by Miranda G. McLeod
Staff Writer
Kirk Goodman knows a thing or two about baseball, and he should. He’s been around the sport since he was three years old and, as the recently-promoted general manager of the Jacksonville Suns, Goodman continues learning every aspect of the game.
Goodman hails from Wyalusing, Pa. and graduated from Ithaca College in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in Corporate Communications.
Goodman originally joined the Suns in 1998 as director of marketing. He was promoted to assistant general manager in 1999. Goodman was with Triple-A Portland for two years before returning to the Suns as assistant general manager in 2002. He was promoted to general manager in January when Peter Bragan Jr. became president of the club.
Goodman has been with the club long enough to transition from Wolfson Park to the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, an impressive facility with far more administrative space than the old park. Goodman said the move was tough because administrators were stuck in temporary offices for six months.
“We moved here one week before opening day,” said Goodman, who pulled a 43-hour shift during that week.
But Goodman loves that hard work and hopes to stay in Jacksonville with the Suns for a while. He has gotten offers from other teams, but likes Jacksonville and his contract lasts through the end of next season.
The Suns play the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday, which is the first time the Dodgers have visited Jacksonville since the Suns became the team’s Double-A affiliate in 2001.