Hey, we just realized that in our haste to make deadline this afternoon, we allowed a very important moment and scoop by Our Man Elli in Israel to pass without comment: Dan Rootenberg, the Israel Baseball League player who was chosen as the league's "in-coming president" (that's what they call him on the IBL website) as it reassembles for a four-team, 20-game, three-week "momentum-keeping" mini-season-- is not only making a major break from the secrecy of his predecessors by speaking with Our Man Elli-- and acknowledging his preeminence in reportage on the subject-- but he is staking his reputation on the future of the IBL.
Rootenberg told Our Man Elli that he personally mailed out overdue paychecks to the majority of IBL players who are still owed money from the inaugural season. And he said those checks were "the first wave."
Never has the phrase, "The check is in the mail," sounded so refreshing and generated so much hope for the future.If Dan Rootenberg is not the Obama of the IBL, then at least he promises to be the Gerald Ford.
Will the IBL season begin on July 27th as promised? Is there enough time and money to prove the naysayers wrong?
At least now there is a face and voice of the IBL on which to hang our hopes, offer praise, and if this turns out to be a bamboozle-- place the blame.
Larry Baras, Marty Berger and others behind the IBL curtain should acknowledge his bravery in literally sticking his neck out and facing his fellow players. They should remove the "in-coming" from his title. With one small action, Dan Rootenberg has shown he deserves the title of President.
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