So As I'm Sure You've Heard By Now The GM Candidate List Has Been Narrowed Down

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 16, 2008 2:36 PM PDT in Seattle Mariners News, Regular

Out are Peter Woodfork, Tony Bernazard, Bob Engle, and Lee Pelekoudas. Neither of the internals ever had a chance, so that's no big news. Bernazard was the guy I really wanted to avoid, so that's good news. We don't even have a manager for him to undermine. And while I'm a fan of what Woodfork brings to the table, I hate typing his name, because I always spell it Woodrofk, and that gets really annoying, so I'm going to go ahead and call that one good news too. Of course, Woodfork (I did it again) was replaced on the candidate list by some Brewer executive named Jack Zduriencik, so I'm fighting a losing battle.

Anyway, we're down to a four-person pool, and the next GM of the Seattle Mariners is going to be one of Jerry DiPoto, Tony LaCava, Z-man, and Kim Ng. Ng has the vote of my backspace button, but what's most interesting to me is how I'm not opposed to any of the candidates. Sure, they all have their drawbacks, but there doesn't look to be a disaster on the horizon. Ng would probably be the sharpest executive this team has ever had. Z-man has done some excellent work as Milwaukee's scouting director. DiPoto's a tough read but he blends knowledge of statistics with a good eye for talent. And Tony LaCava seems to have a lot of Kevin Towers in him. Solid candidates, all. Organizational saviors? No way to tell. But organizational improvements, certainly. They may not end up putting us on the right path, but considering we've been sprinting the wrong way on a one-way street for half a decade, they'll at least steer us in the right direction.

If the Mariners don't introduce their new GM next week, they'll do so shortly after the World Series. And when they do, they will for the first time in a while have a leader capable of leading. Enter the Era Of Competence. I, for one, look forward to being associated with a baseball team that only used to be retarded. Laughing about stupid is way easier when you're no longer living in constant fear of more of it.

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What are their drawbacks?

by Dewey N on Oct 16, 2008 2:38 PM PDT reply actions

Mostly inexperience, and I'm not sold that any of them are as familiar with statistical analysis as we'd like them to be

Given Bavasi, though, they’re all just so much better. And while Z-man is the least statistically inclined of the four, at least he knows how to evaluate talent. Pretty damn well, as it turns out.

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 16, 2008 2:43 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm less interested in the GM being statistically inclined than feeling like the GM will actually take the advice of statistically inclined people seriously.

J.K.L.

by Aaron Campeau on Oct 16, 2008 2:59 PM PDT up reply actions

This I think is the most important thing. It's why I love the Rays organization so much.

I’m not sure that Friedman is a “sabermetrician,” in the traditional sense, but there are several employed by the team. He also has a very strong scouting presense and an “old school” type in Hunsicker. I think it’s important to be able to take all the information available to you and meld that together to form what your opinion based large amounts of information. Almost a round table format, with no ones opinion valued over anyone else provided you back it up with facts and reason. And obviously it’s the GM’s job to make the final decision.

Tools Whore

Sign Bonds!

by Tyler on Oct 16, 2008 3:22 PM PDT up reply actions

That's something I've always wondered.

Take (just because he’s the easiest example) Beane. Is Beane good at his job because he personally understands the concepts his organization employs? Or is he good at his job because he surrounds himself with people who understand those concepts and knows how to weigh their input, allowing him to draw upon his greater strengths?

J.K.L.

by Aaron Campeau on Oct 16, 2008 3:33 PM PDT up reply actions

It's probably a combination of the two, but you never really know.

Friedman is the one who’s work I see the most, so I’ll use him as the example. He was not a baseball person. Now he played baseball, so obviously he understood the game, but obviously had not background in professional sports yet has succeeded wildly. Why? Because he’s a quick learner? Or because he’s really good at processing available information and making a sound informed decision?

Very interesting question and one we’ll probably never know the answer too. There may not even be an answer, because there is probably so much grey area.

Tools Whore

Sign Bonds!

by Tyler on Oct 16, 2008 3:58 PM PDT up reply actions

That is also important

and I don’t think any of these candidates will take the pat-on-the-head-and-hand-a-blank-check approach that Bavasi took with Mat Olkin. They’re all clearly open-minded, and that’s as fresh a breath of air this organization’s…ever had, really.

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 16, 2008 3:27 PM PDT up reply actions

What are these "number" things I'm hearing so much about these days?

by Shawk on Oct 16, 2008 3:02 PM PDT reply actions

Unimportant

Games aren’t played on computers!

by staplemaniac on Oct 16, 2008 3:03 PM PDT up reply actions

It's what happens when the dentists shoots you with novocaine.

Your mouth gets number and number.

by Steve Nelson on Oct 16, 2008 4:50 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Thank god I don't have to disown this team.

by Phil Hatzenbuehler on Oct 16, 2008 3:04 PM PDT reply actions

As encouraging as this is

I’m still going to have doubts if there is a tear down.

by JI on Oct 16, 2008 3:05 PM PDT reply actions

When you rebuild a team it's never fun.

BOOYA! You got Slurved!

by Slurvey on Oct 16, 2008 3:10 PM PDT up reply actions

Says who?

by JI on Oct 16, 2008 3:11 PM PDT up reply actions

If it is Zbugdiwaoinjok

you’re going to have to come up with something better than Z-Man.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Oct 16, 2008 3:11 PM PDT reply actions

His wife? His office-mates?

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Oct 16, 2008 3:25 PM PDT up reply actions

We could judge by the expressions of others during press conferences

by Dewey N on Oct 16, 2008 3:26 PM PDT up reply actions

Only works if he's not behind a desk/podium several feet from the media

unless it’s a particularly powerful stench, of course.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Oct 16, 2008 3:27 PM PDT up reply actions

If we end up hating him, I'm bringing back the anagram for this one and only time

because of the awesomeness of referring to him as Czar Dick Junkie

by Matthew on Oct 16, 2008 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions

And if you drop the "Czar" part it becomes delightfully untraceable

further contributing to this blog’s closed-off and insular community. I like it!

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 16, 2008 3:21 PM PDT up reply actions

LOCK THE GATES BEFORE YOU BURN THE TREE

NO ONE MUST SEE THE TREE AS IT BURNS

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Oct 16, 2008 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions

I was thinking of just shortening it to CDJ.

That rolls off the tongue quite well.

by Matthew on Oct 16, 2008 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions

How is this as funny as Dick Junkie?

by johnbai on Oct 16, 2008 3:28 PM PDT up reply actions

It's not, but I don't mean it to be.

CDJ would be meant for ease of use and to avoid dead meeming the full name.

by Matthew on Oct 16, 2008 3:52 PM PDT up reply actions

Jack Zduriencik is one hell of a talent evaluator

I’d be thrilled if he got the job.
All things being equal, I think my pick would be La Cava, but Z would be a great call too.

The Brewers philosophy may have been different than the Rays, but both teams have quickly, cheaply and effectively remade themselves through scouting, player development and a keen understanding that defense matters.

I think the Rays have been marginally better at using statistical information – especially on the defensive side of the ledger (and to be fair, I think this mostly because of what I’ve heard from Jeff/Matthew). But the Brewers have arguably done an even better job at talent evaluation. BOTH teams have learned how to turn terrible defensive liabilities into decent, average-to-slightly-below contributors. I want a GM who can identify and teach great players and then put them in the best position to succeed. I think both La Cava and Zduriencik would do that.

by marc w on Oct 16, 2008 3:32 PM PDT reply actions

Zoinks would also, I imagine, be a wonderful interview

I mean, if Armstrong and Lincoln want to get things turned around without a total departure from their comfort zone, he seems pretty ideal.

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 16, 2008 3:46 PM PDT up reply actions

I like Zoinks.

the nickname, I mean, I don’t know the man personally.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Oct 16, 2008 3:50 PM PDT up reply actions

it would have to be ZOINKS!!!, though, wouldn't it?

by msb on Oct 16, 2008 4:12 PM PDT up reply actions

Depends on what moves he makes

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 16, 2008 4:14 PM PDT up reply actions

We don't have to worry about this unless he's hired

by Dewey N on Oct 16, 2008 4:15 PM PDT up reply actions

Dick Junkie plus Engle plus Fontaine (if we can keep both)

could make us one of, if not the, best organizations at scouting talent.

by Matthew on Oct 16, 2008 3:51 PM PDT up reply actions

We could be so good at rebuilding that I'd never want to stop

by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 16, 2008 3:52 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't see any reason you'd have to.

Baseball mogul franchise here we come!

by Matthew on Oct 16, 2008 3:54 PM PDT up reply actions

We could be the 1989 Cleveland Indians year after year!

Hopefully they don’t try to make a splash and sign Jack Parkman the nest season. That guy’s a dick.

J.K.L.

by Aaron Campeau on Oct 16, 2008 3:56 PM PDT up reply actions

Sign Manny and trade him for 5 XX/90 prospects!

by JI on Oct 16, 2008 4:06 PM PDT up reply actions

True that.

Z’s drafts were stupefyingly good. Those were some incredible hauls relative to all teams, not just the M’s. The only area the Brewers lagged behind in around the same time was international scouting, and I’d be mildly concerned that our attention might be directed solely on the draft instead of other avenues, I don’t think there’s really anyone out there who would pass up on having Bob Engle on board.

The minor league aficionado in me wants to see Z on board for that reason alone, but I do like what the other candidates are bringing to the table as well, so I wouldn’t be crushed if they took someone else.

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/milb-mariners/

by JY on Oct 16, 2008 5:47 PM PDT up reply actions