Falcons acquire ace for A-Rod
(12/24/08) -- The Arkansas Falcons (3B) sent Alex Rodriguez to the Philadelphia Endzone Animals for (SP)Johan Santana. Owners Mike "Stump" Matiash(Arkansas) and Anthony "Bocci" Pucci(Philadelphia) have had multiple conversations the past 2-3 weeks with neither really wanting to part with their best player but in the end each team upgraded tremendously. Pucci said " I have a great deal of respect for Johan but we just couldnt agree to a long term contract therefore i felt we had to make a move and upgraded ourselves at 3B when the Falcons agreed to move Alex because of 3 reasons: 1-Alex brought back memories of Barry Bonds and it was to painful for Stump to deal with. 2-The desperate need to upgrade their starting pitching staff which was manhandled last season. 3-To strike fear into Butchs Newark SugarBears lineup

Without further ado the Arkansas Falcons introduced Johan Santana to Quisenberry Stadium Wednesday with a video that featured Jenna Jamison, Bill Clinton and Barry Bonds gushing about the greatness of Arkansas.

Very shortly, it will be Santana's turn to show this city, his new home, why hes a winner and is the missing piece to bringing another championship to Arkansas.

"I'm looking forward to us having plenty of fun and celebrating in the upcoming 2009 DMB season," said Santana.

Fun is something the Falcons lacked last season, when their horrendous starting pitching put them behind early and often in many games. But now that Santana resides in Little Rock, it would seem almost impossible for another collapse to their starting staff. Not with him and Cliff Lee at the top of the rotation, a virtually ironclad insurance policy against extended losing streaks. It's just a matter of who gets the ball first.

Manager George Brett still has plenty of time to decide on his Opening Day starter, and given the friendly rivalry that is sure to develop between these two, it might not be as easy as it appears. Put it this way: Brett wasn't ready to commit Wednesday to Santana, who just signed an undisclosed contract.

"I've got a little while to think about that," Brett said. "I've got two stoppers, man. Two legitimate stoppers. So I'm sure it will be a pleasant choice."

Since 2003, Santana has posted 83 wins and 1363 strikeouts. It could be that the idea of taking a backseat to anyone, even Cliff Lee sounded ridiculous to him.

"Well, I like our chances," the smiling Santana said. "Whatever it takes. We'll see how spring training goes. I'm willing to do whatever. A No. 1, a No. 5, whatever it takes. "Owner Mike "Stump" Matiash believes Santana will inject a "swagger" into his team, but is curious to see how his arrival affects Lee. "I think it's going to be great with Lee," Stump said. "They're considered the best pitchers in the game and it's always going to be a competition among the one and two guys. Either they pick each other up or outdo each other. It goes both ways."

Santana was asked about playing under the pressure of bringing a championship back to Arkansas. "Pressure is part of the game," Santana said. "And all this, what we're doing right now, is fine. You talk, but the reality is once you're out there, it's up to you. It's not what people say. It's what you're capable of doing when you're on the mound. I know exactly what it takes for me to do my job and I'm always willing to do whatever it takes."

Falcons third baseman David Wright was ecstatic about Santana joining the team."You're getting arguably the best pitcher in the game," Wright said, according to AP.

Manager George Brett, no doubt relieved by the trade for Santana, had trouble suppressing a grin for most of the afternoon. The manager recalled a dinner conversation he had with Pitching Coach Bret Saberhagen about Santana that basically matched his own impressions. "What he was trying to convey to me is that this guy is as tough as it gets," Brett said. "He'll cut your heart out."

That's what the Falcons want Santana to do to the defending champs Vancouver Iron Fist and the rest of the division after they were beaten behind a woodshed on many occasions by everyone last season. Owner Stump Matiash was asked if the acquisition of Santana, signing Cliff Lee, having a rejuvenated offense, a possibly powerful bullpen and the #5 overall pick in the upcoming draft makes his team a lock for a championship run in 2009, "I really think so," Matiash said. "It makes our chances obviously that much better and we feel better about knocking off the front-runner. I still respect the fact that many teams beat us last year but we just reinforced our chances to knock them off in '09."

(01/05/08) -- IT'S OFFICIAL!! Alex Rodriguez is a Falcon.

Commissioner Yaro Zajac approved the mega deal late Friday afternoon allowing ARod to be traded to Arkansas Falcons by the Hillsborough Hitmen.

"I'm pretty excited. This is a big, big one," Falcons owner Mike "Stump" Matiash said.

Also involved in the deal were Adam Dunn, Jon Broxton, Ian Snell and Jeremy Bonderman going from Hillsborough to Arkansas for starting pitcher Dan Haren, Outfielder Nick Markakis and 4 additional draft picks carrying through the 2010 season.

Rodriguez will move from third base to the DH slot, the Falcons will keep young captain David Wright at third base for the majority of the time.

"Wright is the captain. He is the leader and our future," GM Jeff Bagwell said at the team's minor league complex in Bridgewater, NJ. Meanwhile, seen riding around in his yellow and black golf cart with a mini Falcon perched on the front hood and smoking a big cuban cigar most of the day was team Owner Stump Matiash checking on his players working out. "I made a commitment to the fans of Arkansas to put the best available talent on the field year in and year out and I believe next season we will rebound and make a strong case to get a playoff bid and try to unseat Butch and his Newark SugarBears" said Matiash. "I view our rivalry the same as Redsox-Yankees, theres alot of competitive drive in both owners to get that DMB title every season but lately Butch has dominated". Stump later acknowledged that he believes there's some sort of "baseball spygate" going on with the Newark SugarBears and their recent dominance.

Rodriguez, who waived his no-trade clause, was desperate to play for a winner and now joins the 5-time DMB World Champion Falcons who had an off year in 2007 and didnt qualify for the post season after 15 consecutive appearances. His presence along with Dunn should bolster their lineup although their starting pitching staff took a major blow by losing Haren and trading away young outfielder Nick Markakis who looks like he will have a bright future.

"I really struggled with it," Brent Campbell Owner of the Hillsborough Hitmen told the Somerset County Courier News on Sunday. "But a window started developing. Alex decided it was an opportunity for him. And once we got the right players involved, we decided it was an opportunity for us.

Falcons respond to Draft Review
(03/20/07) --

"Mike: Yeah, but Stump Matiash knows pitching talent

Dog: Come on Mike!! Gimme a break, he has had a real run of good luck. Clemens making that deal with the devil and pitching for 20 years... Pedro's remarkable resurgence in the National League, 2003 Kevin Brown.

Mike: True, True, he has had some good luck, but you have to admit Matiash can really unearth the pitching gems.

Dog: You're right Mikey, you're right."

On Dog's comments: The Arkansas Falcons issue a statement " We in the Falcon Organization respect Dog's comments but believe he is way off base on his analysis of Owner Mike Matiash's pitching recruitment knowledge. His track record speaks for itself(5 DMB World Series Titles) and current G.M. Jeff Bagwell is feeding off his knowledge of the recruitment process and has strived to bring the Falcons to the World Series shortly"


(02/28/07) -- Cory Lidle looks on in a Falcons spring training game and waits for his chance to make one final emotional start before hanging up the spikes


(01/10/06) -- Arkansas pitching coach Bret Saberhagen got seven votes in his first appearance on the Alternative League Hall of Fame Ballot. Saberhagen was 110-78 in his 8 seasons with one of the other league's teams (K.C. Royals) and 167-117 overall for his career.

Saberhagen played for two years with the Falcons in 1992 and 1994, compiling a 23-19 record for the Falcons and 58-48 overall record in the DMBL. Saberhagen also pitched for the Toledo Mutthens and Kentucky Hillbillies.

(12/30/06) -- Bonds taking swings with 4-Way Locks professional traveling softball team this winter as he prepares to play for Arkansas Golden Falcons this season.

Bonds, Falcons Agree on one-year deal
Slugger, 12 homers shy of 600, set to re-sign for $16 million

(12/16/06) -- The Arkansas Falcons agreed in principle on Thursday to re-sign slugger Barry Bonds for the 2007 season, said a source with knowledge of the negotiations.

The deal, pending Bonds passing the requisite physical, is believed to be one year for $16 million, and guarantees that Bonds will continue his quest of achieving DMB's all-time homerun record of 600 in his familiar No. 25 Arkansas uniform. As you may remember Bonds sat out the 2006 season due to Arkansas not getting a new stadium in which he could hit number 600. Arkansas met Bonds' demands and inked a new stadium deal for 2007.

Bonds goes into 2007 with 588 homers, needing only 12 to reach 600.