John Heyman : Hearing John Hart as a possibility for GM

[mweb]

All the things being said about Hart were said about AM when he came in. "PA respects him and will give him the freedom to do what he sees fit" yeah...believe it when I see it. A good GM is going to get it across to PA that what he wants to do is never going to build a winning team and is going to be the last 14 years extended indefinitely. Either PA doesn't agree and needs someone to convince him he's wrong, or he doesn't care, in which case we as fans should 100% refuse to attend games and let them put an empty OPACY on sportscenter.

Well maybe PA just won't hire a GM that believes strongly in spending a lot in those markets?

I don't know. What I do know, or at least I think I know, is that the O's have had a lot of GM's during PA's tenure, and the O's have not been big spenders in the draft/international markets. So I am not going to hammer the GM for it.

[LookitsPuck]

MacPhail's problems over his tenure with the Orioles:

1. Signing "big name" free agent relievers. I don't fault Mike Gonzalez, but I do fault how Trembley/Kranitz handled him. My big issue is with Kevin Gregg. His peripherals just screamed awful.

2. Signing poor stop gaps rather than investing that money elsewhere. See: Atkins. Lee I don't fault too much, and I really think Angelos forced MacPhail to sign Vlad.

3. Lack of international signings

4. Not being proactive enough. But this may be largely a result of Angelos.

I think MacPhail's trades have been great. I think the player development is largely a result of Angelos meddling and not willing to let MacPhail shape the lower rungs of the organization, which is exactly why I think MacPhail is leaving. I do think Angelos interfered during a number of trades and hires, and I think MacPhail is fed up with it.

[statman]

What's with our fascination with TV personalities? What's next...Kruk for bench coach? Nomar for hitting coach?

[Sports Guy]

Well maybe PA just won't hire a GM that believes strongly in spending a lot in those markets?

I don't know. What I do know, or at least I think I know, is that the O's have had a lot of GM's during PA's tenure, and the O's have not been big spenders in the draft/international markets. So I am not going to hammer the GM for it.

Right...This is a PA issue..although AM is fine with going along with it.

Been saying it for years and it is has essentially been proven...the Orioles just don't care about international talent.

[LookitsPuck]

Right...This is a PA issue..although AM is fine with going along with it.

Been saying it for years and it is has essentially been proven...the Orioles just don't care about international talent.

This really is an honest question and not a quip:

Do you think Angelos doesn't care about the international market? We are talking about the same guy who has a problem with signing Cuban defectors. And do you think MacPhail has/had no choice but to go along with it? Or you do think they're very much the same and think the same in this regard?

[hoosiers]

Not a big fan of John Hart. He seems to hire good talent around him, generally, and his quote about being a top investor and developer of international talent is always good to hear.

It's all about the execution, however, and, IMO, it is very difficult to look at what Hart did in Texas and not be afraid. Not only was Texas mediocre while Hart was there, they became better a couple years after he left - which can speak either to Hart accomplishing more in Texas than he is given credit for OR that someone else came in and cleaned up the mess and made it better.

[Sports Guy]

This really is an honest question and not a quip:

Do you think Angelos doesn't care about the international market? We are talking about the same guy who has a problem with signing Cuban defectors. And do you think MacPhail has/had no choice but to go along with it? Or you do think they're very much the same and think the same in this regard?

I think neither care that much but AM cares a little bit more and has convinced PA to spend a little more than previous regimes were able to convince him to.

Nothing about either person's history suggests that is wrong.

[LookitsPuck]

I think neither care that much but AM cares a little bit more and has convinced PA to spend a little more than previous regimes were able to convince him to.

Nothing about either person's history suggests that is wrong.

Pretty much my thought process as well.

[allstar1579]

Not a big fan of John Hart. He seems to hire good talent around him, generally, and his quote about being a top investor and developer of international talent is always good to hear.

It's all about the execution, however, and, IMO, it is very difficult to look at what Hart did in Texas and not be afraid. Not only was Texas mediocre while Hart was there, they became better a couple years after he left - which can speak either to Hart accomplishing more in Texas than he is given credit for OR that someone else came in and cleaned up the mess and made it better.

He never left though, he's still there in upper management. That's what I was talking about with him before. I think there are certain areas he likes more than others, and the stuff the GM has to do on a daily basis he's not such a fan of. If he were brought in as a President and then he brought his guys in to be GM I'm good with the idea of him there, but by himself as GM, no thanks.

[Sports Guy]

He never left though, he's still there in upper management. That's what I was talking about with him before. I think there are certain areas he likes more than others, and the stuff the GM has to do on a daily basis he's not such a fan of. If he were brought in as a President and then he brought his guys in to be GM I'm good with the idea of him there, but by himself as GM, no thanks.

I just hope that if this happens, Hart/Buck/PA allow the GM to make the decisions.

[El Gordo]

MacPhail's problems over his tenure with the Orioles:

1. Signing "big name" free agent relievers. I don't fault Mike Gonzalez, but I do fault how Trembley/Kranitz handled him. My big issue is with Kevin Gregg. His peripherals just screamed awful.

2. Signing poor stop gaps rather than investing that money elsewhere. See: Atkins. Lee I don't fault too much, and I really think Angelos forced MacPhail to sign Vlad.

3. Lack of international signings

4. Not being proactive enough. But this may be largely a result of Angelos.

I think MacPhail's trades have been great. I think the player development is largely a result of Angelos meddling and not willing to let MacPhail shape the lower rungs of the organization, which is exactly why I think MacPhail is leaving. I do think Angelos interfered during a number of trades and hires, and I think MacPhail is fed up with it.

I really think Gregg was Buck's choice. He certainly has used him that way. AM should have stood his ground with Vlad and said 5M, take it or leave it. Either way we needed another vet SP. But I think once Buck was signed, the direction shifted to win now. Buck was telling PA what he wanted to hear.

[allstar1579]

For those people who keep hearing Levine around here but don't know why I'm so locked in on him instead of a guy like Hart as GM. A little background:

-Levine grew up with Paul DePodesta.

-Went to college and was friends with Josh Byrnes, they were both avid Orioles fans and sat around doing exactly what we do on this site.

-Got his break from Byrnes and Dan O'Dowd in COL.

-Daniels worked with him for a year, but had similar views to Levine and decided to bring him with him when he got the TEX gig.

-Originally came in as a strict Saber-guy, but learned that human variable is something you can not predict or measure with stats, so he leans more scouting/player development now.

-Signed by Nolan Ryan to an extension after Daniels was extended this year, he viewed Levine as a large part of his success. His contract states that he can still take an advancing job somewhere else without penalty though.

[NewMarketSean]

Angelos is the real GM.

[Jammer7]

Angelos is the real GM.

Then GM must stand for Gross Mismanager.

I have to admit, I've just about had it. If PA screws this one up, I think I'm done.

I've been an O's fan for 33 years, since I was 9. But the way PA has completely destroyed a once proud franchise makes me want to whip his butt like he slapped my mom. I blame him for everything that has happened to the Orioles in the last 15 years. He is clearly in charge, therefore it is his fault.

[weams]

And here's your winner.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/09/gm-candidate-matt-klentak.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter