Fans typically overlook the emotional demands made on the professional athlete, who often is asked to move to another city or country, join a team of strangers, express his undying commitment to his new club and perform as if nothing has happened.
Surprise moves are particularly common in baseball, basketball and ice hockey, where mid-season deals are common and the traded player often is expected to be in a new uniform within 24 hours.
One example? Shane Victorino this week wept at a news conference after the Boston Red Sox traded him to the Los Angeles Angels.
Another example involved the New York Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores, who was supposed to be part of a trade, along with pitcher Zack Wheeler, to the Milwaukee Brewers for outfielder Carlos Gomez.
Rumours of the deal were so pervasive Brewers teammates of Gomez took a “farewell” photo on the club’s chartered plane. In New York, it got more emotional. Flores, after he was cheered in an at-bat late in the game, was convinced that rumours of him being traded were true and could be seen sobbing as he went out to play defence.
Flores said: “When I came up to hit I heard everybody cheering. I said, ‘Why?’ There’s no reason. I thought (a trade) was the only reason. ... I was sad, being with the Mets forever, and all my teammates here. That’s why I got emotional.”
The trade failed to go through on a technicality, and the Mets apologised to Flores for the false alarm. At least, until the next time.
poberjuerge@thenational.ae
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