Monday, January 17, 2005

MLB Meets Office Space

This was announced on Friday (probably with the idea that it would go under the radar):
Major League Baseball announced today it will open a Western Office in the Phoenix, Ariz., area this season. The office is meant to provide special attention to and coordination between the Office of the Commissioner and the Major League Clubs in the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones.

Laurel Prieb, formerly the Vice President of Corporate Affairs for the Milwaukee Brewers, has been hired to run the office as the MLB Vice President for Western Operations and Special Projects. Prieb has 28 years of baseball experience, having worked for the Minnesota Twins before joining the Brewers in 1991. Before serving the Brewers as the VP, Corporate Affairs, Prieb was the club's VP, Communications and then VP, Marketing.
What it doesn't say is that Laurel Prieb is Bud Selig's son in law. So what will the job description look like?
The MLB Western Operations Office will further serve as a point of support and contact for the Baseball Academy in Compton, Calif., which currently is under construction, the Arizona Fall League, the Cactus League, MLB's burgeoning business activities in the countries of the Pacific Rim, and international play.
This made me think of the movie Office Space where Tom Smykowski tries to explain what he does for the company to Bob and Bob the consultants:
Tom Smykowski: Well-well look. I already told you: I deal with the god damn customers so the engineers don't have to. I have people skills; I am good at dealing with people. Can't you understand that? What the hell is wrong with you people?
So son in law Prieb's cushy job will allow him to deal with the West Coast and Mountain time zone folks so that the MLB offices don't have to. What the hell is wrong with you people?

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