Rejected

So Mike Maddux has already rejected us without even meeting us.  That’s okay, we didn’t want him anyway. [kicks dirt]

I never quite understand the whole “I want to be closer to my family” argument when talking about people taking jobs in Major League Baseball.  I mean, sure, if you’re the owners or the General Manager or someone else in the front office you can use that argument because traveling isn’t mandatory. But if you’re looking for a managerial job and you aren’t going to be managing in your home town how does it come into play unless it’s the next town over?

Maddux’s family is in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas.  He’s interviewing tomorrow for a job in Chicago.  My understanding is if he were to drive from the Metroplex area (which before yesterday I didn’t even know existed) to Chicago it would take roughly 15 hours.  The same drive to Boston would take around 30.  In either case, you aren’t really that close to Texas and most likely Mr. Maddux wouldn’t be driving home he’d be flying.  I really just don’t get it.  Especially considering that half of his time spent as a manager of any team would take him away from the city in which he signed up to manage.  He’d be traveling away from his family anyway, right?  I suppose what I’m saying is, I don’t buy the “I want to stay close to my family” argument here.  I just think Maddux doesn’t want to work for the Red Sox (or in Boston, whichever).  And that’s his prerogative.  I have to admit that the media frenzy just this past October would have been enough for me, as a candidate for Terry Francona’s job, to tell Ben Cherington “Thanks for the offer but I’d rather chew my own hand off”.

Sandy Alomar, Jr. seemingly has no such concerns.  Or at least he’s willing to let the Red Sox put him through his paces before rejecting them.  Tomorrow he’ll be in Boston for his day o’ interviewing which will make him interviewee number three out of…well, I suppose it could be out of three when this is all said and done.

On a note unrelated to baseball, in many places, today is Election Day.  Go out and do your civic duty.  One of my biggest pet peeves is people who don’t exercise their right to vote and then complain about the outcomes.  Go make your voices heard, people.  And have a good day!