Sunday, July 11, 2010

One on one with Kansas City GM shobob

We recently caught up with another one of The Bigs' original owners, Kansas City's shobob, to chat about the state of the Scouts franchise, his recent trade for Sammy Pierce and, of course, LeBron James joining the Miami Heat. Here's what shobob had to say:


Which of your HBD teams is your favorite and why?
I have to say that it's the Montreal Maroons in Yastrzemski world. It is the first world I joined, and I am now the commish over there. It is the team that I have won two of my three championships with. Also, there are a couple of my real life friends in that world. It was one of them that introduced me to HBD. My team in The Bigs is a close second though. I love that I am the only owner of this franchise ever.

The Scouts have wrapped up their first NL North division title since season 1. Does your team have what it takes to make a deep playoff run against the likes of powerhouse teams in Atlanta and Washington D.C.?
I think that my team has what it takes to go for a deep playoff run. Having said that, I also wouldn't be surprised by a first round exit, considering that I am likely to face one of D.C., Atl, or Austin. I know that my starting pitching stacks up against any team in the world. I know that my defense wins me games. If we can get some timely hitting, we can go far.

You’ve got a pretty young team there in Kansas City and one that is shaping into a contender. What would you say is the missing piece that would put your team on the same level as the elite of the NL?
We feature pretty good depth across our lineup, but lack an elite power bat.

Explain your thoughts on your trade for future Hall of Fame starter Sammy Pierce. What prompted you to pull the trigger on that deal?
My franchise is coming out of a rebuilding phase, and I decided that I could afford to give up a few prospects in order to pursue any elite talent available through trade. The players I gave up to get Pierce were blocked at the ML level, so I had no problem dealing them. At 32 years old, and with 3 years left on his contract at 8 mil, I figured I was getting a good price for an elite talent.

The world is talking about it so I feel as though I have to ask you. What do you think about LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh joining forces in Miami?
As a Raptor fan, I feel sad to see our franchise player leave. As a sports fan I'm looking forward to seeing these three guys play together. As a human being, I'm already tired of the hype.

In your opinion, which ratings are the most important when it comes to determining how successful a pitcher might be?
I value control, splits (esp vsR), and having good pitches, keeping mind that it's good to have a knockout pitch. I also value the flyball rating and velocity, but they are secondary. Having the right durability and stamina combination is essential to getting the best out of your staff.

If you could change one thing about HBD, what would it be and why?
HBD is a great game, and I think that WiS does a pretty good job of updating the game. Perhaps the only thing I would change would be loosening up the budgeting restrictions a wee bit. Make 5 or 6 the maximum possible change in budgets. I feel that new owners taking over train-wreck franchises are a bit handcuffed by the budgetary restrictions

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