2058.02 A Heated Meeting

[Trebro]

A Heated Meeting

Somewhere inside the offices of the Yellow Springs Nine…

Bo Jordan hits the door of GM Rob McMonigal's office so hard as he opens it that he disengages the hinges. It sags like a visual representation of the team's 2057 fortunes, leaning on Jordan's support to prop it up.

There's a metaphor for you, thinks McMonigal.

"Why am I getting calls from Valerie and Erwin and Patty, to say nothing of the national newspapers about Thum?" Jordan thundered.

McMonigal shrunk a bit in his seat. He can tell why Jordan used to impose his will on the other team, game in and game out, through a Hall of Fame career.

"I'm getting them, too," he said. "They're all asking about that damn press release."

"The one YOU told me was correct. That Hunter was retiring at the end of the season."

"Because he WAS."

"Who told you that?"

"Xi-tong did."

"And you trusted that moron? We only keep him on because the league makes us. He gets everything wrong. He's constantly telling you and I about trades we should make that are downright awful or how we're not getting enough for veterans on expiring deals. Isn't he the guy who personally vouched for Kobayashi?"

McMonigal sighed. "Yes."

That wasn't the only issue. Xi-tong had claimed he was unjustly let go in Madison, a report McMonigal later found out was a lie. He'd also falsified some of his resume, claiming to have worked in several independent league offices in cities like Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and also interned for Citigroup to get his business degree. The only reason McMonigal hadn't fired him for the falsifications is that it would have meant bringing in another useless person.

And sometimes, Xi-tong wasn't useless. He'd helped with the Shiplack trade with Rocky Mountain and was always in contact with the former GM there, Brett, which led to several good trades for both sides.

"And you trusted him to handle one of our most important players and their plans for the next season?"

"Yes."

"Because…"

Because Thum may have been amazing once upon a time, but he's been a constant millstone.

Maybe not a great thing to say.

"Because they have a good relationship with each other."

Maybe not true, but a better thing to say.

"Well apparently, their relationship involves making both of us look like we don't know our ass from a hole in the ground. This is a PR nightmare! There's going to be articles about this everywhere from the World to the Players' Tribune. We could crash fan interest over this! Need I remind you how much revenue we lost last year?"

"Need I remind you how much of a profit you made?" muttered McMonigal.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Do whatever you need to do to fix this. Or else. I'm holding you completely responsible for what happens next."

With that, Jordan stormed out, his tall, still muscular frame disappearing down the hallway. The broken door creaked on its remaining hinge, rocking back and forth. Every movement seemed like it would crash to the floor.

It was only a matte of time before the door would shatter, utterly destroyed.

Another metaphor.

McMonigal sighed and reached for his cell phone.

[RonCo]

Bo knows.

[recte44]

Thum is really starting to crater. Hope he doesn't ever go through an end of the career like Charles Puckett had to endure.

[joshd19]

I’m gonna need to catch up on all the YS9 lore

[Trebro]

Thum is really starting to crater. Hope he doesn't ever go through an end of the career like Charles Puckett had to endure.

He's really falling apart. I did not expect that.