McCABE MAGAZINE INTERVIEW

Interview with the Commissioner "pat007ohmss"

With the season 14 heading toward the conclusion, McCabe Magazine wanted to sit down with the Robert E. McCabe commissioner, pat007ohmss to get his insight on the league, some history, and the future of the league.

McCabe question: Hi Commish, before we get started, where did the screen name “pat007ohmss” come from and is there a specific reason for choosing the name?

Commissioner answer: I have been a huge fan of James Bond ever since the 1st movie. My name stands for my real name (Patrick)007(on her Majesty's Secret Service). I've even had 2 cars with the license plates 007ltk (licensed to kill), and BondMI5.

McCabe question: I notice on your profile that you have Simulation leagues; Baseball, Football, and Basketball listed. Tell us your likes and dislikes about the WIS Sim-leagues.

Commissioner answer: The baseball is the one I've played the most by far. ARomano got me into 2 progressives (he also convinced me in the first place to try HBD), and I LOVE progressives. The regular baseball SIM has changed a lot. I used to be able to figure it out and pretty much make the playoffs when I wanted, but it's been so long since I've played regularly that whenever I try the "old formula" it doesn't seem to work. As for football, basketball, and even hockey, I play those only once in a blue moon, but like them all.

McCabe question: The theme of the Robert E. McCabe league is realignment. Why realignment?

Commissioner answer: I, for years now, have wished that MLB would realign geographically. I think that divisions like Seattle, Oakland, San Francisco, LA Dodgers, LA Angels would be great. The Mets, Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies & Nationals the same.....I'd love to see the White Sox and Cubs in the same division, same with the Brewers and the Twins, etc. I believe that people would quickly get used to it, and that the geographical rivalries would be fantastic. Those are inevitably the big draws during interleague play, and I don't think it'd get old, but only get more intense.

McCabe question: I think the idea of having the same teams and locations is a great facet of the McCabe league. One of the things that drive me crazy in some other worlds is the fact that you can look at a player’s card and see he played for 8 different teams, only to find out it was the same team, because change of ownership. What are some of the changes you would like to see in HBD?

Commissioner answer: Some are real basic, like having the overall player rating in more places. I am very frustrated at the lack of updating of stadiums in HBD. Not only would I like to see the new stadiums, like Target Field, but also to have the old fields available as they are in the regular SIM. I think it'd make for some interesting leagues. In HBD, I'd also love to see some flexibility with the amount of teams. In other words, I'd like to be able to have, say, 24 teams instead of 30....again, just like the options in the regular SIM. I also think the Free Agency system needs a tweak, as far as being a bit more realistic. I think when you're told you are "the top bidder", and then get no message for 2 days, and then lose someone at the last minute, it's not really realistic, or fair.

McCabe question: The McCabe owners did not elect anyone into the Hall of Fame. If you had a Hall of Fame commissioner’s selection, which player on the ballot would you had selected? Is there an active player you feel is a first ballot HOF?

Commissioner answer: Of the players on the ballot, Miguel Martin is the player I would have selected. For pitchers, I like Donald Nakano, as most of his career was in a tough park to pitch in....Fenway. As for active players, there's a few I think might be first ballots. Two are ex-Red Sox, Luther Abercrombie & Placido Ortiz....also Francisco Gandarillo, who along with Abercrombie are the dominant LH & RH SP's of this league so far, and Rick Ward of the Yankees.

McCabe question: Have you, as the commissioner ever wanted to veto a trade, and what trade did you make and regretted making?

Commissioner answer: Funny thing is, I personally have had more trades get a veto than anyone here, and I think it's only 2! This isn't really a league with a lot of vetos, and I like it that way. Yes, I have felt tempted to veto a trade or two. However, I don't like the whole "veto system". I believe if two owners work hard to agree on a trade it's hard enough, and that there are so many divergent opinions on what attributes make a player stand out in this game, and so many things you don't have time to research on everyone else's team....let the trade go. As for the trade I most regret making, I build all my teams in HBD on Free Agents and trades only. I have no money at all in any scouting. So I'm very careful on trades. This may sound extremely immodest, but I don't (after looking over all of them), feel I've made a trade yet in this league where I've been fleeced. A couple look lopsided to the naked eye, but served a larger purpose. For example, Andre Rivera is one of my best players, but was killing me defensively at SS. My trade with madmuldoon to get Willie Silva appears to be to mad's advantage, but it allowed me to move Rivera to his natural position of 3B, and improve dramatically on defense at SS. The trade helped both teams, in my opinion.

McCabe question: Who was the best player you ever drafted?

Commissioner answer: That's a no-brainer. Since I literally put no money into scouting, my draft of Abdullah Beckham in Round 1 of Season 6 was a total steal. I also believe he will be in the Hall Of Fame.

McCabe question: I read somewhere that WIS had plans to offer players the ability to play Head to Head in HBD. What do you think about that possibility?

Commissioner answer: It holds no appeal for me. I like the status quo. I barely have enough time as it is for 4 HBD teams and 2 Progressives. I couldn't play live anyway. Playing like this allows me to spend time with my family and grandkids.

McCabe question: As a baseball fan I’ve seen (not on television) some of the greatest ball players to ever put on a pair of spikes; Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Willie Mays, Barry (he was framed) Bonds, Nolan Ryan, and Mike Schmidt just to name a few. Who is the greatest major league baseball player you ever saw play in person?

Commissioner answer: I had the opportunity to see Mickey Mantle play several times live as a young kid. My Dad (who this league is named after), used to say about Joe Dimaggio "I'd pay simply to watch him run out to center field". Watching Mantle play, for me, was just as exciting. I also grew up in Minnesota, and saw Killebrew a LOT. He was phenomenal. As a baseball fan, I'm just as excited to have attended, and still have ticket stubs from, two of the most famous World Series games in history: The Kirby Puckett-Jack Buck "and we'll see you tomorrow night" Game 6, and the "Bill Buckner Game", the '86 Game 6. I can still vividly remember looking up and seeing "Congratulations Red Sox, '86 World Champions" on the scoreboard at Shea just for a second, before the Mets rallied. I thought I might have imagined it, but recently read a book on the series, and darned if it didn't accidently go up there due to operator error.

McCabe question: In closing, please give the Robert E. McCabe owners your state of the union address. And thanks for your time and for agreeing to do this interview.

Commissioner answer: Hmmmm....State Of The Union? First of all let me say that I intend to keep this league going as long as this site is on the internet. I've made more than a few friends here, and am especially grateful to the original owners who are still here after 14 seasons. I think sometime it'd be great for a few of us to meet at a game if it could be arranged. ARomano and my wife and I had a chance a couple of years ago to have dinner in San Francisco, and attend a Giants and then an A's game, and it was a ton of fun. ARomano was my mentor in this game, and I appreciate his help and friendship. The 2 questions I wasn't asked were: "What do you like the most about having this league, and what do you dislike the most"? The thing I like the most is having a tribute to my Dad, which, if he were still around, he'd really get a kick out of, and he'd insist on owning the Brewers. The ONLY thing I dislike is the tail end of the season, trying to make sure the league is full and we don't have to wait to fill. So far we've been VERY lucky, and I hope it continues. Thanks a lot for allowing me to answer some really thought-provoking questions, and again.....thank you all very much for your participation in the league. My sitemail is always open!

Thanks again!