Dugout reactions: Pelicans say goodbye to friends after big trade

There’s no easy way to say goodbye, especially when an organization’s No. 1 prospect is the one to go.

For the Chicago Cubs and Class A-Advanced club Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the effects of trading away Gleyber Torres – the No. 24 prospect in all of baseball, according to MLB.com – and three other players to the New York Yankees for one of MLB’s hottest closers in Aroldis Chapman will surely be felt by many.

While the Cubs hope the acquisition of Chapman will help bring a World Series title to Chicago, effectively ending the longest championship drought in any American sport at 108 years, the Pelicans are just hoping they can keep a solid pace without Torres and stud outfielder Rashad Crawford, who was also sent to the Yankees in the deal along with Cubs’ No. 5 prospect Billy McKinney and pitcher Adam Warren.

“Obviously, we’re going to miss those guys in the lineup. It’s part of game, but it’s kind of a shock to the guys who get traded and their teammates,” Pelicans manager Buddy Bailey said after Monday’s 9-5 win over Carolina. “You’re housing with them, riding buses with them, staying in hotel rooms and you spend a lot of time with them. But again, it’s part of the game.

“I think both sides should be satisfied with the deal they pulled off. We got a premier reliever out of it, and Theo [Epstein] and the front office did a great job getting (Chapman). Now they can start thinking about making a push. But, it’s one of those things where if you get someone of high quality, of course you have to give up some quality guys.”

Crawford and Torres were both key figures on defense and at the top of Myrtle Beach’s lineup. Crawford, a center fielder, batted in the two-hole and Torres, a shortstop, was in the three-hole on most nights.

Both were on a torrid pace leading up to the trade, as well.

Crawford was batting .342 with one home run, 13 RBIs and 27 runs in 19 games with the Pelicans during July, while Torres had a .338 batting average and .506 slugging percentage with one home run, 20 RBIs and 17 runs scored in 19 games during the month.

“Torres has been really solid lately, and was the glue of our inner diamond defense,” Bailey said. “And obviously we’ll miss Crawford in the top of the lineup and how he was playing center field defensively.”

Fellow Cubs prospect Yasiel Balaguert – the Pelicans’ first baseman – has a close relationship with Torres and had mixed emotions about his departure, which came as a surprise to many in the clubhouse.

“I’m sad because he’s my little bro. I don’t want him to go, but that’s the business,” said Balaguert, who batted behind Torres on most nights at the cleanup spot. “We’re sad about it for sure, but at the same time we’re happy for him and his new opportunity. I wish him the best.”

Pelicans newcomer Jesse Hodges, who played with both Torres and Crawford in Low-A South Bend (Ind.) last season and the Class A-short season Eugene (Ore.) Emeralds in 2014, knows it won’t be easy without the pair going forward but expects Myrtle Beach get back to business.

“I’ve played with both of them for quite some time. They’re great guys and I wish the best for them,” said Hodges, who was called up from South Bend on Friday. “We’re still going to play. Obviously we’ll miss those guys, but we’ll come together as a team and do our jobs.”

Infielder Bryant Flete and outfielder Donnie Dewees were both called up from South Bend on Tuesday to take the spots vacated by Torres and Crawford. Flete, who can play second base, shortstop and third base, has a .322 batting average and .644 slugging percentage with four home runs, 12 RBIs and nine runs in 17 games during July.

Meanwhile, Dewees – a second-round draft pick out of North Florida last year – had a .282 average with three home runs, 54 RBIs and 65 runs in 94 games with South Bend. He’s also prospering this month, batting .361 with 20 runs and 10 RBIs in July.

“We’re going to put 10 guys out there every night,” Bailey said. “And hopefully the 10 we do put out there are good enough to win a ballgame that night.”

This story was originally published July 26, 2016 at 3:43 PM with the headline "Dugout reactions: Pelicans say goodbye to friends after big trade."