Catherine Trammell - Contributing Reporter
Catherine Trammel: Good morning Cobbfather fans! Earlier this off-season the Anaheim west coast bombers were purchased by Golden Bear. Anaheim fans will be excited as he plans to keep them in the city. Many fans feared a move south of the border. And why not, we've already have two teams move out of the US, choosing to pack their bags for Canada. I say again....Can-a-duh. The international players are likely scrambling for who is going to sign them, especially those from the Dominican Republic. Anaheim's previous owner signed 70 international players over the last 5 years, 41 of whom were from DR. But alas they have a new owner, let's give everyone a chance to meet him. Welcome Golden Bear! Give us a little history about your ownership history. We hope to see you around for at least the next 29 seasons like you spent with the Texas Rangers in Robert E McCabe.
GB: I danced around worlds for a few seasons before settling down with Texas in McCabe league. Man did I not know what I was doing for awhile, but I think I've got it figured out a bit now. I had a few sustained seasons of decent success with a World Series appearance, but it was mainly a reclamation project. I really like building with youth.
CT: There you have it, another a member of the Last Game Casualty Society. Can you share a few interesting facts about Golden Bear, is it real gold or Fool's Gold? What does he do outside of owning the Anaheim Diablos?
GB: It's definitely fool's gold. I'm a golf fan, and his (Jack Nicklaus) nickname allowed for a play on my actual name, so it worked out. Outside of WIS, I'm a labor and employment lawyer, so this is a very entertaining aspect of my life. I'm married with two kids, two dogs, and 4 chickens. I married a country girl, so the animals were inevitable. Other than that, I spend most of my time hanging out with the family and coaching the kids in their different sports teams.
CT: What interested you in purchasing this team, and why choose to stay in Anaheim?
GB: I liked that Anaheim had a history of some early draft picks and good prospects. I'm not a fan of big contracts, so a young good core was a huge selling point. Plus, it wasn't a current contender that I could screw up! I like Anaheim's park, so it seemed like a good spot to stay in. I can definitely be bribed into a future relocation though!
CT: I hear Canada offers their owners free Tim Horton's. What was your first impression of the league and your AL West competitors? Colorado Springs is going to be a hard one to get past. They are coming off their winningest season in franchise history only to lose Game 7 of the World Series. Guess they are another member of the Last Game Casualty Society.
GB: I like the engagement of all the owners in the World Chat and the blog. It seems like a great set of owners that make staying here long term very enjoyable. The AL West will be tough, but I think we can make our mark in the next 2-3 seasons if it all pans out.
CT: The next 2-3 seasons shouldn't be too difficult with that young core left behind. What are your thoughts on your lineup? Shea Crowe (S44 #7 pick), and Bonk Burnett (S45 #1 pick)? Do you think we'll see Mallex Borenstein (S46 #8 pick) or Tom Hines (S47 #9 pick) called up this season?
GB: I think the lineup has great potential and is almost ready to fully rock. It's hard to find anything not to like about Crowe. He's just a stud. I'm also a big fan of Burnett. Borenstein has a good shot of making the team this year since he's in an area of need. I think Hines has the bat to make an impact, but he needs more ABs in the minors before he come sup. I'm wary of making huge jumps so quickly. Either way, the youth on this team is amazing!
CT: What's the owner's game plan, will you plan to open the pocketbooks or remain on a tight budget?
GB: I'll probably take a mixed approach. The team needs another SP in the mold of a 3 and could use some relief pitching. Hitting wise, the youth should form the core for the next few seasons, but not everyone is ready to fill that role. I think we will see if some pitching deals make sense and maybe add a bat or two along the way. However I want to make sure I've got enough money to take a shot on a big time IFA if the opportunity presents itself.
CT: Good luck in IFA, that price seems to be rising every season. Last season the team ended ranked #19, where do you expect to be ranked by the end of next season?
GB: I would expect us somewhere in the 10-15 range, but I am not going to go all out this season. If I can acquire a better long term group at the cost of maybe not winning as much this season, so be it. I'm thinking the real hope is to be top 5 in 2-3 seasons with a young core of awesomeness.
CT: Sounds like a new team name, Young Core of Awesomeness! I'm sure the fans will be thrilled. Last question on everyone's mind. Where do you stand on Dizzy Leonard's Hall bid? Hall of Fame or Hall of Shame?
GB: No Hall of Dizzy from this owner. Sure, he eclipsed 3k strikeouts, but the other stats just don't get home over the line for me. Then again, I'm a harsh critic so please school me as you see fit.
CT: There you have it folks, no Hall of Fame for Dizzy Leonard. The new owner has spoken! I hear Eli Cash has spent a little more time with Jill Bames this offseason, so I expect a new article from the team just before Hall of Fame voting starts this year. So stay tuned for that, and watch out for these Diablos in the next 2-3 years; they are out to prove themselves.