For some of his past interviews you can check out the Duck Talk Section where we ask the questions we want to ask and try to see through the clichéd responses we normally get. For those of you new to Duck Talk, this is a complete fabrication based on interviews within my troubled mind.
<strong>Duck:</strong> <em>Hey Ned, what a six months, huh?</em>
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Neddie:</strong> <em>Ho HO Ho You aren't kidding, it has been Christmas (Holiday Season for those who care about such things) forever. It is like the Grinch movie, where McCourt (The Grinch) was replaced by Brad Pitt and he lets everyone sleep with his wife.</em>
<strong>Duck:</strong> <em>Woot</em>
Duck: Any Dodger fan has to be relishing in the fact that not only are the Dodgers now the West Coast version of the Yankees but they have you, Stan, and Magic instead of Brian Cashman to lead the team. How did you get so lucky?
Neddie: I earned my luck, I had to be a GM under Frank McCourt.
Duck: Let's do a quick recap. Since the team was sold you signed Puig for 42 Million. You went big into the major league draft and signed everyone that you drafted resulting in probably the best draft since 2003. You took on the contracts of Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, and Josh Beckett. You went for broke on Victorino and Blanton. You signed the top free agent on the market Zack Grienke. You signed the top Pacific Rim free agent. You even felt sorry for Brandon League, and gave him a pot full of gold for a month of great work. Shouldn't you be wearing a red santa outfit?
Neddie - Ho HO Ho
Duck: The Dodgers also have created spots for every person Stan feels can help the organization, and called them Vice Presidents instead of Assistant General Managers. Do you like the change to VP or do you miss your cadre of Special Assistants to the GM?
Neddie : Ho HO Ho - we got Vice Presidents, we got Special Assistants, we got all the brain power under one brain. We are calling Stan the Wizard of the Ravine. I'm loving it, can you imagine what it was like 12 months ago when I only had my dozen special assistants to bounce ideas off? now I have the best minds that money can buy. The synergy is unbelievable, and you should see the catered lunches we get every day. Ho HO Ho
Duck: You sound so cheery I hate to even bring up these questions?
Neddie: Bring em on and have some egg nog
Duck: Are you really going to field a 60 Million plus outfield but let Luis Cruz start at 3rd base?
Neddie: I can answer that two different ways. One way is that we can use Luis Cruz at 3rd base base because we do have a 60 Million dollar outfield. The second way to answer that question is NFW. Ho HO Ho
Duck: Are you really going to let the worst defensive shortstop in baseball play shortstop for you?
Neddie: Aw Duck, this again. You can be such a broken record. It is the Holidays, have some more nog
Duck: The Nog is good but what about Hanley?
Neddie: Heck, Hanley isn't the worst defensive shortstop in baseball..............He's the worst defensive shortstop I've ever seen. What the hell is he reading the bloody label before throwing the ball? Is he shocked he's playing baseball? Is he shocked he fielded the ball cleanly? Is he telling the ball ICU? But yeah, he's our starting SS - Ho HO Ho
Duck: No platoon for Andre this year?
Neddie: I'm still trying to get Donny a right handed bat to give him that option but sometimes money can't buy everything.
Duck: I'm done, everything else looks great. You are building a great bench with Skip/Hairston/Uribe
Neddie : Uribe Uribe Uribe - comeback player of the year
Duck: Wouldn't shock me, nothing shocks me anymore. Not after watching Justin Ruggiano and Cruz this past summer.
Neddie: I know, right, so I can say anything and people can't scoff, because baseball is whack with surprise
Duck: You have a boatload of starters. You going to hold them all spring?
Neddie: Maybe, in an ideal world, Lilly and Chad show everyone they are healthy this year, while contending teams lose a few arms during the spring. Talk about being in the catbird seat. Ho HO Ho
Duck: What do you say to those fans who might feel uncomfortable with all the money being spent?
Neddie: It is not how you win that is important, it is only important that you win.
Duck: Well said Neddie, well said.
Duck: Thanks for your time Neddie, and good luck. I'm told you will need it for a championship
Neddie: Ho HO Ho I'm buying my luck laddie, save your good luck wishes for anyone who gets in the way of the Dodger Train of Success. We are going to steam roll the competition, and if we don't do it this year, we will simply keep spending until we do. Nothing will get in the way of a Dodger Championship. Nothing