52.10 With Indictments Looming, GM Fires Manager and Staff As a Distraction

[tylertoo]

Sox Manager Schroeder and Staff Fired in Late Season Purge
Ouster likely meant to divert attention from looming indictments
AAA Manager Roberto Solis named Interim Manager

Chicago, September 11, 2052 -- Black Sox Manager Dave Schroeder and most members of his staff were fired today, a move that insiders believe is meant to divert attention from the imminent indictments of team owner Santino "Sonny" Vitale and GM Mike Dunn in the death of Vinnie Vitale last December.

In three years at the helm of the Sox Schroeder compiled a 207-243 record with no playoff appearances. Also shown the door in the late night purge were Bench Coach Paco Creteles, Pitching Coach Jorge Morales, 1B Coach Chris Jackson, and 3B Coach Thatcher Jolley. Only Hitting Coach Alfredo Finley was retained, apparently because of his previous career as a numbers runner with the Vitale family.

Replace Schroeder as Black Sox Manager is Roberto Solis. Solis this season guided the club's AAA affiliate, the Carolina Flight, to a 83-61 record, good for first place in the East Coast division of the Rupert Horn Memorial League. The Flight was just eliminated in the first round of the Rupert Horn playoffs, so the end of the Flight's season opened the door for his elevation to the big league club.

Solis is bringing much of his AAA staff with him: Bench Coach Randy Sorenson, Pitching Coach John Sloan, 1B Coach Ramon Martinez, and 3B Coach Javier Tellez.

Some Black Sox players were surprised to see Schroeder ousted. "Dave was a good guy, even though he seemed in over his head at times," said one player, asking for anonymity. "Still, we just haven't performed well enough, and its unfortunate that the coach staff gets the blame."

Dunn claims to know nothing

But sources tell the Black Sox Baseball Blog that Schroeder's performance had little to do with the firings. Apparently the Illinois Attorney General's probe into the death of late owner Vinnie Vitale is nearing a conclusion, and indictments of both Sonny Vitale and GM Dunn are said to be both likely and imminent. The sources say Sonny and Dunn naively hoped the firing would, at least for now, stop reporters from asking about the grand jury investigation.

Dunn, for his part, discounted the suggestion that his legal woes have anything to do with Schroeder's ouster. "Why would you think that? It's very funny you would think that. I'm not facing legal woes. I don't even know what legal woes are. It's so funny you would say that."

Vinnie's death was ruled both "accidental" and "natural causes" by Chicago officials despite 27 bullet wounds, a confounding conclusion that prompted the state probe.

[Jwalk100]

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[RT60]

Even though my organization only has upstanding and law-abiding citizens, I am doing the same damn thing if this turns your club around.

[chicoruiz]

Probably Vinnie was just cleaning his gun and it went off accidentally. 27 times. In the back of the head…

[neugey]

Probably Vinnie was just cleaning his gun and it went off accidentally. 27 times. In the back of the head…

It doesn't seem like it would be safe to clean your gun while receiving a massage and having someone else clean your other gun.

[Jwalk100]

Probably Vinnie was just cleaning his gun and it went off accidentally. 27 times. In the back of the head…

It doesn't seem like it would be safe to clean your gun while receiving a massage and having someone else clean your other gun.

You might have a 'negligent' discharge.