ESPN's Buster Olney grew up on a farm in Vermont. So, when Hurricane Irene's flooding devasted farmers in his home state, he decided to do something about it. He recruited baseball executives Theo Epstein (then of the Red Sox, now of the Cubs), Brian Cashman (Yankees) and Neal Huntington (Pirates) to join together at a fundraising event called 'Going To Bat For Vermont'. All three were in Randolph Center, Vermont last Saturday to offer a round table discussion of baseball along with a star-studded array of auctioned baseball memorabilia.
We spoke with all three execs prior to the event. Theo Epstein seemed relaxed and comfortable talking about his new role in Chicago. We asked him if uncertainty around the unresolved Collective Bargaining Agreement might result in free agents opting for shorter-term deals—hoping for a second bite at the apple with a wider array of teams down the road. Epstein stated, "No, the number of years is a very important consideration for players, it shouldn't make a difference."
Tonight's event is expected to raise in the neighborhood of $200,000 for farmers in the area—and baseball can be proud of its role in the success.
(Exclusive FenwayNation Photo)
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