Strange season, indeed
With his team battling down the stretch for a playoff spot, Kane County Cougars general manager Jeff Sedivy isn't quite ready to wrap up the baseball season.
The Cougars, who are the Class A affiliate of the Oakland A's, will conclude the Midwest League regular season on the road against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Monday.
After 17 years with the Cougars, even Sedivy admits he was surprised by the team's performance this season. In this edited interview, he talked with the Daily Herald about the lows in the first half, the turnaround in the second half, and other significant events.
Q. What is your take on this playoff race madness? (The Cougars were 1½ games behind Cedar Rapids for the last wild-card spot entering Friday's action.)
A. I think its cool because we were so miserable in the first half -- I'm not going to sugarcoat that at all.
It was probably the worst team we had in the first half here since our first year as a ballclub. That year, we came back, won the second half and got into the playoffs, so it's very similar for me, except I think this might be the best team we've had in the second half.
Q. Can you reflect on one of the best moments at Elfstrom Stadium this year, the 2007 Midwest League All-Star Game?
A. Although we aren't going to see it in terms of the turnstiles, I think by far it was our best year promotionally. I think we had some very creative ideas …
The All-Star Game was a nice piece of that puzzle, although I am still convinced people didn't get it 100 percent because I thought we had a chance when we (hosted the All-Star Game) to set a league record in attendance (but) we never got there.
We had a great game, but it didn't materialize the way I thought it would.
Q. What was it like to have Ryne Sandberg managing a team (the Peoria Chiefs, the Class A affiliate of the Cubs) in the Midwest League?
A. "Having Ryno in the league was a really great experience. I think it really showed the players that you are never too big to come down to the minor leagues.
I thought he was exceptional with the fans. I never saw him turn a fan down as far as signing an autograph, even though we got e-mails that said, 'I waited in line and I didn't get an autograph.' I thought he was a great addition.
He was a testament to what a Hall of Famer is about. He really gave back. I respect what he is doing to come back to (Class) A ball and start over again. He doesn't have to do that. That shows the desire he has to manage."
Q. Why did Oakland A's assistant GM David Forst and minor-league hitting instructor Greg Sparks make so many visits to the Cougars this year?
A. David Forst was here a year ago, just no one knew it. David is pretty behind the scenes when it comes to that. He doesn't make a big deal about visiting. He wants to see the club in person. He wants to talk to the on-field staff and get a first-hand feel about what is going on.
But I think the reason you saw more extended visits than we have in the past from them is that basically, they were concerned about the team that was here in the first half, and they were trying to help them get better until the draft. I think that's a big reason why they were here."