Tri-City ValleyCats trade slugger Denis Phipps

Phipps, who played the past two seasons for Tri-City, led the Frontier League with 33 homers and drove in 91 runs last year.

He mulled retirement after last season, but the ValleyCats trumpeted his return in a Jan. 30 news release. But the ValleyCats examined their roster and had a change in plans, Callahan said.