Unclear ownership line of succession may mean stormy skies ahead for Borealis

These should be great days in Aurora.  Our beloved ballclub will be taking the field at Northern Lights Park this evening in what will be the franchise’s first-ever Sovereign Alliance Tournament game.  Despite a rash of September injuries, the Borealis still have to be considered the favorites to advance to the Planetary Extreme Championship (although the Crystal Lake Sandgnats are sure to have something to say about that).  If Aurora does in fact best the Gnats – a team they won 10 of 15 regular season meetings against – they will be facing an Imperial League wild card team in the PEC.  Both IL division leaders, Charleston and Manchester, were knocked off by 2^nd-placed teams in the ILDS.

Yet amongst all these bright notes, a sour chord is being struck.  Right this minute, the man who has been the heart and soul of the Borealis franchise – and indeed the entire PEBA – is lying currently lying in a University of Colorado Hospital bed.  While we have now confirmed that John Rodriguez, Sr. suffered a stroke nearly two weeks ago, we remain in the dark about his current condition.  Reports have surfaced claiming that his condition is critical, only to be answered by conflicting reports stating the stroke was mild in nature and that the Borealis owner will be up and about in short order.

Eventually the cloud of secrecy is going to lift and we’ll learn which side is telling the truth.  Until then, storm clouds brew in the front office as a potential power-struggle for control of the Borealis looms on the horizon should the worst befall the club’s patriarch.

This situation has arisen because John, Sr. – who famously claimed was “going to live forever” – has never clarified the line of ownership succession.  People in the know have confided to me that there is turmoil in the front office because there is no official document spelling out who exactly will succeed John, Sr. in the event that he turns out to in fact be mortal.  If he is indeed recovering, he may be able to clarify the succession question and end this brewing crisis.  If the worst befalls him, however, where the team turns is anyone’s guess.

Christopher Rodriguez, the owner’s son and outspoken Vice President of Operations, would seem to be the likely heir to the throne.  No one questions Christopher’s baseball acumen.  He has been associated with the club since its inception, so there’s a strong familiarity on both sides.  Of course his business successes managing his father’s Rodriguez Fitness empire have left him a wealthy man; fans could breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the Borealis would likely be able to retain their high payroll with Christopher at the helm.

There is no doubt that Christopher wants the position, too.  He is as ambitious as he is outspoken, and therein lies the problem.  Christopher’s aggressive pursuit of wealth and personal notoriety has often placed him at odds with his father, who has traditionally maintained a lower profile while working to cultivate a familial atmosphere amongst his employees.  Christopher’s style is much more that of an efficient yet cold businessman.  While the approach has at times paid dividends (both for the club and for Rodriguez Fitness), it has also strained Christopher’s relationship with his father, leaving some to question whether John, Sr. would choose to leave his “baby” in the hands of a man whose business and philosophical views differ so radically from his own.

If not Christopher, who then would step into the void?  Several front office members I spoke to on condition of anonymity suggest the answer may be Vice President of Business Ulderico Alfero.  Ulderico, an American-born Italian, has been a close friend of John, Sr. since their time together in the Army.  Unlike the attention-grabbing Christopher, Ulderico is known as a humble man who quietly goes about his business (and is considered very good at it by his peers).  One of the reasons the club has been able to increase its payroll is the rich new media contract recently signed with regional sports network Altitude Sports and Entertainment, a contract negotiated by Ulderico.  There’s little doubt that an Ulderico-run Aurora Borealis franchise would be in capable financial hands.

There are a couple flies in that ointment, however.  You can be certain that Christopher wouldn’t take such a move lying down.  A barrage of lawsuits would be the most likely response as the shunned elder son fights to retain a legacy he views as his by birthright.  The last thing John, Sr. would want is for his club to be making headlines in the courtroom rather than on the baseball diamond.  Perhaps more important is Ulderico’s age; at 80, he’s 20 years Christopher’s elder and far past the time most people would have retired to a comfortable home life.  Would John, Sr. be willing to entrust care of the Borealis to someone of Ulderico’s advanced age, thus opening the door for a repeat of this confusion in the near-term future?

Another option is being hopefully whispered by some Aurora front office members.  Although he does not have an official role with the Borealis, the owner’s younger son John, Jr. has been a constant presence around the club offices.  He has often counseled his father on important matters related to the team.  Indeed the younger Rodriguez son is believed to have his father’s ear more so than the elder despite the fact that Christopher is an employee of the team while John Jr. is an “outsider”.  John Jr. brings a cool head and an affable nature to the table, as well as strong business skills – unlike Christopher, who built his wealth under the umbrella of the business his father created, John Jr. made his fortune through his independent real estate ventures.

The younger son is looked on as a natural-born leader, and there would be a groundswell of support for him amongst Aurora employees should he be named his father’s successor.  What remains an open question is whether John’s respected business and leadership skills would translate to baseball success.  While he’s clearly demonstrated his ability to make money in the real estate world, his lack of hands-on experience with the particularities of the baseball business world would seem to work against his candidacy.  There’s another factor at work as well.  It’s a well-known fact that Christopher harbors jealousy over John Jr.’s close relationship with their father, and that jealousy has tested the relationship of the two sons.  By allowing John Jr. to leapfrog past Christopher in the team’s hierarchy would be a sore blow to Christopher’s pride and may well be the move that severs the ties between the two once and for all.  As someone who places a great deal of value on family, one would assume this is a scenario John, Sr. would want to avoid at all costs.

Clearly everyone is hoping the elder Rodriguez will recover and resume his role as leader of the Borealis.  The situation appears to be a mess if he is unable to do so, with no clear-cut option to turn to.  Christopher is the natural choice, but his character clashes with his father may place him on the outside looking in.  Ulderico is a respected member of the front office who undoubtedly would do a fine job, but his age is working against him.  While John Jr. is well-liked and has shown himself to be a fine leader, he’s not a “baseball man” like his brother.  None of the options seems ideal, yet unless some unknown fourth candidate is waiting in the wings, this is the murky ownership picture Aurora is staring down.

It may be hard to remember with all the dreary news coming out of the front office, but there’s baseball still being played in Colorado this October.  Here are some news and notes as the team prepares for tonight’s start of the Sovereign Alliance Tournament:

• Obviously the team will be playing for their stricken owner, but there’s another motivation being whispered in the clubhouse.  Manager Juan Toro is 62, and there are some who think he may be ready to hang it up after a lengthy baseball career that covers 21 years in coaching and another 23 years as a player (all of it in Mexico prior to being named manager of the Borealis prior to the 2008 season).  Toro was already retired for three seasons before joining the San Luis Potosí Jardineros in the newly-formed Alianza Béisbol Al Sur de la Frontera.  While he’s experienced great success with the Borealis, there’s a feeling that Toro wants to return to his native country to be with his extended family.  The grizzled and colorful skipper is much loved by his players and, if this is to be his swan song, they want to send him out hoisting the Rodriguez Cup.

• Center fielder Yasushi Kobayashi, thought to be lost for the season when he suffered a scratched cornea, is recovering faster than anticipated.  If the Borealis advance to the PEC, there is an outside chance that Kobayashi would be included on the roster (most likely bumping Steve Williamson).  One club official expressed hope that Kobayashi would be ready to play by the time the Borealis hit the road for Game 3 of the PEC.

• The Borealis will face a stiff challenge in Game 1 tonight.  Nelson “Nails” Anderson has two of Crystal Lake’s 5 wins against Aurora this year.  He’s gone 2-1 against with a 2.95 ERA in three starts against the Borealis.  Meanwhile, George Thompson has a 1-1 record and 1.38 ERA against Crystal Lake.  Nails has struck out 23 in his 21.1 IP against Aurora, while Thompson has rung up 16 Gnats in 13 IP.  These are the two K leaders in all of the PEBA facing each other tonight.  Expect a steady breeze blowing out to center as batters swing and whiff.