood. Trust me, I know – I deal with other GMs all the time. If you don’t do something, someone else will. Then, a year from now, you will regret it – just like the regret of losing out on the Conan sweepstakes.
After a lot of jibbering and jabbering back and forth, I convinced him to go after Hancock. That is my announcement for you tonight. Florida is in the running for Hancock! But per Drew’s request, he wants to show some gamesmanship to his fellow “fraternity brothers”. Mr. Streets has decided that any offer made by Florida will be made visible. That’s right: You won’t see me making secret phone calls.
According to him, this is Vegas… and he is the house. If you want to win, you have to beat him at his own game. Florida will show their cards. If you can beat them, you win. Just check out our farm system; we have pocket aces lying around somewhere. The only questions left to be answered are will we use them, and will we go all in?