The 'GM' Situation

[Greg Pappas]

I think most would prefer that Angelos sold the team, but since that doesn't appear to be a reality at this point, it would be best to focus our attention on the situation revolving around Andy MacPhail, Buck Showalter, and the 'GM' situation.

I think that most would agree that MacPhail's should not stay on as President of Baseball Operations, and a new 'GM' should be hired. I would hope that the new GM were able to come in right away, but I feel confident that MacPhail will stay until his contract has run it's course. This means that it's likely a new boss will be hired after the season.

There has been talk that Buck Showalter has the kind of power that may lead to his wanting MacPhail's post, and possibly hiring a new manager at the same time.

I cannot say that Showalter would be a poor choice as GM, but my gut tells me we should go in a different direction... a younger, more dynamic direction. Yet, I feel the odds of that are a bit long, leaving me feeling about how I usually feel about this team... let down.

Your thoughts on this 'GM' situation?

[RVAbird]

Pros and cons of Buck in a nutshell:

PRO

Commands respect around league - helpful in facilitating trades and negotiations.

Aggressive; would likely not hesitate to go hard after his targets

At least portends to desire a coherent, system-wide development plan, something BAL desperately needs

CONS

"Old-school" mentality may lead to inefficient investment in mid-tier FA market

Unlikely to pursue undervalued assets by unconventional means

Unlikely to rebuild the roster to get younger

It's hard to say exactly how Buck would act as a GM. My gut tells me that he would not pursue the direction I favor in several important ways. But, if Buck can get Angelos' permission to spend some money, trim the fat on the roster and make a legitimate run at impact FAs, revamp the development system and increase investment in int'l scouting and spending, it could be the best hope for the organization.

What I hope Buck does not do is remain manager and hire a lame duck GM. That kind of scenario is rarely ever successful.

[Sports Guy]

They will make the wrong decision, whatever that decision may be.

[OsLuvrInKy]

There is no situation. As long as Pete still owns the team he puts who he wants in place. He loves Andy for better or worse and if Andy wants to return he will be back.

Sucks don't it? The only way this team gets better is after a new owner is in place. Lets be real, do you really think Petey is gonna give a young, dynamic new GM free reign?

If your answer is yes I would like some of whatever it is you are smoking.

Until we have a new owner this team will continue to tread water, if they are even able to do that.

[twoBshorty]

Can anyone come up with a GM who left his job (whether voluntarily or otherwise) in recent years before the season was over? Managers get fired midseason but GMs tend not to, so I think you're right, Greg, in that MacPhail is here probably through October. Of course, they could screw this up as well: GMs are generally fired at the end of the team's season, but I think most contracts run through the playoffs. So if they just let it run out and don't re-up, that's a potential 3 weeks lost. Which doesn't sound like much, but is time when the new GM could be getting into gear and learning the organization better before the free agent crazies start. It could also mean that the promising replacements are off the market because other teams have fired their GMs and snatched them up, but since I doubt we will pursue any of those types anyway it won't matter.

I am against Buck as GM. The skill set of an on-field manager and GM are pretty different and in some cases completely opposite. I'm concerned that he would overprioritize the immediate present at the expense of the future because of a long-trained desire to "win now" that causes him to be overly optimistic about what's he got to work with and what he needs. That interview quote making fun of 3-4 year plans scared me. Of course you should try to win now, but you have to have SOME kind of long term vision and a path to get there. It doesn't mean you have to be plodding and overly cautious like AM is, but flying by the seat of your pants is no good. Buck is also too old-school for me, but I suppose that's what we'll be getting anyway.

[El Gordo]

I think most would prefer that Angelos sold the team, but since that doesn't appear to be a reality at this point, it would be best to focus our attention on the situation revolving around Andy MacPhail, Buck Showalter, and the 'GM' situation.

I think that most would agree that MacPhail's should not stay on as President of Baseball Operations, and a new 'GM' should be hired. I would hope that the new GM were able to come in right away, but I feel confident that MacPhail will stay until his contract has run it's course. This means that it's likely a new boss will be hired after the season.

There has been talk that Buck Showalter has the kind of power that may lead to his wanting MacPhail's post, and possibly hiring a new manager at the same time.

I cannot say that Showalter would be a poor choice as GM, but my gut tells me we should go in a different direction... a younger, more dynamic direction. Yet, I feel the odds of that are a bit long, leaving me feeling about how I usually feel about this team... let down.

Your thoughts on this 'GM' situation?

So you think there's a chance? I would have thought that there wasn't one person here who thought there was even an iota of a possibility of that happening. If AM leaves, and Buck doesn't tale his job, then the new GM will be Buck's guy IMO.

[SammyBirdland]

It's gotta be either Andy or Buck next year. I just can't imagine Buck allowing Peter to pick someone to be his boss, or even picking someone himself to be his boss. It either stays like it is now, or Buck is the boss next season.

[JTrea81]

It will either be Buck or John Hart IMO.

I'd love to see Brian Cashman and I think there's an outside shot if the Yankees were to somehow miss the playoffs, but that seems pretty remote.

Buck will pick John Hart like DJ picked Gillick.

[SammyBirdland]

It will either be Buck or John Hart IMO.

I'd love to see Brian Cashman and I think there's an outside shot if the Yankees were to somehow miss the playoffs, but that seems pretty remote.

Buck will pick John Hart like DJ picked Gillick.

Brian Cashman is nothing without the cash, man.

[JTrea81]

Brian Cashman is nothing without the cash, man.

We simply don't know. He's made some pretty shrewd moves. The trade for Swisher was genius. And he seems to have got the best of that Granderson trade as well. He's also been saying he wants the Yankees to rely more on scouting and development.

It's probably a moot point though because the Orioles will need a GM in place very soon after the season to get going and Cashman will likely still be the GM of the Yankees until their playoff run ends.

I see Buck wanting to get a GM right away and that would rule out Cashman.

[crawjo]

I think Cashman is a pretty good GM. I think he made a mistake last year in not going hard after, say, a Dan Haren to put in as the #2 guy in their rotation, but the acquisitions of Swisher and Granderson were both pretty shrewd. He's also been able to put together a decent starting rotation this year with pitchers that anybody in baseball could have had. Yes, he overpays for FA, especially Burnett, Jeter, and A-Rod, but all in all I think he's done a pretty good job. I do think the Yankees screwed up with Joba Chamberlain, however. Maybe Phil Hughes too.

[SammyBirdland]

We simply don't know. He's made some pretty shrewd moves. The trade for Swisher was genius. And he seems to have got the best of that Granderson trade as well. He's also been saying he wants the Yankees to rely more on scouting and development.

It's probably a moot point though because the Orioles will need a GM in place very soon after the season to get going and Cashman will likely still be the GM of the Yankees until their playoff run ends.

I see Buck wanting to get a GM right away and that would rule out Cashman.

Just did a little research on Cashman and found an interesting tidbit. Cashman became the GM of the Yankees in 1998. It was his first GM job, and the Yankees are the only club he's ever worked for. He started as an intern in 1986.

In 1998, the highest team salary in the league belonged to....the Baltimore Orioles at $71,860,921. The Yankees were second with $65,663,698. The following season in 1999, the Yankees had the highest payroll, and it has stayed that way to present day. So Cashman has only ever worked for the Yankees, mainly under Steinbrenner, and he's only had one season where he didn't have the highest team salary in the league to work with.

I'm sure he and Angelos would get along great.

[Sports Guy]

It will either be Buck or John Hart IMO.

I'd love to see Brian Cashman and I think there's an outside shot if the Yankees were to somehow miss the playoffs, but that seems pretty remote.

Buck will pick John Hart like DJ picked Gillick.

In other words, the wrong decision.

[JTrea81]

In other words, the wrong decision.

John Hart on the Orioles:

“It’s a matter of building a superior development program. I think Tampa Bay holds the secret over there as to what certain markets need to do. The Orioles are not nearly as economically challenged as Tampa. … The key for me is building the steady flow of talent. They need to draft well. They need to be a big player internationally. They have to have top-shelf scouts, a frontline development program … They have got to out-scout and out-coach and out-teach and not be afraid to jump in and take the best player available and compete with other teams when the dollars aren’t that big. … At some point, to sustain success, you have to retain your star players once you get them and … when the right free agent presents itself, if it all works out, you have to do it.”

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/2011/03/john_hart_talks_orioles_showal_1.html

Sounds like a lot of what people want to see...

[Sports Guy]

John Hart on the Orioles:

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/2011/03/john_hart_talks_orioles_showal_1.html

Sounds like a lot of what people want to see...

Every GM says this stuff.