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An ongoing feature on the TBBL web
site will include monthly
interviews with some of our
league members. Catching
up with one of our new owners
Mark Jones:
TBBL: Hello and
thanks for taking the time to be
interviewed. How are you doing
today?
Mark:
Been a busy last couple of days
as I just returned from an
extended weekend over the 4th
TBBL: Please tell us
a little bit about yourself.
Married? Kids? Where did you
grow up, what college did you
attend (if you did), and where
do you see yourself in 10 years
from now?
Mark:
I grew up in Portland, OR and
moved to Seattle just over 3
years ago to take a job
opportunity that was offered. I
am single, divorced, with no
kids. Lots of nieces and
nephews, hoping to start my own
family soon. I am enjoying
Seattle, but do miss home,
family and friends a little. I
attended Lewis and Clark College
and graduated in 2000. I played
4 years of baseball there, the
first year in NAIA and the last
3 NCAA-Division III. In 10
years I’m hopefully going to
still be happy in my career in
the insurance industry, married
with 1 or 2 kids and enjoying
life, sports and my family.
TBBL:
Unfortunately you have taken
over a team that was in
disarray, how has the team
performed in your opinion since
you joined the TBBL?
Mark:
My
team was certainly in disarray,
and it’s been a struggle to
understand the nuances of this
leagues rules, etc, but it’s
been good. I have 4 DM teams
right now, all a little
different with their own
advantages and disadvantages.
This has been the worst takeover
team out of the 3 that I have
taken over, hopefully I’m up to
the task of seeing it through
the next 3-4 years where I feel
like we can contend a little.
We’ve performed as I expected,
pretty poorly, but I’m excited
that a couple of my draftees are
making progress in the bigs and
1 or 2 have been doing well in
the minors and hopefully will
see some action this year or
next
TBBL: Do you have
any players on the trading block
currently or are you looking to
acquire any specific position?
Mark:
I’m not sure if any of my
players are not on the trading
block in all actuality, but I
really don’t have much that
would help a team this year.
Ryan Howard and Chris Iannetta
are my only decent bats, so
prospects are what I have to
deal and/or picks. Ideally I’d
like to start balancing my
roster a little into next year
with guys who are currently
valuable, with a mix of guys
with potential, so no one is
really off the table.
TBBL: What has
been your best baseball memory?
Mark:
My
best baseball memory was
playing, I enjoyed every
experience and love looking back
on the fun I had. Just this
last weekend I was lucky enough
to get a tour of Fenway and be
on the field during batting
practice when they were playing
the Yankees, that could be my
best viewing/fan experience so
far.
TBBL: Shifting to
the MLB now, who's your favorite
team and why?
Mark:
My favorite team is the
Yankees. I grew up loving Don
Mattingly and emulated him in
every way I could as a kid.
Those days it was tough being a
Yankees fan, the last 16-17
years it’s been easier.
TBBL: Which
baseball stadiums have you
visited and which is your
favorite?
Mark:
My list of stadiums I’ve visited
is growing. I’ve been to:
Fenway, Yankees Stadium, Camden,
Chase, Wrigley, US Cellular,
Safeco, Oakland Coliseum,
Anaheim, Candlestick and AT&T,
and the Metrodome. My favorite
was Yankees Stadium just because
of my affinity for the team, but
also to walk on the same field
as Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio,
Mantle, etc. played on was truly
amazing.
TBBL: Who is your
favorite baseball player, both
current and all time?
Mark:
Favorite all-time player is
Mattingly, and my favorite
current player is Jeter. I’ve
seen so much that he has brought
to the field that is not seen in
the stat lines, it’s
unbelievable. Being in Seattle
now and watching a lot of games,
I’m growing to like Dustin
Ackley quite a bit
TBBL: What is your
favorite movie of all time?
Mark:
My
favorite movie of all time is
tough, there are so many that
I’d argue are top 5. But to go
with one, I’d pick Scarface
TBBL: Tell us
something about yourself that
may surprise us.
Mark:
–
I don’t think there’s really
anything about me that’s too
surprising, I lead a pretty
normal life. I do have a really
cool scar on the top of my head
that’s about 4-5 inches long
from when I crashed on my bike
when I was 12 years old. It
took 76 stitches to seal up.
TBBL: Who do you
have the biggest rivalry with in
the TBBL and why?
Mark:
No
real rivalries yet, as I’m still
a bottom-dweller
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