Sounds like somebody's gotta case of the Mundays

Written by Greg Fertel | 08 January 2007

Former American League president Gene Budig is back in baseball, this time as a part-owner of the Class A Charleston RiverDogs.

The RiverDogs, whose ownership group includes actor Bill Murray, play in the South Atlantic League and are affiliated with the New York Yankees. When Budig was president of the AL from 1994-2000, he noted, he sometimes was on the receiving end of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner's barbs.

"We've become great friends," Budig said. "He knew of my interest in this. I talked to him." "No segment of organized baseball is more exciting than the Minor Leagues," Budig said.

Budig joined Mike Veeck and Marvin Goldklang as the RiverDogs' primary owners.

"We love his involvement from an historical perspective and his intimacy with the game," Veeck said. "He is well thought of in all levels of baseball, and Gene Budig is one of us."

Budig still serves as a senior adviser to Major League Baseball. A former university president/chancellor at Kansas, West Virginia and Illinois State, he's known for his calm demeanor.

He's got quite the resume, maybe he'll improve the team's marketing or something; it's not like he'll have a say in the player personel aspect of the game...

Obligitory end-of-season Jets rant: The Sunday Ticket thingee was the best $150 I've spent in a while...the one player I'm most looking forward to watching over the next couple of years is Kerry Rhodes...I can't help but wonder how the season would have gone if they had the 2004 version of Curtis Martin (not that I'm complaining, just wondering)...Pennington was solid this year, but they could use a guy with a bit more of an arm...I suppose that Mangini guy is working out (sorry, had a Steinbrenner moment)...they could use some improvement in the secondary and a better running mate for Leon than Barlow/Blaylock/Houston...D'Brickashaw and Mangold were solid for most of the year, dominant at others (especially Nick)...too bad the season ended the way it did, but at least the team isn't just spinning it's wheels anymore.