No surprise: Rumfield new manager in Florence
I had been waiting for something to appear in print on this, but ...
The Florence Freedom have hired Toby Rumfield as their new manager. Rumfield, a former second-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Reds, spent the last two years as manager of the River City Rascals, compiling an 83-109 record. This past season, River City finished 47-49 and 13 games out of first place.
Rumfield replaces Jamie Keefe, who "resigned" after four season as Florence's manager. The Freedom did not make the playoffs during Keefe's tenure.
While this looks like a simple transaction of replacing one manager with another, let's face it, you could see this one coming a year ago. Florence's general manager is Kari Rumfield, who happens to be Toby Rumfield's wife. The Freedom will probably deny it and deny it, but it sure looks like Keefe was forced out so Toby Rumfield can work with the same organziation as his wife.
It reminds me of when former Marquette University basketball coach Al McGuire - one of my all-time favorites - was asked why his son Allie was the starting point guard instead of a more experienced player. Ole Al simply replied, "Because I sleep with his mother."
There is one catch to the hiring. Florence owner Clint Brown said it's a one-year deal for Toby Rumfield and the ballclub will have a different manager in 2010.
"I'm confident this is the first instance in professional baseball of a married couple simultaneously occupying leadership roles in both the front office and in the field," Brown said. "While we are fortunate to have a highly experienced baseball man like Toby Rumfield available to us, this will be a one-year arrangement. After coaching the Freedom next season, Toby will continue to chase his dream of coaching in affiliated baseball and we will begin our search for a permanent manager for our ballclub."
Labels: Florence Freedom, Toby Rumfield
posted by Chris Dugan at
12:21 PM
10 Comments:
I'm sure the Freedom will be as successful under Rumfield as River CIty was.
Keefe should have been fired years ago for not even having a .500 record. The only reason he was not 'forced' out earlier is because he lived in Florence. Keefe gave the organization an 'easy' out when he moved back East with his family. Players did not connect with Keefe and thought he was a 'joke'. Maybe that's why they never made the playoffs.
Rumfield has far more playing experience and scouting experience than Keefe and should do well with the core group of players that will return to the Freedom. Unlike in River City where him and the new owner let every player go except one to rebuild.
If you wanted to see a 'joke' you should have seen River City last year. Pitching rotation changing every week, lost 23 out of 32 at one point, no offense. If you call that experienced scouting then Florence is doomed. I guess the Freedom didn't 'connect' with Keefe because that's the Frontier League way. If you don't win, the players can always blame it on the manager. It's always the manager's fault, never lousy players.
But ended up with the same record as Florence? Keefe had 4 years to connect with his players and not once did he make the playoffs. 4 years seems like enough time don't you think? At least in River City they improved over the first year.
Sure River City showed improvement last year, but it's hard to get worse when you go 36-60 the previous season. And Rumfield's 36-60 record in 2006 looks a lot like San Angelo's record (36-58) in his one year as manager there. As far as I can tell, the guy has never had a winning season as a manager. Florence could have done much better.
Rumfield only managed half of the season in San Angelo and when he stopped managing they were a .500 team.
Sorry, but .500 for part of a season isn't going to get the job done, not in the East next year. Keefe, by the way, has had teams that finished 9, 18, 23 games above .500. Rumfield hasn't done anything as a manager. Bad, bad hire by Florence. Could have done much better. Destined for another middle of the pack finish at best.
How many years did Keefe manage? Sorry that your bromance had to end with him. Maybe you can follow his career with the next team he manages. Thats right noone will hire him because he is terrible.
Terrible - just like Florence's organization and its players. Florence has been the laughingstock of the FL for a long time. That hire of Rumfield is sure to continue the tradition started by the former crook owner and carried on by people like Browning. Bad organziation, bad players, bad field. Some things never change.
Florence has never been the laughing stock of the league. Except for maybe when the first owner was there.
I think if you are a true baseball fan you will stop bashing both managers and get a life! Managers can not play for the players.
It is easy for someone who has never played and hides behind a blog. Coward.
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