AquaSox trade mascot Webbly to Tri-City

Published 1:25 pm Tuesday, April 1, 2008

EVERETT — The Everett AquaSox announced a major trade on Tuesday, shipping their longtime mascot, Webbly, to the Tri-City Dust Devils in exchange for Dusty the Dust Devil.

Brian Sloan, the AquaSox general manager, said the trade was necessary because the team could not come to a contract agreement with the veteran frog. Webbly, whose contract with the AquaSox expires at the end of the 2008 season, had threatened a holdout, Sloan said.

“(He) made it known through his agent that he hoped to restructure and extend his agreement in order to avoid a potential holdout,” Sloan said.

The Northwest League baseball team opens its season on June 17.

Webbly, who is a cross between a Pacific Tree Frog and a Central American Red-Eyed Tree Frog, had been with the AquaSox since the 1997 season. Webbly took the news of the trade well, Sloan said.

“With us not being able to renegotiate his contract, it wasn’t much of a surprise to him,” Sloan said.

Webbly was not available for comment — but then frogs can’t talk anyway.

Those fans who may be mourning Webbly’s departure should be mindful of one thing: The AquaSox made the announcement — complete with an official press release — on April Fools’ Day.