The State News caught up with Lansing Lugnuts general manager Jeff Calhoun on Tuesday. Calhoun is entering his seventh season with the Lugnuts. He took over the general manager position in 2003.
On his duties as a Class 'A' baseball general manager …
My primary responsibility is to be the eyes and ears of our owners and make sure that I understand how they want their product represented and that I do my best to communicate with them daily to let them know the progress that gets made. What does that mean most of all? The most important thing that I do here is try to create a great culture for our staff, and our staff needs different things throughout the year.
On how he became interested in the GM position …
I was more interested in the business in sports and have been doing this for … geez, I can't even remember how many years now. The thing about the business of sports — what great customers you have. Everyone is proactive — they're wanting to do something to entertain their clients or reward their staff or (give) incentives (to) their staff. I've learned over time that I really enjoy the customers that we get to serve, no matter if it's baseball or football or basketball or hockey; people that we work with have an objective. That's really what, from when I was 20 something, engaged me the most.
On his status with the Lugnuts …
I love my job. I love our owners, and to me, that's the most important thing, is that the integrity with which we do things and just the culture that they allow me and us to work within is just critical. I'd take our staff against any staff in the country as far as getting after it and doing what you need to do. I very much enjoy the job here.
On being a sports fan …
I'm a bigger fan of business than I am of sports. If I am a bigger fan of sport, then I'm in the wrong business. My family has certainly grown up around sports, and I'd certainly miss them if they were gone.
On his relationship with the players …
We have a great group of guys. The reason we partnered with the (Toronto) Blue Jays is because of the people. Like any organization, the people start at the top. How they do things fits well with how we do things. We want to make sure their office is taken care of. Their office is the clubhouse, the field and the community of Lansing. So we do get to interact and make sure things are going well.
On the Blue Jays farm system …
They're really building quite a farm system. The goal here is obviously to develop players but there were some tough decisions on who to go where this year because they're really starting to get stacked up at the minor-league level which is a good thing.
