With Charleston’s division leading start slowed down to a .500 record, sources inside the Statesmen clubhouse claim that BCA – the Baseball Contract Agency – sent word to Statesmen owner Charles Pinckney that unless their client, António ‘Crayon’ Rivera was moved to the starting lineup, the letter “could be interpreted as an official request for a trade”.

After the letter arrived, things happened quickly. Statesmen manager Aric Kinast gave word to Conan McCullough that he had been moved to relief work.

Pinckney, Kinast, Rivera and McCullough all refused to comment on the situation. McCullough’s contract doesn’t end until the 2020 season and after a 2-5 start – including a 13-inning stretch on the mound with a single strikeout – insiders reported that Kinast saw no disadvantages in moving McCullough to relief.

Rivera, on the other hand, has a WHIP of 1.09 in 15 2/3 innings pitched (compared with McCullough’s 1.41). Sources said that Kinast figured that Rivera might as well get his shot after a 41-27 record in Omaha over three years.

Fans are already up in arms. “Why would you ditch Conan for Rivera? Conan’s got two more years left on his contract and Rivera’s probably out the door. Charleston’s got no money!” said 45-year old season ticket holder Dennis Granger.

Wanda Very, a 69-year old retiree in Charleston, felt that it was more important to keep McCullough happy. “Conan’s the one that brings them into the ballpark.”

Charles Pinckney, meanwhile, is worried about other matters. A drop in stock of Titanic Clubs Inc. has proved a distraction to the 72-year old native of Charleston as he attempts to prop up both his baseball and financial empires. “I don’t think the last five months have been good at the front office,” a team executive stated off the record. “It’s just management by memo now – he’s not been around a lot. We have minority ownership strutting around and giving orders and people are looking to [Sue] Beckley for direction now that Pinckney seems distracted.”

Of course, both McCullough and Pinckney have the option to retire. In two different senses of the term, they are old men. But don’t expect either of them to leave the Statesmen without a fight.