Well, this story grinds my gears (Family Guy reference) but I'm going to post about it anyway.
The independent Can-Am League's Brockton Rox have offered their managerial position to Joe Torre in what clearly is a public relations stunt.
For those who don't know, the Can-Am League offers a lower quality of baseball than the Atlantic League and Somerset Patriots, and is home to teams such as the Atlantic City Surf, Nashua Pride and Montclair-based Jersey Jackals.
The story, which you can find at http://www.brocktonrox.com/therox/headlines/index.html?article_id=722, says that the Rox will offer Torre an annual salary in the high five figures and display the kind of trust and commitment Torre said he wanted but did not get from the Yankees brass.
Those people -- like at least one of my friends -- who think is a good move by the Rox are just plain wrong. You can argue it draws publicity to the Rox -- would I be otherwise writing about them right now? -- but I think it just draws ridicule.
We all know Torre would never consider something like this, so the Rox are just the butt of the joke to any writer who comes across this story. Is Rox merchandise or ticket sales going to increase because of this self-created story? Doubtful.
Anyway, if Torre was to manage an independent minor-league team, it certainly would be either the Patriots (owned by Torre friend and confidant Steve Kalafer) or the Atlantic League expansion Bergen Cliff Hawks, also owned by Kalafer and very close to New York City.
Enough time devoted to a ridiculous story.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
News somewhat related to the Patriots
Atlantic City Surf general manager Brendan Fairfield resigned Thursday after one year on the job. Fairfield worked as the Somerset Patriots Vice President for three years but left for a job with the Surf after the 2006 season. He quickly was promoted to general manager.
According to a team press release, Fairfield accepted a job outside the baseball profession after spending 10 years in the minors.
In other semi-related news, the Patriots annual holiday party should be an interesting event now that Joe Torre is no longer Yankees manager. He is the guest every year and usually makes at least a few wisecracks about the Yankee hierarchy. Torre probably will only give a few interviews between now and then, so -- assuming he keeps his commitment to Patriots owner and close friend Steve Kalafer -- I'm looking forward to his speech to the crowd and my 3 minutes of 1-on-1 time.
According to a team press release, Fairfield accepted a job outside the baseball profession after spending 10 years in the minors.
In other semi-related news, the Patriots annual holiday party should be an interesting event now that Joe Torre is no longer Yankees manager. He is the guest every year and usually makes at least a few wisecracks about the Yankee hierarchy. Torre probably will only give a few interviews between now and then, so -- assuming he keeps his commitment to Patriots owner and close friend Steve Kalafer -- I'm looking forward to his speech to the crowd and my 3 minutes of 1-on-1 time.
Friday, October 12, 2007
2 weeks of thoughts...
Since Somerset Patriots season ended, here are some work-related thoughts I've had:
1) I finished reading The Bronx Zoo today and as I read it, I couldn't help but hear Sparky Lyle's voice in my head saying the stuff I was reading. Almost 30 years later, Lyle still uses the same terms to describe the same situations. And so many of the things he said about the Patriots playoff chase this year -- how they needed to go 5-2 in this week or sweep this early September series -- were things he was saying during the historic 1978 Yankees comeback. I was almost embarrassed to say I had not read that book for the first two years I covered the team. It was an off-season goal of mine.
2) I'm at a high school football game right now. Highland Park at Middlesex. I don't cover much high school football, but I covered Highland Park last week and their running back, Bryant Fitzgerald, is big time. He is listed at 5-10 and 170 pounds and is probably smaller than that but the best way to describe his play is to tell you it reminds me of Reggie Bush in Madden 2008. He's running at a different speed than even if the fastest players around him. Someone should scoop him up now, as a junior.
3) When did it get so cold out? I was wearing shorts during the Atlantic League Championship Series. Tonight, jeans, a long sleeve shirt, zip-up sweatshirt and beanie.
1) I finished reading The Bronx Zoo today and as I read it, I couldn't help but hear Sparky Lyle's voice in my head saying the stuff I was reading. Almost 30 years later, Lyle still uses the same terms to describe the same situations. And so many of the things he said about the Patriots playoff chase this year -- how they needed to go 5-2 in this week or sweep this early September series -- were things he was saying during the historic 1978 Yankees comeback. I was almost embarrassed to say I had not read that book for the first two years I covered the team. It was an off-season goal of mine.
2) I'm at a high school football game right now. Highland Park at Middlesex. I don't cover much high school football, but I covered Highland Park last week and their running back, Bryant Fitzgerald, is big time. He is listed at 5-10 and 170 pounds and is probably smaller than that but the best way to describe his play is to tell you it reminds me of Reggie Bush in Madden 2008. He's running at a different speed than even if the fastest players around him. Someone should scoop him up now, as a junior.
3) When did it get so cold out? I was wearing shorts during the Atlantic League Championship Series. Tonight, jeans, a long sleeve shirt, zip-up sweatshirt and beanie.
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