9-News: 34.051 – YS9 Eyes Staff Shake-up?

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9-News: 34.051 – YS9 Eyes Staff Shake-up?

Post by RonCo » Fri Oct 12, 2018 6:09 pm

LaLoosh, Campbell, Looking Elsewhere?

As seems to perpetually be the case, rumors are flying around the YS9 coaching offices, only this time the controversy doesn’t seem to be centered on manager Bret Richards.

Richards, 67, has another season on the five-year deal he signed at the end of the 2032 season. He suffered fan outrage over the early months of the season, and sometimes appeared to be feeling enough frustration that some thought he might retire at the end of the season. Sources close to the club, however, say that the team expects he’ll serve out his deal rather than retire. He’s in his 8th season with the club. Some wonder if he’d even be open to an extension.

The rest of the staff, however, are on contracts the expire at the end of the season.

Probably the biggest name on the staff is 58-year-old pitching coach Robert LaLoosh, Tennessee native, uncle to the team’s ace, and a guy whose is considered a star in the ranks of pitching coaches. He’s overseen the development of several solid pitchers, and is known to be a steadying factor for kids as they transition. Insider scuttlebutt has focused on whether the team might consider offering LaLoosh a role as manager after Richards left the role—a position some think LaLoosh would like to take on. “LaLoosh is tight-lipped in the press,” said podcaster Frankie Franklin, “but the players say they feel like he’s ready to do something else.”

LaLoosh is also in his 8th season with the team, and it seems clear that organization would like him to have a 9th season and more. At question is whether LaLoosh wants to wait for that managerial slot to open, as well as whether he’d just like to get out of Yellow Springs.

Perhaps the most intriguing staff member in the conversation is hitting coach William Campbell (54), who was brought in specifically to work with slugger Victor Guerra, and turned him into a 40+ homer-a-beast. At 54, Campbell is well-regarded, and seems happy enough with the club. Rumors suggest that he'd like a substantial salary increase to stay, and that could cause problems because there is apparently a solid section of the front office that thinks his style may not match up well with the young hitters the club has coming through the pipeline.

Franklin noted that “other than Aaron Stone, and maybe Bob Frazier, you don’t really see any pure power bats coming up anytime soon, and Campbell is kind of a traditionalist at heart. The team might decide he just doesn’t match up well anymore.”

Bench Coach Simon “Space Ninja” Wright is also up for renewal. He’s been as a solid presence, and known as a good “glue” member of the staff. He makes $300K a season, but he’s also 64. If the rest of the staff turns over, many say it would be best to just rip the bandage off completely.

Manager Richards got testy when asked about the future of the staff during a recent interview. “Don’t you people have anything better to do than stir up trouble? I mean, we’re moving along in the middle of the season. Let’s figure out who’s coaching next year in November.”

Off the field, there are some conversations that assistant GM Jim Pickett, whose contract is also up at the end of the season, wants his salary doubled in order to stay. "Yeah," said Franklin, "and a turkey wants to outlaw Thanksgiving, too. Neither one is happening."
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