This article submitted by, Juan Vene, a legend in the baseball reporting business since 1960 has his articles published in 37 Spanish sports publications. It is with much pride that we are the 38th publication and the first featuring his writings in English for our readers.
Coral Gables, Florida. (VIP WIRE) -.
“They ask me if I married in a ’civil or‘ in church (religious)… But the truth, it was‘ for ’not to argue”… Pantaleón Róbinson.-
Merry Christmas! … I say, right ?.
From: George Steinbrenner
To: Alberto Uribe M. (Toros Owner)
My Dear Alberto …: I am writing to you from this hereafter, just the day when you introduce with all pomp, your new manager, Omar Vizquel. And I want to tell you about managers in the Mexican League.
The team owners in that League are, frankly impatient with the managers. If all the players do not hit, the manager must be fired. If all the pitchers do not make the outs, you have to get rid of the manager.
However, the scouts who recommended these people, and the general manager who hired them, and the team owner who accepted them, “aren’t responsible for anything?
I recognize that I was also impatient in my years as a Yankee owner … But not so much. Notice that Billy Martin was in the organization for a long time and all my managers were still working for the Yankees, because they were the ones who knew the staff better, better than me.
You will start the season with one of the most promising of those who aspire to manage in the majors. In his two years in Class A and Double A, Vizquel has proven to know the game very well and know how to handle the players.
Please! don’t fire the manager as soon as the Toros (Bulls) lose three straight games. Most defeats are not the manager’s fault. Generally the culprit is the pitching. Ah! but you can’t fire that one.
I hope you understand that I suffered as much or more than you every loss of my Yankees, but that is part of the game. If the lost games were not suffered so much, neither would it be so pleasant to win them.
But I insist, the manager is only one link in the chain of culprits for the losses. The bad thing is that only they are fired as the only ones guilty of what goes wrong. Imagine that when you suffer a losing streak you fired everyone, that is, even yourself.
Patience, friend Alberto, muuccch patience. And good luck to the Bulls, to Vizquel and to you.
A big hug. George
CHALLENGES.- ** The best available pitcher, Gerry (Nat King) Cole starts the week still awaiting the record contract to sign with the Yankees, Dodgers, Angels, Phillies, Rangers or a sixth team still unknown. His agent, Scott Boras, continues with the buttocks set in his comfortable armchair, in happily waiting … ** The White Sox, who prepare with the fury of champions, wake up this Monday with the pen ready to sign the star outfielder Marsell Ozuna. The Dominican flew yesterday from Santo Domingo to Chicago with that mission … ** This week of Winter Meetings in San Diego, it will be a busy one of free agents and annexes. Most of the rosters will be ready in January. ¡What can I tell you!
Thanks to the life that has given me so much, even a reader like you.
