Thursday 24 July 2008

Minor League Mogul Sides With Brenner

Brenner Ruled Free Agent; To Join Caps
LEWISTON, Idaho, Oct. 31—The president of the minor leagues has ruled that Bill Brenner, former general manager of the Lewiston Broncs of the Western International League, is a free agent.
George Trautman, boss of the minors, made that ruling in a letter received by the Lewiston club Saturday.
Brenner is now free to become general manager, field manager and pitcher with the Vancouver Capilanos.
The Broncs accepted Brenner’s resignation as manager in September, but later maintained that they still owned him as a player.
Brenner contended that when his resignation as manager was accepted his connection with the club as a player was automatically severed also. Trautman said Brenner was right.
“He (Brenner) had signed a player manager contract and the only way he could have been released of either position would be through unconditional release or the signing of a new contract as a player…” wrote Trautman.
NO RIGHT TO RESIGN
He added that under baseball law Brenner had no right to resign as either player or manager, but since he did, and since the club accepted the resignation, “it is clear…the club cannot withdraw such acceptance.”
Lewiston has won the right to appeal Trautman’s decision but business manager Tom Tabor said no appeal is planned.
Meanwhile, the Lewiston club has announced that Harvey Storey, erstwhile manager for Vancouver, has become the eleventh to apply for the position left vacant by Brenner.
Tom Tabor, Lewiston business manager, said a decision on a manager there can be expected in the next ten days.

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