I sat down with GM Neil Thomas and asked him why the changes, what was the tie in with the space theme, how did he feel his first few months had gone.
The Changes.
"There was a deep rooted disease, cancer if you would within the organisation. I felt it as soon as I walked into the ballpark, there were no players around, the season had finished. However talking to some of the Valencia employees, you got the feeling the 2044 season had finished around the All Star break for some of the players.
I've stated before I had no intention leaving Beirut, when I did decided to take the job with Valencia I sat down with Paul McFarquhar Jr, we both decided it had to be a clean slate if I took over. Now by this we don't mean to forget the history of the Stars, if we wanted that I'm sure it would have been easier to move the team.
That's why everything will change next season but not the location, we'll be playing in a new ballpark in new uniforms and under a new logo. The minors have had a full overhaul, each step of the process we consulted with the fans. We also in our consultations with the CTBrewCrew Logo & Uniform Design Co, stipulated that we wanted a clean simple design with a fresh look which I think there head designer Mike Madison more than achieved".
The Space Theme.
"That was by luck, we'd organised a meet and greet with the season ticket holders. I'm sat next to DeMario Davis, played in over 1,400 games for the Stars in the 1990s. Now in over an hour I've signed 2 autographs you see GMs aren't in demand, it's like if we win it's the players if we get beat it's my fault, the GMs fault.
Anyway the signing finishes and DeMario is waiting for his grandson to come pick him up, I decide to wait with him. So we're talking about his playing days when this kid runs in, he must be about 14 well he runs straight to DeMario, gives him an hug and whispers something to him. Now what DeMario says shocks me a bit, turns out it's his great great grandson now that doesn't shock me what shocks me is the kid wants my autograph.
So I give the kid my autograph and DeMario is telling me he's named after his best friend Vyacheslav Kelly another ex Stars player, they call him Ches for short. He wants my autograph as he wants to be a GM when he's older, jokingly I ask him for some tips. His reply, I needed a connection if the rumours of changing the minors were true. So I'm interested, I ask him what does he have in mind. "Space!" Turns out Ches is not only crazy on space but old-time music like Elton John and David Bowie.
So that's why we have a space theme running through the minors, a 14 year old kid named after a Stars player from the past who as another Stars player from the past in his family tree gave me the start of an idea".
The Start Of The Journey.
"The first few months, let me say the start in Athens was better, the start in Beirut was better, the start in Valencia well it couldn't be any worse than it is. There are some glimmers of hope though but I knew it wasn't a short term fix, of course having no off season didn't help but I'm not going to bang the pity drum.
The pitching is probably the high point, may not seem it but their young arms and if they mature to their potential then we could have a solid if not spectacular rotation and bullpen.
Hitting wise we'll be looking at bringing some bats into the line up, one of the reasons we are in the position we are is we aren't giving the pitchers the run support we need.
The in fighting with the players needs to stop, that's the reason behind the changes at assistant GM and both manager and bench coach at the major league level
