Interview with Matt Clemm,
Bear Country Jamboree

Biggest Daddy: Welcome to another installment of Know Thy Enemy. This time, we are with Bear Country GM Matt Clemm. Thanks for being with us, Matt. Let's start with your team. For a guy who hates trading, you sure have made a lot of trades lately.

Matt Clemm: Thanks for starting out with a sore subject. Yeah, I admit I am not the best GM when it comes to trades. I can draft well, but with every trade that I make, I have major reservations before and after I accept it. Even trades I propose, sometimes I want to rescind immediately. I think it is because, ultimately, I always think about "what could be."

BD: Interesting comment. given that you've traded John Danks, Edinson Volquez, Matt Kemp, Josh Willingham, Chris Perez, Brian Wilson, Josh Willingham, Homer Bailey, Cory Wade, Dustin Pedroia and Jason Hirsh over the past couple years -- all of which were -- or are -- highly regarded young players.

MC: I know. It eats me up alive. It's funny because when I first joined the league, I hated young players -- they couldn't help my team immediately, so I didn't want them. That made it easy to trade away guys like Hideki Matsui, Lastings Milledge, Willie Harris, Boof Bonser, Kevin Youkilis etc. I guess I see the advantage of having young players now -- thanks mostly to Bob File and his 48 saves in 2002. Still, you gotta get lucky. It amazes me that some GMs are so quick to overturn a roster year after year.

BD: What was the worst trade the Jamboree ever made? The best trade?

MC: Sure, I have been ripped to shreds for sending Sosa, McGriff, Hitchcock, Beck, Reed and someone else to Allentown for Merkin Valdez. Or for sending Lackey to New Hope for Kyle Blanks. Still, I think the worst trade to this day was sending Youkilis to Los Altos for one chapter of Russ Springer. Still kicking myself for that. Best trade: getting Tim Wakefield and Randy Wolf from So.Cal for a bunch of no-namers (Alex Sanchez, Ken Huckaby, etc.), as both ultimately helped the Jamboree succeed in the 2003 playoffs.

BD: Speaking of the playoffs, will the Jamboree make the playoffs in 2008?

MC: God, I hope so. It's been a long time. I feel my team is good enough to win, but for whatever reason, we can't really have an outstanding chapter. We're really having problems with losing the close games.  I was hoping acquiring Bobby Jenks would fix that, but then he blew a 3-run 9th inning lead in his very first game. I'd have to say, I've given away almost every young player I have to contend, and I am currently up against Los Altos -- a team that refuses to part with top prospects.

BD: Well, speaking of Los Altos, tell us about the history there.

MC: BDBL-wise? I have known Jeff Paulson since I was third grade. We grew up together and were buddies all throughout. Ran track and cross country with Jeff in high school. We parted ways when Jeff took off for college, but reunited after that. Jeff is truly a brother to me. Coincidentally, he was half of a best man duo at my wedding (and gave a stirring speech) and I was half of a best man at his. BDBL-wise, we did face off in round 1 of the '03 playoffs, but this is the first year we've enjoyed the same pennant race against each other. Therefore, as a guy I usually confide in for trading tips, I have to keep my mouth shut this year -- and even then I don't always do that.

BD: Ok, enough about your team. Tell us a little about yourself.

MC: I live in Aurora, Illinos. Moved here in Sept 2005 from San Jose, California for three primary reasons: 1) wanted to buy a house and it's much more affordable to do that here in the midwest. 2) wanted to allow my wife to stay home with the kids and survive on one salary (which is also virtually impossible in California), and 3) wanted to just try something fresh and new instead of driving on the same old city streets that I had been driving on for 29 years. So far, don't regret it at all. Absolutely love it. The only thing that would make it better is if I were actually living in the city of Chicago. Two kids: Molly (almost 4) and Lilly (12 weeks). Badly want a boy. And you may say "well, teach your kids to like sports." Let's be honest, what are the odds? Molly already is completely into princesses, fashion, hair, pink, pink, pink. She's a lost cause. I am an Eagle Boy Scout and would love to get my boy into scouts -- can't do that with a girl -- not to mention other "boy" things like baseball, golf, spitting, scratching and burping. Been married to Kerry for almost 10 years. Met her in college, got married at 22 and now 10 years later, still going! Any good ideas for a 10-year anniversary vacation destination?

BD: No. Who was your boyhood baseball hero?

MC: Oddly, when I first fell in love with the Giants, it was not Will Clark. Didn't want to like him because "everyone loved him." But, I mean, how could you not love his wonderful clutch hitting, complete intensity, hustle, and fire? From 1987 to 1989, he epitomized the Giants, and I couldn't hold it off anymore. Especially since my declared favorite player -- Mike Aldrete -- started to royally suck and was shipped off to the Expos for Tracy Jones. Whenever I need an alias, it's always "Thrill."

BD: What is your favorite stadium?

MC: AT&T Park. I feel I am not biased in saying that because I have been to a lot of parks -- 34 major league parks to be exact. I guess my favorite non-Bay Area park is Camden Yards in Baltimore, with Comerica in Detroit a close second. The worst: Shea Stadium and Riverfront Stadium. Tiger Stadium had the best hot dog.

BD: Which five CDs are you listening to most?

MC: Um, none. Do people still listen to CDs?

BD: Fine, what music do you like?

MC: My favorite artists at the moment are: The Killers, Linkin Park, Kid Rock, Cake and Rob Zombie, although I will always love the classics: Aerosmith, Van Halen, Doobie Brothers, Rolling Stones, Guns N Roses, Motley Crue, Led Zep, Styx, Cinderella, Oingo Boingo, Poison.  I am sure I am missing some. I didn't really listen to music until I entered college and Jeff gave me my very first album in 1994 -- Spin Doctors. So for all the bands that I listed above, the majority of their material is relatively new to me. If NOBODY is around -- and that includes my wife -- I might partake in some Black Eyed Peas or even some Kelly Clarkson, but really, nobody would have to be around for miles and miles.

BD: What is your favorite Batman movie?

MC: Admittedly, I haven't seen the Michael Keaton ones. I am sure I will one day. I'll go with Batman Forever because I thought Jim Carrey was hilarious, Tommy Lee Jones was genius, Nicole Kidman was hot, and Val Kilmer was.... well, I just liked it. Batman Begins was a little too dark for me, but I am excited about seeing The Dark Knight at the IMAX because there are 21 scenes shot on Chicago streets around my office.

BD: Chicago winters or Chicago summers?

MC: Hmmm.... really neither....and both. Both are a whole new way of life for me, having come from California, so I embrace both miserably. Really, the springs and autumns are incredible.

BD: Mow the lawn or weed-whack?

MC: Uh, weed whack, I suppose.

BD: Chunky peanut butter or traditional smooth?

MC: Chunky.

BD: Squirt or Tab?

MC: Do they still make those?

BD: Chase or Wells Fargo?

MC: Um, B of A.... what are these questions for?

BD: Answering the bloody question or returning a question with a question?

MC: I think we are about done here. I didn't sign up for this nonsense.

BD: Where are you going? He's gone. Shame, too, as we were about to hand him the keys to a new Toyota 4Runner as thanks for the interview.