Q:  After two years in the league, is ILL ready to step up and challenge the big boys in the TG East?  Is the NASBL TG East like the MLB AL East with all the powers?  How does one compete with such dominant teams?

A: We would like to think we could compete this year -- but it is a really tough league.  Honolulu has so much pitching and getting Polonco will really help his line-up, Lake Champlain is going to score so many runs it will be ridiculous this year and Springfield is always hard to read with that nuclified ballpark.   I thought we had the horses to compete last year and after Block I it was apparent I was wrong.  I never would have drafted Thomas or traded for Wickman if I didn't think we had a shot at the play-offs.  I think I made the mistake of overrating my offense last year and underrating the other clubs in the division.  I am not crying about it though -- I did vote against realignment -- this stuff is cyclical and I am sure someday the TG East will be won by a .500 club -- not this year, but someday.  Plus having a strong division in the NASBL helped me get to where I am this season.  Shields, Springfield's first and Raush wouldn't be Chows if the East wasn't so strong last season.  Heck it can be argued that the big deal we had with Vermont wouldn't have happened without the Beasts from the East to compete to.

Q:  So, three first round picks.  Are you going to stand pat and make those selections, or will ILL try to pull off one more big move before the draft?

A: We are open to anything but at this point we have been concentrating on evaluating the draft.  It is a fantastic group of players available this year and we need to decide are we playing for this year or the future?  We can do both this year -- but hypothetically if Pena falls to number 5 do I take him (a superstar now) or take a guy I have rated higher for the future?  The good thing is that there are so many players I want in this draft I can't imagine being disappointed at the end of Round 2.

Q:  Hanley Ramirez, SS or DH?  If his glove doesn’t improve, what is his future in Illinois?

A: Hanley is going to DH this season and work on his fielding in practice.  To be honest, his lack of progress with the glove is the single biggest reason we are not where we expected to be as a franchise.  We had no way to play both Dunn and Willingham, which prompted the Nathan deal.  That's one less big bat in the line-up and we will now likely have two subpar hitters in Olivo and whoever mans SS for us.  We are still committed to Hanley in the future and expect him to play SS for us next season, but when we watched the film from last season and saw how many balls got through (Sherlag begins shaking his head from side to side) -- well the pitchers just deserve better.  In our opinion the most reliable fielding rating is the Range Factor that is prepared by Hal Richman.  It is almost uncanny how well Hal's ratings come true in the NASBL each year and Hal says that Hanley is a "4".  I am not sure if any team can win with a "4" at SS and it really can't happen in a division as tough as ours.  We may try it against lefties and see how it goes -- depending on who we draft to play short.

Q:  What player on your team are you the most excited about when looking at the next five years, and why?

A: It would have to be Hanley Ramirez.  Despite his flaws he is 24 years old and has already come into his own as a hitter.  He can steal bases, has blazing speed and finds the gaps well and he can hit it out of the park.  He is fun to watch hit and has single-handedly redeemed me as a talent evaluator after my disastrous first draft.

 Q:  Is it tough being the “other Sherlag” with all the success Doug has had?

A: (laughs) The other Sherlag huh.  I have always though of Doug as the other Sherlag -- but I guess I have a different perspective than most.  Well I do enjoy having Doug's first round pick (smiles).  I owe Doug a lot -- without him paving the way in the NASBL the old Schooners would likely never have hired me to be the GM of the Chows.  It would be fun to win a title before he does -- but in years that I am not in the play-offs I root for him -- he is family.  I did tell him this year (having his first) that I wanted him to either win it all or bow out in Round 1.  Unfortunately for both of us he did neither.

Q:  What do you enjoy to most about NASBL?

A: The Hot Stove Heaters of course!!  Just kidding, it would have to be draft day -- I just love the draft.  Of course that is probably because we have been so bad both seasons so far.  It is a great group in the league -- easy to make deals and with net-play finally working on my machine; I should be able to get to know some of you better.  Someday I hope that my answer becomes the NASBL postseason.