4/26/03
NEW HAVEN - The NECBL world was shocked for the second time in less 
than a week as the New Haven Traffic Cones participated in the 
league's second trade of the season.  Earlier in the week, the Cones 
acquired closer Tim Worell from the Speedway Starwipes.  This time, 
Dodger closer Eric Gange and Oriole first baseman Jay Gibbins joined 
the New Haven clan in exchange for Marlin first baseman Derrek Lee.  
Gange's presence in the Cones' rotation could act as the proverbial 
shot in the arm the team needs to start winning.

Cones GM Jeff Stanley commented on the trade, "I was sitting around 
on Friday enjoying a vanilla T-Cones Cone (look for them in your 
grocer's freezer) when the red phone rang.  I thought it was the 
training room telling me that my only remaining healthy keepers 
Chipper Jones and Rafael Palmeiro had ran into each other in practice 
and would be out for the rest of the season.  Instead I was surprised 
to find that it was DosBot.  They were interested in Lee and proposed 
a trade.  The terms of the trade appealed to me, after loosing two 
closers to Speedway earlier in the week and already loosing two more 
to injury.  I think Gagne and his glasses will give us the 
Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn vibe our clubhouse needs."

After some minor controversy against the trade, Gagne joined the Cones 
early Tuesday morning.  He will be eligable to pitch in next week's 
series against his former mates in Baltimore.