Senese Under Fire

By Tom Jalana
for TJSN.com

Published: March 4, 2009

The Evergreen Park Diamondbacks head into the 2009 baseball season with high expectations after letting the league title slip through their hands last year. But while the D-backs’ expectations are high, manager Serigo Senese has come under fire in recent months from some veteran members of the clubhouse.

“We all appreciate the work that Senese puts into this league and with this team,” said first baseman Ted Andrysiak, “but the consistent yelling and arm-chair quarterbacking he does from the outfield when he’s playing needs to stay there.”

In 2007, Senese’s rookie year, the Diamondbacks captured the league title after former manager and Diamondback founder, Joe Cipolla took a leave of absence from the team. Senese stepped in and guided the team to a 19-6 record and the league title that year. But, as with all championship teams, they become targets for the opposition and with that too, became Senese at the end of the 2008 season when the team failed to repeat.

“Look,” said Senese, “I have a league to run, a team to manage, and players to coach. Sometimes, people don’t like what I have to say, but until someone steps up to run the team or Coach Cipolla comes back, this is what it is,” he said.

It’s exactly the type of comment that has Senese under fire from his veteran players.

“There are at least 7 players on this team that have been here for over 8 years,” said Pete Gubricky. “We don’t need Sergio to tell us what to do and how to go about doing it.”

Tensions started to flair after a number of games at the beginning of the 2008 season were rained out. Some teams went nearly a month without having played a scheduled game. On days when the teams were to play, the umpires didn’t show up to the game, forcing yet another reschedule.

“I live 20 miles from the ballpark and last Summer, for those of you who can’t remember, gas was $4.20 a gallon,” said veteran Thad Sochacki. “Make that drive to the park and back, only to discover that you won’t be having a game – you’ll quickly find out how pissed players will get. I don’t have high-paying job as I work in the Health Care industry,” he said, “so coming out here for shits and giggles isn’t something I think is funny.”

Sochacki’s words are echoed by fellow teammates.

“Commitment is something that you make and you back it up with actions by showing up to the field when a game is scheduled,” said catcher Martin Will. “This ain’t no fishing trip and it certainly isn’t like stringing around a girlfriend for 8 years without putting a ring on it.”

If Senese wants to do right by the team and his players, he has this off-season to fix it. Otherwise, the heat in the kitchen could become too much and it may be time for Senese to find the nearest fire exit.

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Tagged with: Evergreen Park Diamondbacks, Martin Will, Pete Gubricky, Sergio Senese, Ted Andrysiak

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