Edinburgh News - 2028-03-19 - "Sour note"

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Edinburgh News - 2028-03-19 - "Sour note"

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By Hamish Campbell
Evening News Staff Writer
2028-03-19

Edinburgh, Scotland – Listen closely and you can hear a discordant note wafting from the Claymores’ front offices.

Just days into the tenure of new manager Hayato Sasaki, one of his pitching staff moves has already been overruled by General Manager Vic Caleca.

The decision in question was whether long-time starter Terry Dumont would start Wednesday’s game against the Kentucky Thoroughbreds, or whether reliever Soichiro Ogawa would get the nod.

Granted, the disagreement amounts to who will start one spring training game, but it does raise the question of just how much Caleca will interfere with the day-to-day field management of the team.

Caleca, speaking by phone from his office in Indiana, downplayed the disagreement, saying it was a matter of fulfilling a promise he’d made to Ogawa prior to Sasaki’s hiring.

“Listen, no one is more appreciative than I am of letting your people do the jobs you’ve hired them to do,” Caleca said. “But there’s also such a thing as personal honor and keeping your word. I promised Soichiro at the start of training camp that we would give him a look in a starting role, and I’m committed to fulfilling that commitment.”

Does this mean that Terry Dumont, who the team just signed to a four-year, $20 million contract, would be relegated to spot starting and long relief duty this season?

“Son, you sure do love to jump to conclusions,” Caleca retorted. “This means that Soichiro will get a chance to show what he can do as a starter – and that’s all it means. We love Terry, we appreciate everything he’s done for the Claymores, and we look forward to him doing much more for us this season.”

But if Ogawa wins a spot in the rotation, who will fall out to make room for him?

“We’ll cross that particular Rubicon when we have to,” Caleca said. “You all have a nice day now, hear?”

Ogawa’s only statement on the matter was short and to the point: “I’ll let my pitching do the talking, OK with you?”

Dumont said nothing for the record, but could be seen slamming his locker shut and hastily exiting the clubhouse, muttering a string of expletives that would make any sailor blush.

Which left Sasaki to sum up how this particular sour note would play into his philosophy of analytic-driven baseball as the “music of the sphere.”

“In the symphony that is a season, this is merely one off-key note during the orchestra warm-up. I understand that Vic wants to fulfill his promise to Soichiro, and I am fine with that. We shall see what kind of melody Ogawa plays on the mound tonight, and move forward from there.”

Whether into discord or harmony, though, is still an open question.
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Re: Edinburgh News - 2028-03-19 - "Sour note"

#2 Post by Borealis »

GM... Flexing his muscles... Was the sour note from some 1960's cassette tape of Bagpipes greatest hits?
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Re: Edinburgh News - 2028-03-19 - "Sour note"

#3 Post by Lions »

Love this article. GM and manager getting along? Not so sure that the kind words are going to last a long time. We'll see.
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Re: Edinburgh News - 2028-03-19 - "Sour note"

#4 Post by Vic »

If, by any chance, you happened to notice how Ogawa fared in his start (5 runs in four innings, as I recall), you can probably guess how this relationship is going to proceed ... they ain’t singing Danny Boy to each other, that’s for sure.
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Re: Edinburgh News - 2028-03-19 - "Sour note"

#5 Post by Arroyos »

Claymores wrote:If, by any chance, you happened to notice how Ogawa fared in his start (5 runs in four innings, as I recall), you can probably guess how this relationship is going to proceed ... they ain’t singing Danny Boy to each other, that’s for sure.
Ah, how the Scots loathe "Danny Boy."

One night after a theatre performance in Edinburgh, during the Fringe, I joined a couple of my fellow actors at a local pub. We were in great spirits after a full house and curtain calls, so we were making a lot of noise. One of the local pubsters challenged us to either shut up or sing them a song. Being young and brash and swelling with confidence after a successful show, we decided to sing. The one among us with the best voice, bless his Irish soul, led us in a heartfelt rendition of "Danny Boy." We hadn't got but two syllables beyond the opening line when the pub regulars started throwing corks and bottle tops at us. They drove us into the street with a boot and a cry of "Shet the fook up, ye arseholes!"

That's how I learned the Scots hate Irish ballads--well, Irish anything--but especially "Danny Boy."
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Re: Edinburgh News - 2028-03-19 - "Sour note"

#6 Post by Vic »

Given that the GM is a Hoosier and the manager is Japanese, I’m guessing the only Scottish things they know are tape and Chivas Regal!
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Re: Edinburgh News - 2028-03-19 - "Sour note"

#7 Post by Borealis »

Oh my lord... Great story Bob!!

One of the former GMs of London (who was from Manchester) had tried to make it his goal to sign as many Englishmen as possible. Sounds like the Scottish may need to do the same - although I think the collection of UK ballplayers isn't very big...
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Re: Edinburgh News - 2028-03-19 - "Sour note"

#8 Post by Sandgnats »

Bob! You're the man. I love this story line for the Scots.
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Re: Edinburgh News - 2028-03-19 - "Sour note"

#9 Post by Arroyos »

Claymores wrote:Given that the GM is a Hoosier and the manager is Japanese, I’m guessing the only Scottish things they know are tape and Chivas Regal!
Surely they know Paul McCartney's song, "Mull of Kintyre," which is one of the many unofficial Scottish anthems. They've never appointed an official one, smart old buggers that they are.

And now they know never to sing "Danny Boy" during the 7th inning stretch!
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Re: Edinburgh News - 2028-03-19 - "Sour note"

#10 Post by Arroyos »

Sandgnats wrote:Bob! You're the man. I love this story line for the Scots.
The OLD man, RJ. I performed in Scotland in 1976. Scotland was still an official colony of England, Sean Connery was still playing young men in films (though recently replaced as James Bond), and Edinburgh home owners had their milk delivered every morning by horse-drawn cart. Few homes and no pubs had refrigerators yet.
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Re: Edinburgh News - 2028-03-19 - "Sour note"

#11 Post by Sandgnats »

Bulldozers wrote:
Sandgnats wrote:Bob! You're the man. I love this story line for the Scots.
The OLD man, RJ. I performed in Scotland in 1976. Scotland was still an official colony of England, Sean Connery was still playing young men in films (though recently replaced as James Bond), and Edinburgh home owners had their milk delivered every morning by horse-drawn cart. Few homes and no pubs had refrigerators yet.
:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
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Re: Edinburgh News - 2028-03-19 - "Sour note"

#12 Post by Vic »

Bulldozers wrote:
Claymores wrote:Given that the GM is a Hoosier and the manager is Japanese, I’m guessing the only Scottish things they know are tape and Chivas Regal!
Surely they know Paul McCartney's song, "Mull of Kintyre," which is one of the many unofficial Scottish anthems. They've never appointed an official one, smart old buggers that they are.

And now they know never to sing "Danny Boy" during the 7th inning stretch!


Oh, Bob ... that’s almost too tempting. That could be a mid-season storyline when things are slow ... maybe the organist, disgruntled at being replaced by bagpipers for the 7th Inning Stretch, whips off a version of Danny Boy as his swan song and mayhem ensues ...
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Re: Edinburgh News - 2028-03-19 - "Sour note"

#13 Post by Arroyos »

Claymores wrote:
Bulldozers wrote:
Claymores wrote:Given that the GM is a Hoosier and the manager is Japanese, I’m guessing the only Scottish things they know are tape and Chivas Regal!
Surely they know Paul McCartney's song, "Mull of Kintyre," which is one of the many unofficial Scottish anthems. They've never appointed an official one, smart old buggers that they are.

And now they know never to sing "Danny Boy" during the 7th inning stretch!


Oh, Bob ... that’s almost too tempting. That could be a mid-season storyline when things are slow ... maybe the organist, disgruntled at being replaced by bagpipers for the 7th Inning Stretch, whips off a version of Danny Boy as his swan song and mayhem ensues ...
Write it, man!
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