Today's manager spotlight focuses on furniss13 of the Boston Heat, one of the original owners in Cobb World and World Series Champion in season 2. Always outspoken and known for giving massive amounts of props to the AL East, furniss let us know what he thinks about the Heat and other teams in the league.
You are perhaps Cobb World's ultimate franchise flip-flopper. Which of your cities do you think was/is the best fit for your ballclub, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, or Boston?
--Well, The 'Nati will always be near and dear to my heart since that is where we won our first title. Jacksonville was an experiment gone bad. We thought that with it being a pitcher's park, and closer to home for my Latino players we would gain some extra mojo. That proved to not be the case.
If you had to move again, where would you go?
--If it were allowed by the WIS gods, I would relocate to Memphis while staying in the AL East. I mean BBQ, baseball, and my favorite bar, Silky O'Sullivan's. Where else do they have goats in the back that drink beer, honestly?
You have made the playoffs all but one season, which is quite an accomplishment, especially considering you play in the "AL Beast." What's your secret?
--Smoke and mirrors, getting more out of players than their ratings would indicate. For a majority of my seasons Rico Estrada has been my only 80+ overall player.Is there anyone in HBD with a cooler pair of shades than Rico Estrada?
--I have yet to find one, two words, Man Crush.
Since not everybody can be as cool as Estrada, who is the ugliest player on the Heat?
--Ironically, the ugliest also has the coolest name. Hootie Taguchi at Low A looks like he bleaches his eyebrows.
The AL East has been noted for it's collection of tough teams. Which one over the years has been the toughest to beat and your biggest rival?
--Without question it was the Cleveland River Rats, we were like the Red Sox and Yankees every season. I was sad to see him leave, well, not really.
Do you have any rivals other than AL East teams?
--My boys always get a little more pumped to play the Sharks of Anaheim and Pawtucket has proven to be a worthy adversary. It is certainly not Philly, who we just swept in 7 straight games.
If you could pick one hitter and one pitcher from any other team in the league to add to your own, who would they be and why?
--Kory Burrell from Pawtucket. He finally got some league love last season by getting voted to the All-Star team, but I have been a fan for a while. Unfortunately I have not been able to make geltzjg an offer he cannot refuse. I like Josh Price a lot from Philly, and would love to have him hitting behind Rico for the next 10 years.
You have only made seven trades with mrploppie of the Fargo Fug Nuts in the seven years you have been an owner in Cobb World. How did you manage to get away with so few trades?
--I'm not sure, mrploppie just doesn't offer me many trades. To be honest with you, I have never been an organization stacked with young talent which I am sure plays a part.
You have made a fair amount of trades though since season one. Which one do you think was your best, and which one would you like to have back?
--I think the best was back in season 2 when I dealt Bernard Long for Matthew Pryce. Pryce has been like my Tom Glavine, a rock solid crafty lefty. He has 65 wins with my organization since he arrived. The one I would take back would be in season 4 with Jackson. I traded Michael Ellis and Javier Alvarez for Carlos Gomez. Carlos suffered a severe bulging disc injury that robbed him of about 7 overall rating points. He is solid, just not worth trading a 90 rated middle infielder for.
Which prospect of yours are you most looking forward to seeing in the bigs?
--Um, pretty bare, no one really on the locked in radar right now.
If you were forced to bean an opposing batter in retaliation, which pitcher of yours would you want on the mound?
--Rabbit Leyritz, at 6'4, 226 lbs, I like his chances. Who would want to fight a big rabbit anyway?
Name an AL pitcher and hitter other than Philip Brown and Orber Olivo that should be a first ballot Hall of Famer.
--Pitcher is tough to call, I honestly do not see any first ballot hurlers in the AL other than Philip. I am hoping Dean Hernandez gets dealt to the NL. I may be a little biased, but Rico Estrada should be a first ballot guy. The man has nearly 1,100 hits and is 25 years old. I think he will be the first Cobb hitter to 3,000 hits.
Which player of yours has the coolest theme music, and what is it?
--Tough call between Rico's, "Rico Suave" by Gerardo or "The Right Stuff" by the New Kids on the Block for Donte Wright.
If you could choose one player from any baseball movie ever made to play for your team, who would it be?
--Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn, the fans at Fenway would love him
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