Interview with Tom DiStefano,
Allentown Ridgebacks

Biggest Daddy: Hey Tom. Thanks for taking the time to sit down with us. We do appreciate it. You have enjoyed tremendous success thus far in the BDBL, with two world championships. Do you take your success for granted?

Tom DiStefano: I don't think so. I still prepare for drafts, pick-up periods, and games the same as I always have. To me, the preparation and analysis before and during a season is 85% of the fun in this league.

BD: What was the signature moment of the 2005 Allentown season? What picture will they put on the 2006 media guide?

TD: Wow, we had a lot of "moments" in 2005. Coming back from a 3 games to none deficit against Atlanta was huge so you could find a lot of "moments" there. Likewise, winning game 2 in extra innings against Salem after he had beaten Randy Johnson in game 1 was a great win for us. If I had to pick a media guide cover it would probably be Randy Johnson holding his arms over his head after that fantastic complete game win over Salem to win the championship.

BD: Is the current version of the Allentown Ridgebacks in the middle of a dynasty?

TD: Well we've had a string of pretty good luck with young players which has helped us remain competitive for a number of years. Oswalt and Peavy came up and have stayed healthy (knock on wood!). Felix Hernandez is looking like the real deal. We've also "hit" on guys like Robert Fick, Marcus Giles, Felipe Lopez, etc. Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, Barry Bonds, Manny Ramirez and the other star players we've had in recent years get all the attention but we wouldn't have been able to afford all those guys if it wasn't for those other "finds".

BD: The BDBL has three types of teams: A) Those who are consistent winners and who find themselves in the playoffs every year, B) those who experience some success and occasionally make the playoffs, but then also take time to re-build, and C) those who can't even sniff a winning season. This mirrors the Major Leagues. Why are the teams that find themselves in boats B and C in those positions? Why are the Ridgebacks a member of group A?

TD: I think it's a combination of patience, luck, and a focus on "this year". It always surprises me to see rebuilding teams trade for young prospects who they HOPE will pan out. That's not to say that we won't have down years in Allentown, I mean we were the worst team in the league my first season (2001) and I'm quite sure we'll have more rocky seasons over the years!

BD: What advice can you give to the teams that can't seem to reach the same level of success that you have had, particularly those that can't seem to have a winning team, or who can't remain strong year every year?

TD: Hindsight is your greatest advantage, use it. Don't get caught up in the "Prospect Treadmill" where you're constantly trading useful players for players who MIGHT be good. Balance the acquisition of prospects with the acquisition of solid, cheap role players.

BD: Are the Salem Cowtippers jealous of the Ridgebacks' success?

TD: "Jealous" is a negative word and I don't think Mike has ill feelings towards my success, so I'd say "no". However it's pretty obvious he's after a BDBL trophy and I think he felt like 2005 was his year so I'm sure he wouldn't cry if I were to run into a string of bad luck with my players!

BD: Tom, you've got a reputation around league which is that other teams are handing you great players. How do you feel about this? Are you that great of a GM?

TD: The guys in this league are very, very smart and very, very competitive. I hardly think any of them are trying to "hand" me great players. If you look back at many of the trades that were criticized, they look a lot different in hindsight. Since the 2002 seaon, I'm willing to bet I've traded away more talent (a lot more!) than any other team in the league.

BD: Give us an idea of what you expect out of the 2006 Ridgebacks season. Can you size up your competition?

TD: This should be our toughest season to date. Villanova has been rebuilding for 5 years now and he's got a super team. Great Lakes has excellent pitching and Kansas has a lot of solid players. The wildcard race isn't going to be any easier as there seem to be a lot of teams "going for it" this season. The Ridgebacks starting pitching should be solid but our bullpen needs help. Our lineup is deep but lacks the "scariness" of some of our recent teams. If I had to guess, I think we'll be in the running for a playoff spot (most likely the wildcard) but I'm not sure if we have the bullets to pick up the players we'll need to get us over the hump. We'll see!

BD: Let's move towards your personal life, away from the diamond. What's your story at home? Wife? Kids?

TD: I've been married for 7 years (Patty) and I have a daughter (Tori) who will be 5 in February. It's actually odd writing those large numbers as it seems like only yesterday that I moved into my dorm room for my first day of college.

BD: Tell us a little bit about what you do for a living, and what a typical day is like.

TD: I just started a new job which I love. I work for a marketing company that does support for various marketing campaigns. We do commercials, radio bits, web sites, etc. I manage the group that builds small web sites that support specific, targeted marketing campaigns. I'm mostly responsible for the client-side "stuff" including quoting work, managing project scope, determining target audience (and how to reach them) and working to flush out data requirements. My strength is in the numbers and I'm JUST TECHNICAL ENOUGH to have a rudimentary conversation with the developers. It's pretty interesting work.

BD: How much time do you devote to the BDBL weekly, and what other hobbies occupy your free time?

TD: I'm an early bird so a lot of my "BDBL time" occurs before anyone even wakes up. I probably do an hour a day plus some screwing around on the forum which makes it about 7 to 10 hours a week. Maybe a little more before/during a draft. As for other hobbies, I love tennis and I read a lot. I used to be a big NFL fan but I don't follow that nearly as much as I used to. I like to play cards too but I suck at it. I have a small group of friends that get together every now and then (we call it the "Manly Man Card Club") to play cards (poker and some other stuff) but it's more of an excuse to eat pizza and drink. The most I ever won at one of those events was $9.75 as we literally play for nickels and dimes.

BD: Who was your boyhood idol (baseball or otherwise)?

TD: I grew up in New Jersey in the mid 70's (born in 1970) so I was a big fan of Reggie Jackson, Willie Randolph, Graig Nettles, and all those Yankees. I also rooted for Steve Kemp who was with the Tigers at the time and later came to NY. You may notice that the Ridgebacks home field is "Kemper Stadium" named in honor of big Steve!

BD: What stadiums have you visited and which is your favorite?

TD: I've played in a number of college stadiums but I haven't been to that many pro parks. I've been to Yankee Stadium, Camden Yards, Veteran's Stadium, the new Citizens Park, Fenway Park and Comiskey Park. Of those, I liked Camden Yards the best. I played at Veterans Park while in high school over 4th of July weekend and the turf temperature was 125 degrees! One of the pitchers left his cletes (plastic) on the ground the entire game and when he picked them up to leave the bottoms had melted and were stuck to the turf!!! It looked like black gum.

BD: Simpsons or Family Guy?

TD: Simpsons. I watched "Family Guy" one time and completely hated it. I didn't think it was even a little bit funny. I also like South Park a lot. All in all, I don't watch much tv.

BD: Bacon Double Cheeseburger or salad bar?

TD: Cheeseburger all the way. I once had a conversation with a pale, skinny, frail, 85 lbs woman who said that a pure vegetarian diet was the healthiest diet you could possibly follow. So I asked her, "then how do you explain the fact that my 3 year old could knock you over?" That sort of ended our intellectual debate. That reminds me of the time I got into a "conversation" with a girl (my wife's friend) who got mad at me when I said I didn't think golf was a "sport". Her argument was, "well YOU couldn't do it" and I replied, "I can't knit either but that doesn't make it a sport". Oddly I don't have a lot of friends.

BD: New York City or Yellowstone Park?

TD: Yellowstone Park. I HATE cities. I don't like the smells, the sounds, the crowds. I live in NJ but it's actually quite rural where I am. I live near a horse park and many farms.

BD: Pull out of Iraq or finish the job?

TD: Finish it up. Like my grandmom used to say, there's nothing wrong with a good pre-emptive strike! I figure it's better to deal with that entire region now as opposed to waiting until they've got nukes pointed at us.

BD: Another BDBL championship or let someone else win for a change?

TD: I try to win it every year! If you haven't experienced the BDBL post-season, you've got to do whatever you can to make it. Plus, I don't think the trophy would be worth much if other owners LET you win.

BD: Yahoo! or Google?

TD: Yahoo. I've never actually used Google.

BD: Good answer to that last question. Thanks a lot for taking the time! I'd wish you best of luck next year, but I root for the underdog.

TD: Always a pleasure, Biggest Daddy. And wouldn't you say that I AM an underdog this year!!