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In an exclusive interview, GM Rob McMonigal of the beleaguered Yellow Springs Nine, offered up details of the team's plans for its Single A franchise, the Silver Springs Tarpons. Sitting down with your humble, multiple award-winning farm reporter, he spoke at length and with some strong statements, as you'll see.
Lessman: First off, tell us about the changes at Single A.
McMonigal: Well first and foremost, we rewarded Huibert Staps, who's been simply amazing, first at Cat Island and now at Silver Springs, with a three year contract extension, making him our second-highest paid minor league coach behind only An at Indianapolis.
Lessman: What's the deal with An? He has secrets, you know. I've vowed to find them. You can't trust someone whose name is an article in and of itself. It's like he has no life. He's a complete blank slate. He has to be hiding something. WHAT IS IT?
McMonigal: Uh, Nes, this is about the Tarpons. Would you please leave your weird obsession alone for just one column? The man likes his privacy.
Lessman: Ahem. Sorry. Old habits. What else is going with the coaching staff?
McMonigal: Well, we promoted Jose Ortiz from Cat Island to join Staps at Single A. They were a great combo together there and with the other adjustments we announced, this seemed like a no-brainer.
Lessman: But that's not the biggest news.
McMonigal: Nope. As we've previously stated, Hunter himself, Dong-Po Thum is going to be the hitting coach for the Tarpons! We can't wait for him to start.
Lessman: Why Single A for Thum? Starting him from the lower levels to see how he performs?
McMonigal: Not at all, Nes. We discussed this with Hunter privately first. He could have taken on any level he wanted. But, and I say this here publicly, Thum and I agreed to Single A for a very important reason. It's time for the Phoenix organization to learn their days of dominating the Charley Pegler League are over!
Lessman: You're declaring war on Toledo?
McMonigal: That's right, Nes. It's time to deprive Marko [GM of the Talons] of his Liberty! Too long have the masses of Single A been under his service-time manipulating boot! How many 21 year olds have had their dreams crushed because of his juggernaut of stars ready for the BBA but are not yet 25 keep mowing them down, gaining title after title? Do you know how many Team Previews he's wrecked by this obsession with winning Pegler titles?
Lessman: No, I do not.
McMonigal: Neither do I! But it doesn't matter. We are going to build a Dream Team of coaching at Single A and strangle Liberty in its crib!
Lessman:To take on Marko, you might need to adopt some of those tactics you referenced above. Are you willing to do that?
McMonigal: Absolutely not. We will end Liberty by following the rules, not manipulating them.
Lessman: You...seem a little obsessed with this.
McMonigal: I guess I am.
Lessman: Possibly because you want to have a distraction from the Nine themselves becoming a perennial loser on your watch after being a perennial winner under your predecessor, the now GM of Bikini, Ron Collins?
McMonigal: Look, I just want to end Liberty as we know it. What's wrong with that?
Lessman: …
McMonigal: Oh. Hmm. Maybe that is a little strong, huh?
Lessman: Why don't we just end this interview here?
McMonigal: Good idea.
Note: I attempted to reach out to Reclusive Talons GM™ Sean Marko @jiminyhopkins for comment, but he refused. The team mentioned something about preferring to get their own participation points in any response.
