“Mean” Gene Lamont To Interview For Red Sox Managerial Position

Walking outside today, the positive energy in the Detroit area was palpable. The weather was unseasonably pleasant, birds were chirping, and neighbors were outside talking to each other. Maybe people even got to fire up that grill one last time. Late in the afternoon, as I stepped outside to get in my car and go to work, the positive vibe almost instantly began seeping into my pores. The day was so beautiful, I got to shed the jacket instantly, feeling as if it was May 8th and not November 8th. What is it about unexpected good weather that can make people believe their day can’t get any better? That’s how I felt when I hopped in my car and got the window rolled down for the scenic drive in. I felt the day couldn’t get any better.

Then I turned on my radio…………and I was proven wrong. It’s not often that I drive my car and don’t have the music blasting, but for some reason, I chose to listen to some sports talk radio for a minute. I was glad I did. Within minutes of turning on the program, I was delighted to hear the news that Tigers 3rd base coach Gene Lamont was interviewing for the Boston Red Sox managerial position. So much so, I instantly began picturing in my mind a musical montage of “Mean” Gene waving our dead duck runners around to home plate in slow motion. The song you ask? Of course it was “Sailing” by Christopher Cross, especially after watching that hilarious Yoenis Cespedes video yesterday.

Anyway, the slow motion montage of Gene Lamont aside, this of course doesn’t mean that he will be given the job by the Red Sox organization, but I would like to help Gene as much as possible. His nickname might be “mean” Gene, but he is anything but, so I would like to say some nice things.

Ben Cherington, if you are reading this, I just want to let you know that Gene Lamont would make an excellent manager. He is experienced, and well, he has experience experiencing a lot of baseball going on around him. I’ve personally witnessed him in the vicinity of the game on more than one occasion. He is also a very positive thinker. He thinks even the slowest of runners can make it home, regardless of the arm strength of the outfielders and how fast they get to it. He doesn’t ever let failure get in his way. Even if it is repeated. He also handles disagreements with the players well. I have never seen him once get upset when players run through his stop signs and make it safely standing up. They may have blatantly ignored his order, but with Lamont you can’t tell that it affects him. He is an excellent motivator as well. I have seen him clap on more than one occasion, and I know deep down, it helps the players. Plus after a big win, he takes all the players out for ice cream, bridging the relationship gap between players and manager. Not to mention, he is such a master communicator, he even knows sign language. Did I mention that he has experience?

You see Mr. Cherington, these are just a few of the thousands of reasons why Gene Lamont would make a good manager. I could go on all day if I had the time, or the space for like 30,000 words of greatness here, but you will get the picture when you meet him. The guy is still on the top of his game, and it was just 18 short years ago that he was the Manager of the Year in the American League.

Of course, if you do hire him in Boston, we will miss him severely in Detroit. I am not sure who we could possibly have fill his considerable, almost clown-like, shoes. The subtleness with which he handles the complexities of the duties of 3rd base coach is beyond compare. There is no one in the same atmosphere at the position. Frankly, I am not sure there is even any old Pittsburgh Pirates left to take over the job. The Tigers organization already has them doing other things. Is Sid Bream around somewhere, or is he still tired from beating that throw to the plate in that Braves series? Hopefully word reaches him if the Red Sox hire Lamont, but we should put Sid on high alert now. Put out that big P signal in the sky, so Bream can make sure that right rotator cuff is loose. I don’t want him to be rusty when he gets to town.

Good luck to Gene Lamont getting the Red Sox manager job. It’s been too long between gigs, and I know a lot of Tigers fans are rooting for him.