Our pal Kevin Wendt (right, deciding our table still didn't have nearly enough alcohol), news design director at the San Jose Mercury News, is becoming an assistant business editor at the Merc (staff memo after the jump). Huzzah!

But more importantly, Mr. Wendt is a committed (or perhaps should be committed) White Sox fan, who just dropped serious geld in order to get into the Series in Chicago. And he'll be blogging about it for the Merc. (At least make it a tax write-off, pal!)

"At some point between annoying my coworkers (how much would you spend?), moaning in agony over the cost and refreshing Web sites constantly, I broke down and bought two tickets.

"How much is too much? Not $2,700, apparently.

"OK, stop laughing. Stop typing that I'm an idiot and prices will drop tomorrow. I HAD TO HAVE TICKETS IN MY HAND. I can't get on a plane not knowing if I'd be able to scalp a ticket at the game.

"I mean, this is a ONCE IN A LIFETIME EVENT! A Red Sox fan at work says "hock the car, sell some plasma and go!!!" How can I argue with that?

From: Mansfield, Matt
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 4:13 PM
To: EDIT ALL
Subject: A new role for Kevin Wendt

We're pleased to announce that Kevin Wendt will become an assistant business editor. The change in duties takes effect on Monday.

Kevin joined the Mercury News in 2000 right out of college at Northern Illinois University. He was promoted to news design director a year later, and for the past four years he has lead the news desk with a breaking news metabolism rivaled by few others.

During Kevin's tenure, the Mercury News was judged one of the best-designed newspapers in the world and has been regularly lauded as an innovator in visual journalism. Kevin and his team have distinguished this newspaper on some of the biggest stories in recent memory: the Sept. 11 attacks, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the recall election and the death of Pope John Paul II, to name just a few.

Kevin has always been at the center of the Mercury News' ambitious news coverage, and we have always turned to him for a steady hand as we face stories both large and small.

We now we turn to Kevin to help fill a need in business as an assigning editor, a new role he is excited to take on. We anticipate that Kevin will bring his considerable managerial skills to bear in his new editing post and will learn a lot in the process. Kevin will report to Todd Woody.

Please join us in congratulating Kevin on his new duties.

- Matt, Rebecca and Todd