Phillies prank Kyle Kendrick into thinking he was traded to Japan (w/ video)

This is hilarious.

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/...ngs_fishy.html

By Todd Zolecki

Inquirer Staff Writer
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Phillies traded Kyle Kendrick yesterday.

To the Yomiuri Giants. In Japan. For Kobayashi Iwamura.

"Do they have good food in Japan?" a stunned Kendrick asked reporters, who circled his locker inside the clubhouse at Bright House Networks Field. "I don't know what to think right now."

Unbelievable, huh?

Indeed. The Phillies executed an elaborate prank on Kendrick, one so believable that it had their 23-year-old starting pitcher convinced that he needed to be on a 7:05 a.m. Delta Airlines flight today, connecting in Atlanta for the 14-hour, 30-minute trip to Tokyo. The accomplices in the ruse included assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.; manager Charlie Manuel; Frank Coppenbarger, director of team travel and clubhouse service; Kendrick's agent, Joe Urbon; pitcher Brett Myers; and pretty much everybody else in the clubhouse.

"They got me," Kendrick said later. "I thought it was a done deal. I thought it really happened. Gosh, good thing it didn't."

Think these Phillies are a loose bunch?

The idea developed early last week, but those involved were borrowing an old idea. Phillies broadcaster Larry Andersen once pulled the same prank on former pitcher Wayne Gomes.

Amaro created an official-looking document on Phillies letterhead, spelling out the trade details, which Kendrick had to sign in triplicate. Coppenbarger also created a detailed itinerary for Kendrick's trip overseas.

After yesterday's workout, Kendrick went into the weight room, as usual, when Amaro pulled him out. He and Kendrick walked through the clubhouse together.

(Keep in mind, any time the assistant GM or GM pulls a player out of the weight room or clubhouse and walks him into the manager's office, something almost always is up.)

"Contract signed," J.D. Durbin said from across the room.

"What'd you do, Kendrick?" Myers asked.

Comcast, which had been in on the scheme from the start, had Manuel and Myers miked for the prank.

Kendrick took a seat in Manuel's office. The manager and Amaro explained that he had just been traded to Japan. (Major leaguers can't be traded to Japan, by the way.) Kendrick didn't seem to notice or care that a TV camera was filming the event because he had been told earlier that Comcast was following Manuel around for the day.

Then Coppenbarger handed Kendrick his flight schedule.

He explained to Kendrick that he tried to get him a layover for a night in Seattle (Kendrick is from Washington), but couldn't because his Japanese team needed him to arrive immediately.

Stunned, Kendrick left Manuel's office and staggered to his locker. He grabbed his cell phone and walked outside to call his agent.

"It happens," Urbon told Kendrick. "It's a chance for you to make some more money. This is going to be a big deal. This really never happens. The media over there is going to be big."

"All right," Kendrick said.

He hung up.

Kendrick returned to his locker, where Amaro brought over reporters, who didn't expect to be part of the gag. Amaro announced the trade.

"It was a deal we felt was important for us to make," he told reporters. "The fact of the matter is we're trying to get to the next level."

Then the questions started.

Did Manuel, who played in Japan, give you some tips?

"No, not at all," Kendrick said. "Um, I don't know what to think right now."

Have you had all your shots? Seriously, you need shots to go over there.

"Uh, no," Kendrick said. "I haven't. Um, I don't know. This is going to be a new little chapter I guess, huh?"

Are you upset?

Is your passport in order?

Have you talked to your agent?

Are you shocked?

"You know what I say?" Myers said, stepping in next to Kendrick. "You just got punked!"

The clubhouse erupted in laughter. Everybody could see the relief wash over Kendrick.

"I've never been so happy. Seriously," he said. "I was not getting on that flight in the morning. They got me."

And Kobayashi Iwamura? He's relieved, too.

If he only existed.

Video:

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=BPz3KY6H16g

Very nice.

That's awesome. I'm still laughing.

That's great stuff.

For some reason, it reminded me of this old Baseball prank I remember the Pirates pulling on Doug Drabek back in the day. The whole team was in on it, along with his wife. They announced the day before that someone had stolen all this merchandise from the team store - then the next morning Doug's wife convinced him to take her car instead of his, and when he got to the park security - who were also in on it - did a "random" check of his trunk and all the stolen merchandise was in there. Hilarity ensued.

Good to see Brett Myers reconstructing his image. When not beating up his wife on public streets, he's apparently quite a jokester.

Funny stuff.

"You just got traded for a hot dog eater."

Outstanding. :lol:

That was great. I needed a good laugh. I'm sitting here at a shipper waiting to get loaded and getting restless.

Ahhh the rites of Baseball. Have the games started yet? LOL!

Nothing like being told you got dealt for Kobayashi

Still think the Mets are weak if they don't prank John Maine for this.
http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/20..._changeup.html

http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/

Quote:

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*OK, I will admit that I thought the Kyle Kendrick fake trade to Japan thing was kind of funny … but didn’t you think it went WAY too far? They’re getting the manager involved*, the assistant general manager, players, his agent, and they’re gathering the media around for a fake press conference? Seemed like a whole lot of effort to blow up a kid. Maybe I don’t appreciate practical jokes as much as I should. Anyway, I thought that when it ended, Kyle Kendrick was the clear winner of the ”dignity under duress” award. I thought he could not have handled it much better. Maybe all those people praising Andy Pettitte should switch allegiances to Kendrick.

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some folks burn bridges as they leave... would have been interesting if Kendrick had told off his bosses when he thought he was on the way out

Quote:

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Originally Posted by princeton

some folks burn bridges as they leave... would have been interesting if Kendrick had told off his bosses when he thought he was on the way out

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I kind of doubt anyone would blame him. It's one thing to get sent to another MLB club, but to think you're getting shipped to Japan? Man, that had to have been crushing. In fact, I think such a reaction probably would have made the pranksters really happy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SunDeck

I think such a reaction probably would have made the pranksters really happy.

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sure, it's all funny until Randy Myers pulls out his assault weapons

I just want to know what he thinks about not getting that 1.5 mill considering he made the league minimum last year.