Post by Fuck Mike Brown on Nov 13, 2007 18:45:05 GMT -5
It was aunnonced today that Reds executive vice president and chief operating officer John Allen resigned from the Reds. He will, however, continue to stay with the club to look for a new spring training home for the reds for the 2009 season. An interesting thing was that the Reds will not be hiring someone to replace him. They will just reassign his duties to people within the organization. Reds.com has all the information:
CINCINNATI -- Reds executive vice president and chief operating officer John Allen has resigned, the team announced on Tuesday.
Allen will stay on as a consultant as the team looks for a new Spring Training home for 2009.
Allen spent 13 seasons with the Reds and 18 in professional baseball. After joining the team as controller in 1995, he'll largely be remembered for being the managing executive that took over after former owner Marge Schott relinquished day-to-day control over the team.
During that tenure, it was Allen who spearheaded a renewed dedication to the Reds' history by retiring numbers of former players and erecting statues of players from the franchise's early years. Those efforts evolved into the 2004 opening of the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum adjacent to Great American Ball Park.
The facility has Allen's imprint throughout. He was involved with the development and construction after being named COO in 1999.
Allen and Reds owner/CEO Bob Castellini have scheduled a 4 p.m. ET press conference. The club said Allen would not be replaced and his duties would re-allocated from within.
"John has been the backbone of this organization for 13 seasons and did great things for the Reds and for the city of Cincinnati," Castellini said in a statement. "He left his imprint here in countless ways. We, and Reds fans everywhere, appreciate his contributions to our team's legacy.
"For the past two years, John has proved to be invaluable to me. It is an understatement to say that I will very much miss his effective hard work and the loyalty he extended to this franchise and to me personally. This was a decision made solely by John. He and his wife, Anna, have opted to move back to their home state of Kansas, where they have many activities and much family that is dear to them. I have asked John, and he has agreed, to stay with the Reds as a consultant to direct our Spring Training location efforts."
cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071113&content_id=2299621&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin
I never really liked Allen, and am glad that he is gone. Soem Reds fans thought that this could be a sign that former Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty will be the new Reds president, but I sincerely doubt that happens. Bob Castellini came out and said that no one else would be hired. One has to wonder if Allen was even really needed on the Reds staff. All I know is that the Reds will not be hurt by him leaving, and hopefully will benefit from it.
- Recently, Sarasota voters chose to not be the Reds spring training home after this upcoming season. This obviously means that the Reds are looking for a new home. This still could be in Florida, but many think and wish that it is in Arizona. Apparently now, Arizona wants the Reds, as proved by this article titled "Arizona Looking to woo Reds."
Voters in Sarasota, Fla., recently rejected paying for renovations to the Cincinnati Reds' training stadium, which leaves the team looking for a new spring home - and Arizona wondering if it could snare another Florida team.
Eyes are on Tucson, where the Chicago White Sox need to find a replacement team to get out of their lease and move to the Valley. The Sox plan to team up with the Los Angeles Dodgers in a spring-training ballpark that Glendale hopes to open in 2009.
"We would love to have the Reds in the Cactus League. The logical place, considering the dynamics, would be Tucson Electric Park," said Brad Wright, an Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority board member who heads the Cactus League committee. "The first priority is a commitment to Tucson and the White Sox to make sure they can meet their obligation there."
The sports authority, which operates only in Maricopa County, has no authority in Tucson but is offering its political clout.
Gov. Janet Napolitano's office, which supported nabbing the long-coveted Dodgers from Florida, also says Tucson is a critical piece of the state's spring-training league.
But Jeff Schatzki, director of the governor's Arizona Baseball and Softball Commission, said it's not his position to tell other municipalities to back off of pursuing a piece of Cactus League action, which pumped a reported $311 million into the economy last season.
Nor would Schatzki tell a franchise where to locate. "It's a business decision," he said.
The Sox had no comment as of late last week, and the Reds are keeping mum on whether they'll stay in Florida.
"We are considering all of our options, including Arizona," Reds spokesman Rob Butcher said.
White Sox representative John Kaites has asked publicly that other Arizona cities not actively seek teams until a replacement is found in Tucson.
But Tucson is not the only city that could handle another team:
• Goodyear has made it no secret it eventually wants a second team to join the Cleveland Indians, who will move there from Florida in 2009.
• Casa Grande had been looking for a team to jump-start spring baseball there.
• Surprise has space to accommodate a third team with the Texas Rangers and the Kansas City Royals, but the city is not actively seeking one.
In its 4,431-4,206 vote Nov. 6, Sarasota voters decided not to spend $16 million to help rebuild the Reds' spring-training home, Ed Smith Stadium. That is forcing the Reds to start scouting for a new home for as early as 2009.
Tucson's position
Tucson has faced criticism that it is too far to travel from the Valley, where nine of Arizona's 12 teams currently train.
The closeness of the Cactus League's ballparks has been touted as an advantage over the Grapefruit League, where teams must crisscross Florida.
Schatzki and officials in Pima County brushed off the idea that Tucson is too isolated. Indeed, it's where the Cactus League got its start in 1946, with the Indians in Tucson and the New York Giants in Phoenix.
"Spring training has its roots in Tucson," Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckleberry said.
But the Old Pueblo is in a precarious spot.
It has two parks. The Colorado Rockies play at Hi Corbett, which the city operates. The Arizona Diamondbacks and White Sox share Tucson Electric Park, which Pima County operates.
If the Sox can't find a replacement and head north when their lease expires in 2012, the Rockies could opt to pull out, too.
Tucson officials say that the Diamondbacks and Rockies are committed to the area and that they are committed to getting a third team.
"It's more interesting now that the Sarasota vote has taken place," he said.
Other options
Casa Grande had about given up hope of landing a Major League team after Goodyear secured the Indians and Glendale landed the White Sox and Dodgers in 2006.
"I'm not sure we have that same level of enthusiasm," Casa Grande Mayor Bob Jackson said.
Still, Bill Brudwill, who has spearheaded Casa Grande's efforts, went from dejected to enthusiastic after hearing about the Sarasota election.
"We could fire this thing back up in a heartbeat," he said.
Goodyear has talked preliminarily with the Reds, among many baseball teams, Mayor Jim Cavanaugh said.
The mayor said he likes the idea of having another Ohio team in Goodyear to join the Indians.
"Goodyear, I'm sure, would love to have the Reds," Cavanaugh said.
Wright said the funding formula, which currently stands at funding 50 percent of Goodyear's one-team facility and two-thirds of Glendale's two-team facility, was firm and would not change if Goodyear picked up a second team. The sports authority has said its funding for new ballparks is tapped for the next quarter-century.
Reds officials visited the Surprise ballpark nine months ago and asked if the city was interested in a third team, said Mark Coronado, the city's community and recreation services director.
While having the Reds is an "intriguing" option, Coronado said the cost would be a hurdle.
"Without a funding source, it's a major challenge, not just for Surprise but for any community," Coronado said, adding it would take as much as $20 million to accommodate a third team.
www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/1113reds1113-CP.html
My stance on this is that, well, I really don't care. I never go out to spring training anymore, making this not really affect me. All i need is a place that lets the Reds practice and play to their fullest abilities. I do like Arizona, though.
- Joe Nuxhall has recently been hospitalized with pneumonia. For those of you who don't know, Nuxhall, 79, has been undergoing Chemotherapy for lymphoma. Nuxhall has had a lot of medical problems over the last five years, and I ask everyone of you to say a prayer for him. The amazing thing is that everyone observes how he never complains about all of these misfortunes, while even doing a few games on the radio during the Reds season. What an amazing man. I now ask everyone to vote for him for the Ford Frick Award, an award which gets him reconized by the Hall of Fame because of him being an announcer. To vote, go to web.baseballhalloffame.org/awards/frick_2007/vote.jsp.
Lonnie Wheeler wrote a nice column about this on his blog:
I don't usually do stuff like that. Most of the people in our business don't get involved with the fan things.
But this is Joe Nuxhall we're talking about. To be a fan of Nuxie is to be a fan of the game. It is to be a fan of the city. It is to be a fan of not just Joe, not just Hamilton Joe, but Average Joe; that is, the magnificence of the average Joe.
Twice previously, Nuxhall has been nominated for the Ford Frick Award, which would get him honored by the Hall of Fame as an announcer. By the classical standards of announcing, Nuxie is not really the type, which is evidently why he didn't win. He's not glib, he's not descriptive, he's not polished, he's not even clear. He's just Joe. And everybody loves him.
Now, Nuxhall is in the hospital again. This time, it's pneumonia. The previous times, it's been cancer, heart, lymphoma, and double pneumonia once before. His family took him in because he was having a hard time breathing.
If form holds, he'll pull through handsomely and never complain. He'll even announce a few more games.
In the meantime, vote for him. There's an online ballot available on the Hall of Fame website. Three people from the list will be included among the 10 from whom next year's Ford Frick winner will be selected.
I voted for Joe. And I'll do it again.
For the sake of what is good about the game -- and about its greatest ambassador in this neck of the woods -- I urge you to do the same.
frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/lonniewheeler/2007/11/voted-for-joe.asp#comments
- Later today, I will do a recap of the rumors involving the reds on this first day of free agency. No one has been signed by any team yet.
cincinnatiredsbaseball.blogspot.com/2007/11/reds-coo-allen-resign.html
CINCINNATI -- Reds executive vice president and chief operating officer John Allen has resigned, the team announced on Tuesday.
Allen will stay on as a consultant as the team looks for a new Spring Training home for 2009.
Allen spent 13 seasons with the Reds and 18 in professional baseball. After joining the team as controller in 1995, he'll largely be remembered for being the managing executive that took over after former owner Marge Schott relinquished day-to-day control over the team.
During that tenure, it was Allen who spearheaded a renewed dedication to the Reds' history by retiring numbers of former players and erecting statues of players from the franchise's early years. Those efforts evolved into the 2004 opening of the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum adjacent to Great American Ball Park.
The facility has Allen's imprint throughout. He was involved with the development and construction after being named COO in 1999.
Allen and Reds owner/CEO Bob Castellini have scheduled a 4 p.m. ET press conference. The club said Allen would not be replaced and his duties would re-allocated from within.
"John has been the backbone of this organization for 13 seasons and did great things for the Reds and for the city of Cincinnati," Castellini said in a statement. "He left his imprint here in countless ways. We, and Reds fans everywhere, appreciate his contributions to our team's legacy.
"For the past two years, John has proved to be invaluable to me. It is an understatement to say that I will very much miss his effective hard work and the loyalty he extended to this franchise and to me personally. This was a decision made solely by John. He and his wife, Anna, have opted to move back to their home state of Kansas, where they have many activities and much family that is dear to them. I have asked John, and he has agreed, to stay with the Reds as a consultant to direct our Spring Training location efforts."
cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071113&content_id=2299621&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin
I never really liked Allen, and am glad that he is gone. Soem Reds fans thought that this could be a sign that former Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty will be the new Reds president, but I sincerely doubt that happens. Bob Castellini came out and said that no one else would be hired. One has to wonder if Allen was even really needed on the Reds staff. All I know is that the Reds will not be hurt by him leaving, and hopefully will benefit from it.
- Recently, Sarasota voters chose to not be the Reds spring training home after this upcoming season. This obviously means that the Reds are looking for a new home. This still could be in Florida, but many think and wish that it is in Arizona. Apparently now, Arizona wants the Reds, as proved by this article titled "Arizona Looking to woo Reds."
Voters in Sarasota, Fla., recently rejected paying for renovations to the Cincinnati Reds' training stadium, which leaves the team looking for a new spring home - and Arizona wondering if it could snare another Florida team.
Eyes are on Tucson, where the Chicago White Sox need to find a replacement team to get out of their lease and move to the Valley. The Sox plan to team up with the Los Angeles Dodgers in a spring-training ballpark that Glendale hopes to open in 2009.
"We would love to have the Reds in the Cactus League. The logical place, considering the dynamics, would be Tucson Electric Park," said Brad Wright, an Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority board member who heads the Cactus League committee. "The first priority is a commitment to Tucson and the White Sox to make sure they can meet their obligation there."
The sports authority, which operates only in Maricopa County, has no authority in Tucson but is offering its political clout.
Gov. Janet Napolitano's office, which supported nabbing the long-coveted Dodgers from Florida, also says Tucson is a critical piece of the state's spring-training league.
But Jeff Schatzki, director of the governor's Arizona Baseball and Softball Commission, said it's not his position to tell other municipalities to back off of pursuing a piece of Cactus League action, which pumped a reported $311 million into the economy last season.
Nor would Schatzki tell a franchise where to locate. "It's a business decision," he said.
The Sox had no comment as of late last week, and the Reds are keeping mum on whether they'll stay in Florida.
"We are considering all of our options, including Arizona," Reds spokesman Rob Butcher said.
White Sox representative John Kaites has asked publicly that other Arizona cities not actively seek teams until a replacement is found in Tucson.
But Tucson is not the only city that could handle another team:
• Goodyear has made it no secret it eventually wants a second team to join the Cleveland Indians, who will move there from Florida in 2009.
• Casa Grande had been looking for a team to jump-start spring baseball there.
• Surprise has space to accommodate a third team with the Texas Rangers and the Kansas City Royals, but the city is not actively seeking one.
In its 4,431-4,206 vote Nov. 6, Sarasota voters decided not to spend $16 million to help rebuild the Reds' spring-training home, Ed Smith Stadium. That is forcing the Reds to start scouting for a new home for as early as 2009.
Tucson's position
Tucson has faced criticism that it is too far to travel from the Valley, where nine of Arizona's 12 teams currently train.
The closeness of the Cactus League's ballparks has been touted as an advantage over the Grapefruit League, where teams must crisscross Florida.
Schatzki and officials in Pima County brushed off the idea that Tucson is too isolated. Indeed, it's where the Cactus League got its start in 1946, with the Indians in Tucson and the New York Giants in Phoenix.
"Spring training has its roots in Tucson," Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckleberry said.
But the Old Pueblo is in a precarious spot.
It has two parks. The Colorado Rockies play at Hi Corbett, which the city operates. The Arizona Diamondbacks and White Sox share Tucson Electric Park, which Pima County operates.
If the Sox can't find a replacement and head north when their lease expires in 2012, the Rockies could opt to pull out, too.
Tucson officials say that the Diamondbacks and Rockies are committed to the area and that they are committed to getting a third team.
"It's more interesting now that the Sarasota vote has taken place," he said.
Other options
Casa Grande had about given up hope of landing a Major League team after Goodyear secured the Indians and Glendale landed the White Sox and Dodgers in 2006.
"I'm not sure we have that same level of enthusiasm," Casa Grande Mayor Bob Jackson said.
Still, Bill Brudwill, who has spearheaded Casa Grande's efforts, went from dejected to enthusiastic after hearing about the Sarasota election.
"We could fire this thing back up in a heartbeat," he said.
Goodyear has talked preliminarily with the Reds, among many baseball teams, Mayor Jim Cavanaugh said.
The mayor said he likes the idea of having another Ohio team in Goodyear to join the Indians.
"Goodyear, I'm sure, would love to have the Reds," Cavanaugh said.
Wright said the funding formula, which currently stands at funding 50 percent of Goodyear's one-team facility and two-thirds of Glendale's two-team facility, was firm and would not change if Goodyear picked up a second team. The sports authority has said its funding for new ballparks is tapped for the next quarter-century.
Reds officials visited the Surprise ballpark nine months ago and asked if the city was interested in a third team, said Mark Coronado, the city's community and recreation services director.
While having the Reds is an "intriguing" option, Coronado said the cost would be a hurdle.
"Without a funding source, it's a major challenge, not just for Surprise but for any community," Coronado said, adding it would take as much as $20 million to accommodate a third team.
www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/1113reds1113-CP.html
My stance on this is that, well, I really don't care. I never go out to spring training anymore, making this not really affect me. All i need is a place that lets the Reds practice and play to their fullest abilities. I do like Arizona, though.
- Joe Nuxhall has recently been hospitalized with pneumonia. For those of you who don't know, Nuxhall, 79, has been undergoing Chemotherapy for lymphoma. Nuxhall has had a lot of medical problems over the last five years, and I ask everyone of you to say a prayer for him. The amazing thing is that everyone observes how he never complains about all of these misfortunes, while even doing a few games on the radio during the Reds season. What an amazing man. I now ask everyone to vote for him for the Ford Frick Award, an award which gets him reconized by the Hall of Fame because of him being an announcer. To vote, go to web.baseballhalloffame.org/awards/frick_2007/vote.jsp.
Lonnie Wheeler wrote a nice column about this on his blog:
I don't usually do stuff like that. Most of the people in our business don't get involved with the fan things.
But this is Joe Nuxhall we're talking about. To be a fan of Nuxie is to be a fan of the game. It is to be a fan of the city. It is to be a fan of not just Joe, not just Hamilton Joe, but Average Joe; that is, the magnificence of the average Joe.
Twice previously, Nuxhall has been nominated for the Ford Frick Award, which would get him honored by the Hall of Fame as an announcer. By the classical standards of announcing, Nuxie is not really the type, which is evidently why he didn't win. He's not glib, he's not descriptive, he's not polished, he's not even clear. He's just Joe. And everybody loves him.
Now, Nuxhall is in the hospital again. This time, it's pneumonia. The previous times, it's been cancer, heart, lymphoma, and double pneumonia once before. His family took him in because he was having a hard time breathing.
If form holds, he'll pull through handsomely and never complain. He'll even announce a few more games.
In the meantime, vote for him. There's an online ballot available on the Hall of Fame website. Three people from the list will be included among the 10 from whom next year's Ford Frick winner will be selected.
I voted for Joe. And I'll do it again.
For the sake of what is good about the game -- and about its greatest ambassador in this neck of the woods -- I urge you to do the same.
frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/lonniewheeler/2007/11/voted-for-joe.asp#comments
- Later today, I will do a recap of the rumors involving the reds on this first day of free agency. No one has been signed by any team yet.
cincinnatiredsbaseball.blogspot.com/2007/11/reds-coo-allen-resign.html
