With John Moosey, Commissioner Municipal League and operator owner of the Minneapolis Millers:
Moosey Opening Remarks: Thank you ladies and gentlemen for attending our first press conference of the 2011 Municipal League Season. We are just a few months away from Draft day (Sunday December 5), with a lot of work occurring to get us into a new season. With the New York Knights winning the 2010 season, they have chosen a whole new direction. A new player pool will have a big impact on the competitiveness of our league. I’ll be pleased to take your questions now:
Aaron Gleeman, NBC Sports : What will be the major impact to strategy in 2011?
Moosey: The shear volume of talent. In 2010 MuniLeague play, Roy Halladay was our ERA leader with 2.31 runs given up per game. This database has 224 pitchers with an ERA at 2.31 or better. The league only needs about 240 pitchers. Strategy will be nuanced.
Ines Sainz / TV Azleca: I do not know why they send me to this press meeting. As a professional female reporter I like the long ball.
Moosey: Hello Ines, let me assure you that the Municipal League has nothing but gentlemen. And we do have the long ball. Our database contains 225 batters with forty or more homeruns. That’s a lot.
Selena Roberts, ESPN: That is a lot of homeruns from a lot of guys. What is the Municipal Leagues steroid policy? And what effect will it have on the health of the players?
Moosey: We don’t have a policy. But health and injuries will play a major role in the 2011 season. For the first time injuries will be part of the Municipal League. You may face Joe DiMaggio going down for 4 weeks in the middle of the season. A manager will have to deal with that. Also player usage will be limited to the actual performance. Reserves and position flexibility could be a key to success.
Mitch Albom, Detroit News: So although you have super talent, the Municipal League is becoming more realistic. What other impacts outside the player pool do you see occurring this season?Moosey: We have two major retirements in Wayne Schwalbe, St. Paul Saints and Bill Baumann, Irish Kickers. They certainly will have a time advantage on the rest of the league. I expect both of their performances to increase. In fact the AL West division kind of got upset by the rookie Mark Allen and his Kost Ball Club. Dave Gryte, Pequot Lakers was a 2009 powerhouse, they could also return to form. This could be a very interesting and competitive division.
Does the Spider’s Rogers, Bull’s Christensen, Lucky Spof, Splinter’s Schneider 2010 experience catapult them forward? I believe that gap of MuniLeague expertise is shrinking greatly and that should have the biggest impact this upcoming season.
Albom: Other season details?
Moosey: Players will be selected from a draft, with 25 minimum/maximum roster size. Worst record picks first. We are working on retaining Rabbit Ray’s prognostications for 2011. They have been the highlight of the league these past few years.
Keith Obermann, MSNBC: Isn’t this league just another shill for your power grab? First Chisago County and now the Municipal League. Don’t you desire control at all costs now involving your very own son, setting him up to win the Championship. First its George HW Bush and then George W Bush. I know you’re rotten just like them. Aren’t you for restoring the Bush tax cuts, and for Bush to keep the Heisman Trophy? And you even played in Bush Stadium, serving Bush beer and baked beans. Malfeasance is your middle name!
Moosey: Geez Keith. We do the Municipal League for fun and 19 of us were hoping to beat Jake, especially me. And yes the Minneapolis Millers played in Busch Stadium for two years. We moved because we could not get out of third place in the division. My middle name is Mark.
Greg Doyle, CBS Sports: You stated that the new strategy would be more nuanced. Please explain?
Moosey: Each team is going to have a stud bat in every position and an ace in every hole. Lefty/Righty splits will be more important. Pitcher Ground ball ratio will matter a lot. A manager who can react to an injury, first by having a suitable replacement, then making the decision to go forward will have a decided advantage for those who are unprepared.
With the injury factor and player limits, is the third basemen who has 527 at bats with a .270 batting average and an iron injury rating more valuable then 3rd sacker with a .322 BA, 462 at bats and an average injury rating?
Moosey: Any more questions?
Olbermann: I bet Bush is your favorite Band, admit it!
Moosey: Thanks everyone.
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