Interview with Jim Doyle,
Kansas City Monarchs

BIGGEST DADDY: Hey Jim! Thanks for sitting down with us today. Let's start with the obvious. Why can't your franchise win?

JIM DOYLE: I will take responsibility for our past failures. Hopefully, we have made some changes in our decision making process and our databases and we believe our fans will see some improvement shortly.

BD: Is it the managing, the general managing, or just extremely bad luck?

JD: All of the above.

BD: Speaking of general managing, where is Todd Bliss's involvement these days? How have you felt about his moves?

JD: Todd has become a silent advisor and I review some decisions with him. He has kept me from making some bad decisions and if I had listened to him during the last free agent draft we would not have Jake Peavy on our roster for 13 million.

BD: At this point, is there something the organization needs to do better to win more games and make the playoffs?

JD: We have made a lot of changes in our databases, our decision making process in our scouting, contract and managing areas of our team. Those kind of changes have given us some great starters for next year like Phil Hughes, Brett Cecil, Ricky Romero and Gio Gonzalez.

BD: If the Monarchs did make the playoffs, how would you celebrate?

JD: I think I would have my sister send me some Gates BBQ sauce from KC and barbeque some ribs and chicken and have a feast.

BD: Do you regret any of the trades that have been made by your franchise at certain points?

JD: My motto is leave the past to God’s mercy. I am excited about the future and if we can get some bats to support our young starting pitching, I think we can turn this franchise around in a short period of time.

BD: Was the name change supposed to be an identity change signifying new successes for the franchise?

JD: No. I think that it will help keep the history of the Negro Leagues in the minds of BDBL owners and that is a good thing.

BD: 28-51 at the half-way mark. So now what do you do?

JD: Keep on building for the long term and developing more prudence in how we sign free agents. Again, Phil Hughes, Brett Cecil, Ricky Romero and Gio Gonzalez are some names you can count on for the next few years.

BD: Shifting gears, tell us about your BDBL weekend experience.

JD: Well, I love the ballparks, the food and all of the owners that show up but the Commissioner leaves a lot in the leadership department. I mean how can you get lost in Philadelphia when you have the restaurant’s address or leave a fellow owner to fend for himself in the Cleveland inner city ??? I even take the Commish and Newgard out to my sisters’ house and out for a steak dinner and the Commish cannot even admit when he loses a bet because he did not know Satchel Paige played MLB ball for the Cleveland Indians. How can you be a baseball fan and not know those kind of things ?? At least the other owners like Newgard and Paulson take me around to Jamba Juice bars and other new spots.

BD: Are you wearing your Giants and A's sweatshirts a lot?

JD: A little too warm right now but I wear my Giants hat and Tshirts about 70% of the time to the AA minor league games we go to here in Manchester. I also watch as many Giant games as possible on my MLB on Demand. The Giants and Nationals are my favorite teams this season.

BD: What is new for you and your family these days?

JD: My son is living in Brooklyn NY seeking his fortune in the music and sound industry. My wife and I will celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary in August. I have 27 nieces and nephews that are growing up fast. One is a lawyer, another is in med school, another is a nurse and the others are on their way to making sure they pay the social security and health care for all my liberal friends who complain about overpopulation.

BD: What are your plans for the summer?

JD: I just took over a large number of files from a lawyer who recently retired so I am busy making sure that I get all of those cases moving in the right direction. If I get a couple of new people trained, maybe I can take some time off and see some baseball games with my son in New York City.

BD: Love/hate relationship with Glander, but is it really love/hate? Tell us about the commish.

JD: The commissioner is blessed to have a lovely wife and 3 fine sons. It is a miracle that such a being that passes for a human being could have such a fine family. That’s the best that I can say about the man.

His most recent decision to censor free speech in the off topic section of the forum gives anyone who calls themselves a classical liberal a bad name. Surely the owners of the league can distinguish the fact that you can attack someone’s ideas without attacking the person.

On the other hand, he has kept the league going for 10 years and I begrudgingly give him credit for the BDBL.

BD: Should Tony Hayward (BP's CEO) be fired?

JD: Based on what I know at the present time, yes. But the better question is where was the government regulators and disaster recovery teams after the disaster was known ?? Why does the LA governor have to beg the federal government to let LA try to keep its shores clean ?? BP may be responsible for the initial disaster but where do we go to fire the government that failed to contain the disaster ??

BD: Team Edward or Team Jacob?

JD: I have no idea what you are talking about so I will concede my cultural ignorance and plead the 5th.

BD: Prince of Persia or Toy Story 3?

JD: Never saw either but I will go with Prince of Persia based on the trailers.

BD: Dow Jones or NASDAQ?

JD: Dow Jones.

BD: From the Desk of the Commish or Know Thy Enemy?

JD: I like both but I prefer From the Desk of the Commish.

BD: Are you enjoying Last Rites?

JD: I love to read Jeff's description of his 2009 Undertakers....

BD: Were you with Team Coco?

JD: I have no idea what you are talking about so I will concede my cultural ignorance and plead the 5th.

BD: Thanks, Jim! Good luck the rest of the year!