The Texas Rangers pulled Matt Harrison aside during a game last Wednesday night to inform him that he would be traded to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Word was spreading that Harrison would be part of the package given to the Phillies for Cole Hamels and the Rangers wanted to inform the left-hander before his family found out on the internet.
Jon Daniels said he did not want a repeat of the situation that arose when word leaked of the Ian Kinsler-Prince Fielder swap in 2013. Kinsler found out over social media while Daniels was on a flight, leaving Kinsler angry.
"We wanted to avoid what happened with Ian," Daniels said. "We were concerned that Matt's name would get out there. We don't want players to read about it online. Usually, we wait until things are official, but we didn't want Matt and his wife, Meghan, to hear about it in another way. We explained the deal.
"When it was all over, I asked Matt why he thought we were calling him up to meet with him," Daniels added. "He said, he assumed it was about Hamels, but he thought that we wanted to tell him that Hamels was starting Saturday and he was moved back to Sunday. This is the business side, the cold side. But it's the reality of doing business. He is simply an all-world person."