NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The morning commute from Billy Eppler's temporary home in Laguna Beach, Calif., to Angel Stadium in Anaheim is a long one, with bumper-to-bumper traffic all along Pacific Coast Highway and up through the freeways.
And pretty much every day during that drive, Eppler speaks on the phone with his manager, Mike Scioscia.
The two have been in constant communication in the nine weeks since Eppler has taken over as the Angels' general manager, because one of the most important aspects of his new job -- many will tell you it's the most important -- is breaking down some of the barriers created by Scioscia's friction with ex-GM Jerry Dipoto.