Mumbai Memos: 38.032: GM Voice Memo 6: "So, was it something I said?"

[HoosierVic]

GM Voice Memo # 6:



[Recording starts]

This morning I got an email from my assistant GM, Cristo Beltrán, reminding me that pretty much every personnel contract we have will expire at the end of this season. That’s our managers, hitting and pitching coaches, etc.

So, I figured, what the hell, let’s take the temperature of the staff and see what folks are looking for in an extension.

I started with Mark Bruner, the Metro Stars manager. Managed in Mexico City last season and the two seasons before that, has an excellent reputation (which is why we hired him, of course).

His answer: he has no interest in working for Mumbai next year. He’s friendly and all that, but firm. Loves Mumbai. Loves the Metro Stars organization, but he wants to head back to the bright lights of the BBA.

Personally, I think he’s spooked because that kid schooled him on lineup theory during his own pregame show.

But OK. Whatever.

Then I move on to our bench coach, Benton Bobke. This is a guy whose last baseball job was with Madrid in the old European Baseball Alliance 10 years ago.

His answer: He doesn’t want to work in Mumbai next year, either.

Same with the hitting and pitching coaches.

What the hell?

At least the trainer’s willing to re-up – but I’m not sure I even want him back. We need somebody who can combine injury treatment and prevention, and one glance at our disabled list shows he ain’t too good at prevention.

The minor league folks, in freaking Ho Chi Minh City and Lagos, they all want to come back. But Bruner and his folks, no.

Benton Bobke

Well, it's tempting to just say if you don’t want to be here, we don’t want you here. But I’m not going to do that – at least not with Bruner. We’re in a pennant race, we’re doing OK – although we’ve cooled off considerably in recent weeks, which is another topic entirely – so I don’t really want to throw the clubhouse into chaos.

But Benton freakin’ Bobke?

Hope you’ve got a month-to-month apartment lease, buddy, ‘cause your job tenure won’t last quite as long as Ned Stark’s story arc on Game of Thrones.

[Recording ends]

[RonCo]

Poor Ned.