Mumbai Memos: 38.039 "A rambling, graceless exit"
Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2019 8:32 pm
By Sai Reddy
The Mumbai Mirror
07-22-2038
Mumbai – The general manager of the Mumbai Metro Stars resigned his post Tuesday, announcing at a rambling and graceless news conference that he has taken a job with a team in the Brewster Baseball Association.
Vic Caleca, who led the Mumbai franchise in the Unified Middle East Baseball Alliance for roughly three months, gave team owner Donald Little scant notice of his departure, sources said.
GM Vic Caleca
“He sent Mr. Little an email this morning that said something like, ‘Donnie, I’m outta here!’ Donnie. He addressed Mr. Little as ‘Donnie,’ One does not do that," said a front office official familiar with the situation. "If one does do that, one had better be prepared to go far, far away."
As it turns out, Caleca was prepared to do just that.
Shortly after informing ownership of his departure, Caleca summoned reporters to his office and told them he’d accepted the general manager's position with the Huntsville Phantoms of the Brewster association.
“You know” Caleca said. “A real team with a real league.”
When asked precisely what he meant by that, Caleca tried to brush it off.
“Now don’t take offense. I just mean the Brewster is a league where good players want to play.”
When asked, precisely, what he meant by that, Caleca grew visibly flustered.
“You guys are trying to blow this up into something it’s not. I’m just saying I get to go home to a real country that plays real baseball.”
No one, it turns out, needed to ask Caleca what he meant by that.
Metro Stars players were incredulous.
“He said that?” asked outfielder Wilbur Green. "Man what an ass.”
Second baseman Gilbert Hansen rolled his eyes when told of Caleca’s quotes.
“I think he’s been looking to get out of here ever since Robbie Hart threw up in his glove after that elephant ride,” Hansen said.
Hart, the team’s third baseman, grew nauseated after riding a pachyderm – at Caleca’s insistence – to celebrate an award.
Manager Mark Bruner, who himself is rumored to be on his way out of Mumbai at the end of the season, said he thought Caleca had soured on the Metro Stars job following the Aurelio Fernandez signing and its attendant controversy.
Rafael Cruz
“I don’t think he liked that his players questioned that signing in public – although they had a point. Aurelio really is a pain in the butt," Bruner said.
Closer Rafael Cruz perhaps summed up the team’s attitude towards its former boss the best:
“Well, you know, I think it's good news - this'll give us a chance to play for a ‘real’ general manager,” he said.
Just who that new boss will be is still unknown, although Caleca let drop a cryptic hint at the end of his press conference.
Asked if he knew who his successor would be, Caleca shrugged.
“Some guy named Mike … no, Matt. Mark? I don’t know. Something like that.”
The Mumbai Mirror
07-22-2038
Mumbai – The general manager of the Mumbai Metro Stars resigned his post Tuesday, announcing at a rambling and graceless news conference that he has taken a job with a team in the Brewster Baseball Association.
Vic Caleca, who led the Mumbai franchise in the Unified Middle East Baseball Alliance for roughly three months, gave team owner Donald Little scant notice of his departure, sources said.
GM Vic Caleca
“He sent Mr. Little an email this morning that said something like, ‘Donnie, I’m outta here!’ Donnie. He addressed Mr. Little as ‘Donnie,’ One does not do that," said a front office official familiar with the situation. "If one does do that, one had better be prepared to go far, far away."
As it turns out, Caleca was prepared to do just that.
Shortly after informing ownership of his departure, Caleca summoned reporters to his office and told them he’d accepted the general manager's position with the Huntsville Phantoms of the Brewster association.
“You know” Caleca said. “A real team with a real league.”
When asked precisely what he meant by that, Caleca tried to brush it off.
“Now don’t take offense. I just mean the Brewster is a league where good players want to play.”
When asked, precisely, what he meant by that, Caleca grew visibly flustered.
“You guys are trying to blow this up into something it’s not. I’m just saying I get to go home to a real country that plays real baseball.”
No one, it turns out, needed to ask Caleca what he meant by that.
Metro Stars players were incredulous.
“He said that?” asked outfielder Wilbur Green. "Man what an ass.”
Second baseman Gilbert Hansen rolled his eyes when told of Caleca’s quotes.
“I think he’s been looking to get out of here ever since Robbie Hart threw up in his glove after that elephant ride,” Hansen said.
Hart, the team’s third baseman, grew nauseated after riding a pachyderm – at Caleca’s insistence – to celebrate an award.
Manager Mark Bruner, who himself is rumored to be on his way out of Mumbai at the end of the season, said he thought Caleca had soured on the Metro Stars job following the Aurelio Fernandez signing and its attendant controversy.
Rafael Cruz
Closer Rafael Cruz perhaps summed up the team’s attitude towards its former boss the best:
“Well, you know, I think it's good news - this'll give us a chance to play for a ‘real’ general manager,” he said.
Just who that new boss will be is still unknown, although Caleca let drop a cryptic hint at the end of his press conference.
Asked if he knew who his successor would be, Caleca shrugged.
“Some guy named Mike … no, Matt. Mark? I don’t know. Something like that.”