OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post

txphile · 07-09-2003, 08:45 PM

Manager's Office -- The Ballpark at Arlington (Arlington, TX)
March 3, 2003

Looking around my office, I saw great potential. Sure there was work to be done, but the potential was there. Five out of the six guys had actually shown up on-time, for the new guy..."the novelty." I know I was laughing inside. It would've been instant suicide to break composure this early in the game though.

Eddie Gantt, the 45 year-old hitting coach from Tuscaloosa. He had a solid reputation for bringing up young guns. More importantly, he had never been known to screw up some kid's development by being overly pushy. 'Slow-and-steady' is good. He'd only been signed onto the staff last spring but there were already auspicious signs of his influence on the team's batting.

Steven 'Ironside' Desalvo, an 11-year veteran pitching coach ~~~ all eleven of those years spent with the Rangers. If our team's pitching is representative of his work, then we have a LOT of things to discuss ASAP. The grapevine is probably right about him just wanting to cruise until retirement. I don't cruise, however; not on the road and most assuredly not in the ballpark.

My minor league coaches, all huddled together to one side of the room. Discussing each others' prospects no doubt. Good. 'Working-when-you're-not-working' is good.

The legendary Lester McAdory, manager of the AAA Oklahoma City RedHawks for 19 years and counting. He had led the RedHawks to league titles in probably half of those years. There was no one better suited for manning the launching pad that our future big leaguers would use to break into the majors. Two of our starters for the upcoming season are his personal 'projects.' I expect tremendous things from those two.

James McFarlin, the dependable manager of the AA Frisco RoughRiders out of the Texas League...right in our own back yard. He is perhaps the person I am most familiar with out of the whole bunch. His team currently houses the future of Rangers pitching...three phenoms critical to my plans to bring us to the level of World Series contenders. He had better not fail me. Failure is unacceptable.

Alvin Hungate, the rookie manager who is in a position similar to mine (albeit on a much smaller scale). He takes over a solid ballclub in the Stockton Ports. I did leave everything in good working order there, if I do say so myself.

Our illustrious Chief-of-Scouting was conspicuously absent. I had heard phenomenal things about him, never having actually met him in person though. Not showing up to the first meeting...not a good start. I decided to start without him nonetheless.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Gentlemen. I have called this little get-together just to get a few things straight before we get down to the business of baseball."

The low buzz of baseball gossip faded before I continued.

"My name is T.L. Mackey. I have been entrusted with this ballclub's managerial duties. The press doesn't seem to think that this is a good move. I know some of you have doubts too. So, it's going to be part of my job to convince both you and everyone else that their fears and doubts are unwarranted. Questions?

Gantt and Desalvo were noticeably quiet. Too quiet for my taste...I need guys who lay it all out there and stick to their guns. McAdory was the first to break the silence...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

McAdory: So... You're how old again?

Mackey: 26.

McAdory: That's what I thought. And everything I've heard about the 'Stockton Miracle' is true?

Mackey: If you only knew the half of it.

McAdory leaned back in his seat and looked over at his AA counterpart who nodded in return.

McAdory: (smirking) I don't know what you're planning on doing here, Mr. Mackey. But if it's anything like what you pulled off in Stockton... (extending his hand) ...it's gonna be one hell of a ride.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was at this point that the office door burst open and a portly man stumbled through, clutching two handfuls of papers and manilla folders. Before I could react, he introduced himself: Wilmer Witherspoon, Chief of Rangers Scouting...fresh off of the red-eye out of La Guardia and a week of scouting talent up-and-down the East Coast.

Yes. It's gonna be one hell of a ride.

07-09-2003, 08:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
txphile Bat Boy Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0x in 0 posts	Texas Rangers Baseball Club Manager's Office -- The Ballpark at Arlington (Arlington, TX) March 3, 2003 Looking around my office, I saw great potential. Sure there was work to be done, but the potential was there. Five out of the six guys had actually shown up on-time, for the new guy..."the novelty." I know I was laughing inside. It would've been instant suicide to break composure this early in the game though. Eddie Gantt, the 45 year-old hitting coach from Tuscaloosa. He had a solid reputation for bringing up young guns. More importantly, he had never been known to screw up some kid's development by being overly pushy. 'Slow-and-steady' is good. He'd only been signed onto the staff last spring but there were already auspicious signs of his influence on the team's batting. Steven 'Ironside' Desalvo, an 11-year veteran pitching coach ~~~ all eleven of those years spent with the Rangers. If our team's pitching is representative of his work, then we have a LOT of things to discuss ASAP. The grapevine is probably right about him just wanting to cruise until retirement. I don't cruise, however; not on the road and most assuredly not in the ballpark. My minor league coaches, all huddled together to one side of the room. Discussing each others' prospects no doubt. Good. 'Working-when-you're-not-working' is good. The legendary Lester McAdory, manager of the AAA Oklahoma City RedHawks for 19 years and counting. He had led the RedHawks to league titles in probably half of those years. There was no one better suited for manning the launching pad that our future big leaguers would use to break into the majors. Two of our starters for the upcoming season are his personal 'projects.' I expect tremendous things from those two. James McFarlin, the dependable manager of the AA Frisco RoughRiders out of the Texas League...right in our own back yard. He is perhaps the person I am most familiar with out of the whole bunch. His team currently houses the future of Rangers pitching...three phenoms critical to my plans to bring us to the level of World Series contenders. He had better not fail me. Failure is unacceptable. Alvin Hungate, the rookie manager who is in a position similar to mine (albeit on a much smaller scale). He takes over a solid ballclub in the Stockton Ports. I did leave everything in good working order there, if I do say so myself. Our illustrious Chief-of-Scouting was conspicuously absent. I had heard phenomenal things about him, never having actually met him in person though. Not showing up to the first meeting...not a good start. I decided to start without him nonetheless. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Gentlemen. I have called this little get-together just to get a few things straight before we get down to the business of baseball." The low buzz of baseball gossip faded before I continued. "My name is T.L. Mackey. I have been entrusted with this ballclub's managerial duties. The press doesn't seem to think that this is a good move. I know some of you have doubts too. So, it's going to be part of my job to convince both you and everyone else that their fears and doubts are unwarranted. Questions? Gantt and Desalvo were noticeably quiet. Too quiet for my taste...I need guys who lay it all out there and stick to their guns. McAdory was the first to break the silence... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ McAdory: So... You're how old again? Mackey: 26. McAdory: That's what I thought. And everything I've heard about the 'Stockton Miracle' is true? Mackey: If you only knew the half of it. McAdory leaned back in his seat and looked over at his AA counterpart who nodded in return. McAdory: (smirking) I don't know what you're planning on doing here, Mr. Mackey. But if it's anything like what you pulled off in Stockton... (extending his hand) ...it's gonna be one hell of a ride. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was at this point that the office door burst open and a portly man stumbled through, clutching two handfuls of papers and manilla folders. Before I could react, he introduced himself: Wilmer Witherspoon, Chief of Rangers Scouting...fresh off of the red-eye out of La Guardia and a week of scouting talent up-and-down the East Coast. Yes. It's gonna be one hell of a ride.