Edinburgh News
Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2019 5:03 pm
By Hamish Campbell
Evening News Staff Writer
Edinburgh, Scotland – Friday’s introduction of the Claymores' new general manager was supposed to be professional, genial and, above all, routine.
It was anything but.
Vic Caleca, a neophyte g.m. with no reputation for baseball acumen to speak of, turned his inaugural news conference into a confrontational bit of farce that left local media and longtime fans shaking their heads in wonderment.
Things got off to a peculiar start when team staffers deposited a laptop computer on the conference room lectern and then turned it to face the gathered media. Caleca, it turned out, was not in Edinburgh, but at his home in the United States and would be “meeting” the locals via Skype.
His explanation: “That’s a long-ass flight, and the weather there is sketchy at best.”
Caleca’s next few minutes were standard issue baseball talk about building on the team’s proud traditions, bringing in fresh talent to complement the old, and ultimately taking the Claymores to the playoffs. If the sound was a bit “tinny” over the laptop’s speakers, it was perfectly adequate to deliver those platitudes.
Where things fell apart was when Caleca invited questions.
The first was a corker: What did he have to say about rumors that veteran - and well-regarded - manager Kijuro Yoshida had rejected an offer from Caleca to take over the Claymores and accepted a spot with the Duluth Warriors, instead?
“I do not comment on conjecture or rumor,” Caleca said.
When informed that not only was the news widespread but included details that Yoshida had spurned the Scottish offer because it was insultingly low, Caleca jabbed his finger at his laptop camera.
“Did I miss the line on your nametag that said ‘team owner,’ son? Unless I did, how this team spends its finite resources is none of your concern,” he said.
When the reporter retorted that the Claymores were an institution in Edinburgh and its business was a matter of public interest, Caleca smirked.
“The Claymores are a private business,” he said. “And while we value the affection and attention of our fans, that does not include divulging details of private negotiations with job candidates.
“It just so happens that we are currently in discussions with several extremely qualified and exciting young baseball men about our managerial opening, and we’ll be happy to discuss that further WHEN and only WHEN we have something to report.”
With that, the laptop screen went blank, canned bagpipe music played through the conference room public address system, and reporters – shouting new questions – were ushered from the room.
Not an auspicious beginning.
It’s possible, of course, that Caleca will be able to bring winning baseball to Edinburgh.
For now, though, all the Claymore faithful can do is wonder what owner Brad Kern was thinking with this most eccentric hire.
Evening News Staff Writer
Edinburgh, Scotland – Friday’s introduction of the Claymores' new general manager was supposed to be professional, genial and, above all, routine.
It was anything but.
Vic Caleca, a neophyte g.m. with no reputation for baseball acumen to speak of, turned his inaugural news conference into a confrontational bit of farce that left local media and longtime fans shaking their heads in wonderment.
Things got off to a peculiar start when team staffers deposited a laptop computer on the conference room lectern and then turned it to face the gathered media. Caleca, it turned out, was not in Edinburgh, but at his home in the United States and would be “meeting” the locals via Skype.
His explanation: “That’s a long-ass flight, and the weather there is sketchy at best.”
Caleca’s next few minutes were standard issue baseball talk about building on the team’s proud traditions, bringing in fresh talent to complement the old, and ultimately taking the Claymores to the playoffs. If the sound was a bit “tinny” over the laptop’s speakers, it was perfectly adequate to deliver those platitudes.
Where things fell apart was when Caleca invited questions.
The first was a corker: What did he have to say about rumors that veteran - and well-regarded - manager Kijuro Yoshida had rejected an offer from Caleca to take over the Claymores and accepted a spot with the Duluth Warriors, instead?
“I do not comment on conjecture or rumor,” Caleca said.
When informed that not only was the news widespread but included details that Yoshida had spurned the Scottish offer because it was insultingly low, Caleca jabbed his finger at his laptop camera.
“Did I miss the line on your nametag that said ‘team owner,’ son? Unless I did, how this team spends its finite resources is none of your concern,” he said.
When the reporter retorted that the Claymores were an institution in Edinburgh and its business was a matter of public interest, Caleca smirked.
“The Claymores are a private business,” he said. “And while we value the affection and attention of our fans, that does not include divulging details of private negotiations with job candidates.
“It just so happens that we are currently in discussions with several extremely qualified and exciting young baseball men about our managerial opening, and we’ll be happy to discuss that further WHEN and only WHEN we have something to report.”
With that, the laptop screen went blank, canned bagpipe music played through the conference room public address system, and reporters – shouting new questions – were ushered from the room.
Not an auspicious beginning.
It’s possible, of course, that Caleca will be able to bring winning baseball to Edinburgh.
For now, though, all the Claymore faithful can do is wonder what owner Brad Kern was thinking with this most eccentric hire.