August 3, 2012

     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?

Richard:  I’m doing okay…we’re in the middle of a heat wave here in Fresno, not quite as bad as the Midwest and East Coast has been hit recently but it has been over 100 degrees for the last few days and it’s not expected to let up until the middle of next week.

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?

Richard:   Just recently married, about 2 years. I’ve been with my wife for 12 years total. We both have 1 son…hers is 27 and mine will be 24 this year in December. I was born in San Francisco, moved to Indiana for about 4 years when I was 8 years old, then moved back to Fresno, California since the late 60’s. I never went to a traditional 4 year college but I did complete an 18 month Accounting course through a local Community College program. Which helped me get my current job as a Payroll Specialist at Paychex, Inc. As for 10 years from now, hopefully still alive and breathing!!! I really don’t plan that far ahead, one of my shortfalls I guess. 

TBBL:  Your catcher Mike Napoli has had perhaps the best first half of any player in the history of the TBBL.  Did you expect this kind of output from the All Star Catcher?

Richard:  ABSOLUTLEY NOT!!! I figured he would be the clean-up hitter for my team for as long as his PA’s would last but no way did I figure he would take off like he has, a complete surprise to me no doubt. I know he will not continue this kind of pace, he’s a good player but not that good!!! I’ll take it as long as it lasts though.

TBBL: Do you have any players on the trading block currently or are you looking to acquire any specific position?

Richard: I really don’t put players on the trading block, I just kind of play it by ear from year to year. My goal in any trade I make is to try to be as fair as I can for both managers so we both benefit and can possibly do more trades in the future. As far as “looking” for a position, again this is one that I kind of play by ear from year to year. I’m sure most of the other managers see I don’t draft that many “minor” leaguers. Just not one of my strong points of the drafting, as I’m sure everyone has noticed.

TBBL: What other DMB Leagues are you a member of and have you won any Championships?

Richard:  I’m in only 2 other DMB leagues….the USBA and RJML. Throughout the over 35 years I’ve been doing fantasy baseball I’ve been in a lot of leagues but never more than 3 at a time. I just joined the USBA with Rocky’s recommendation last year, the same time I joined the TBBL….I’ve been in the RJML the longest, 11 years. In the RJML I’ve won 3 Championships and maybe about 6 more throughout the years. I’ve never been able to repeat as a champion but I have made the playoffs in the RJML except for the first 2 years, not counting this year of course. But I’m only 7 games out in 3^rd place in my division.

TBBL: Shifting to the MLB now, who's your favorite team and why?

Richard: In a way it’s kind of a no brainer based on where I was born…the San Francisco/New York Giants. My dad took me to my first game in the early 60’s before my parents got divorced and we moved back to Indiana.

TBBL: Which baseball stadiums have you visited and which is your favorite?

Richard:  I’ve only been to about 4 ballparks and yes you guessed it all in California!! My favorite without question is the Giants new ballpark, AT&T Park. It’s a great park to watch a game at!!!

TBBL: Who is your favorite baseball player, both current and all time?

Richard: All time—the “Say Hey Kid” Willie Mays. Current—I don’t have an overwhelming favorite but I do like Pujlos, Cain, A. Gonzalez, Jer. Weaver etc.

TBBL: What is your favorite movie of all time?

Richard:  Kind of a tie….the 3 Clint Eastwood movies where he has no name, A Fistfull of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More and the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. And the early James Bond movies with Sean Connery as 007. I’m really not much of a movie buff to begin with.