Observers said the exchange virtually gave nothing to Pure Foods as second rounds picks are practically composed of discards who mostly sat as bench warmers. But the trade was interpreted as expressing Pure Foods' disgust at Mobiline which had been raiding PBA teams with mind-boggling financial offers that has led to an ever-escalating salary demands by players. The 5-foot-11 Racela will reportedly get P12 million for three years, about P333,000 a month, that would make him probably one of the highest-paid if not the highest paid Beerman.

But why the lopsided deal?
League-observers believe that it was done to spite Mobiline which has made it a habit to give astronomical offer sheets. They cited the time when Pepsi Cola, then Mobiline's franchise name, offered Alvin Patrimonio P25 million which Pure Foods was forced to match. That transaction became a PBA milestone. Blue chip players began asking big salaries and the salary cap was instituted. Earlier, Mobiline snared Jeffrey Cariaso from Alaska by offering him a P400,000 monthly salary. -NOEL RODRIGUEZ