(Camera shows the interior of GM Benedetta Vitale’s mid-century modern-style office at Black Sox Park, where Benny is sitting straight up – with immaculate posture – in her black leather and chrome office chair. She is on the phone with her brother-in-law and boss, Sox owner Vinnie Vitale.)
Benny Vitale: So, I got your note this morning that you decided to increase our budget to $140 million, and I have just one question – why?
Sox GM Benedetta Vitale
Benny: We were fine without the extra $4 million, I want you to know. Unlike that free-spending hippie you had in here before, I intend to run a tight ship, from our minor league managers and coaches to our on-field talent.
Vinnie: Well, you won’t hear me argue with you on that. But I don’t think Vic was particularly free-spending …
Benny: No? He was paying that failure of a manager in San Pedro $120,000 a year. In Short-Season A ball! I hired someone at less than half that.
Vinnie: That’s nice, Benny, but the main thing is whether the guy’s any good.
Benny: Of course he is, Vincent. He grades at the top of the Kocherschmeltz Group’s influence scale. Bright blue. Excellent.
Vinnie (sighs): Yeah … hey, about this Katzenjammer guy …
Benny (coldly): Don’t pull that cutesy name crap with me, Vincent. You know very well what his name is.
Vinnie (sighs even more deeply): Yeah, yeah. Coke-n-a-smile. Don’t lecture me, Benedetta. It’s still my team, not yours.
Benny (icily): You hired me to run the team my way, which I will do without interference from you, Vincent. Unless, perhaps, you’d like me to share my Agri-Green files …
Vinnie: No need to resort to threats here, Benedetta. I’ll just remind you that anything you ‘share’ will hurt you and my brother Gino just as much as it will hurt me. So you can just zip that kind of talk right now.
Benny: Hmm. If you say so, Vincent.
Vinnie: I know so. Now, to the point I was trying to make: are we climbing too much into bed Kocherhelm and his buddies? You sure he and this blue and orange and green crap makes sense?
Benny: Do you take me for an idiot, Vincent? Of course I think it makes sense. We checked them out thoroughly, and I think their algorithms are fascinating and will revolutionize the sport. It’s true we’re the first team to try them on a wide scale, but if it works, well, we’ll be that much further ahead of everyone else.
Vinnie: OK. This is what I wanted to hear. Straight answers without the threats. We gotta be able to talk about the team without you going all Joe Pesci on me.
Benny: Joe Pesci?
Vinnie: Yeah. Goodfellas? Casino?
Benny: I’m not a fan of vintage cinema, Vincent.
Vinnie: Jesus. Vintage cinema? These are great movies. You mean to tell me you never seen Goodfellas?
Benny: That is exactly what I mean to tell you, Vincent.
Vinnie: Wow. Well, your loss.
Benny: Yes, well. I agree we must have an understanding about discussing the team, but I need to know that you will give me the free hand you promised.
Sox owner Vinnie "Mr. Understanding" Vitale
Benny: Agreed. And I did not mean to belittle your addition to the team budget before. We will endeavor to find useful ways to spend the money. I am interested in finding a better right-handed platoon option in left field. Bill McGuffin’s briefings on the team were helpful.
Vinnie: Yeah? Well, it’s good ol’ McDuffy is doing something useful.
Benny: He is a little odd. Perhaps a little old for our operation. I would like a bit more of a modern perspective on things. His contract runs through ’44, but I may terminate that a bit early.
Vinnie: Well, that’s your call. If he’s doin’ OK work for you, though, you might want to keep him around for a bit.
Benny: At least for the season, I think. Well, Vincent, I do need to run. The Kocherschmeltz Group is taking a look at our player contracts and we’re getting a briefing in about 10 minutes.
Vinnie: Fun. Well, let me know if you need anything from me, Benny.
Benny: That’s doubtful Vincent, but in the event I do, I have your number – in more ways than one.
Vinnie: Damn it, Benny …
[Call ends]
