2.10.2047, Redwood City
Part of the recent building spree in the Stars organization was the construction of what is known formally as the Valencia Stars Player Development Complex. Grant had heard it referred to around the office as Stars North.
He is here to meet with the club assistant general manager for player development, Matthew Sanchez. Well, meet in person, at any rate. They'd of course sat in video conferences between Stars North and the main office several times before.
After being waived through by a security guard at the main gate, Grant follows a series of LEDs embedded in the roadway that lead him to the parking deck, and ultimately his parking space. Waiting there is a woman in business casual seated behind the wheel of a golf cart.
“You must be Grant,” she says as he gets out of the car. “I'm Judy. I'll be giving you the tour before the meeting. If you'll leave the car unlocked, we'll have somebody come by and take your bags to your room.”
“Sure, no problem,” says Grant.
“If you need some time to stretch your legs, go ahead. There are restrooms over there at the end of the row.”
* * *
Grant gets a tour of the campus. He understands the club is quite proud of it and they love showing it off. Judy drives the cart and points out the areas of interest. She strikes Grant as somebody who might have been a school teacher in a previous career. Cheerful, but no-nonsense.
“This is Walheim Park, the complex's big stadium, with a capacity just over thirteen thousand. It serves as the home of the Redwood City Rocketmen, and also doubles as the Stars' spring training main field. Tough year for the Rocketmen, they went 69-71, but that's why you're here, right? Find us some players?”
“That's the idea,” he replies. “Mostly I help other people find the players.”
“Rounding the bend here, we're coming up on the Valencia Stars International Baseball Academy and its two ball fields,” Judy continued, “one for the under eighteens and another for the under twenties. Nearby is the dormitory for the international complex players, as well as a classroom building for academic and baseball instruction.”
But for the ball fields, the campus could easily be confused for a Silicon Valley tech firm. The architecture, the whole vibe of the place, fits right in. Grant supposes that they put player development and analytics here to be closer to the pool of talent versed in the technical aspects. Grant's job, as he understands it, is to explain the work of the quants to the baseball ops people in plain English, and synthesize it with more traditional analytical methods (scouting, in other words). 'Senior Analyst,' it says on his office door.
Judy takes another turn and a large building looms in the distance. “Here we have the rehabilitation and conditioning center, and behind that, the indoor practice facility, which features a full-sized baseball diamond.”
“What are the dimensions of the field?” asks Grant, by now confident that Judy would know off the top of her head.
“Just two-hundred and sixty feet to the corners. Straightaway center is two-eighty.”
Judy stops the cart and indicates yet more fields in the distance. “Over there are the spring training backfields and dormitory for the Rocketmen players and spring training squad. Mostly empty for the moment. That's where you're staying.”
They turn back towards the center of the campus to the dining hall / rec center and club offices, situated just west of the parking deck.
“Here you are,” says Judy. “Meeting's in ten minutes. The receptionist will help you with directions.”
The Third Floor (48.06) Stars North, pt. 1
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The Third Floor (48.06) Stars North, pt. 1
Morris Ragland
President, Baseball Ops, Beirut Cedars (8/25/46 - 10/23/47)
President, Baseball Ops, Valencia Stars (10/24/2047 - 11/06/2058)
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"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." - W. Churchill
President, Baseball Ops, Beirut Cedars (8/25/46 - 10/23/47)
President, Baseball Ops, Valencia Stars (10/24/2047 - 11/06/2058)
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2048 Caleca Winner
"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." - W. Churchill
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Re: The Third Floor (48.06) Stars North, pt. 1
Well done as always Morris
Nigel Laverick
(former GM of El Paso Chilis #WeWereShitty) ,
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(former GM of El Paso Chilis #WeWereShitty) ,
Now GM Riyadh Red Crescents #WeBeNotSoNewNow #WeAreJustAsShitty
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JL Manager of the Year 2000 (Baltimore Monarchs)
Nothing since
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