Orioles hire Mike Elias as Executive Vice President and GM

[weams]

2 minutes ago, Bradysburns said:

This has John Angelos written all over it... I think this represents the new ownership decision-making team. If so, we could FINALLY be entering the modern era... and with a pretty decent little farm system already in place. I'm thinking Elias and company will be able to maximize our current crop... add to it (especially internationally) going forward... 

How is this exciting for me as an O's fan? Let me count the ways. 

On the question of autonomy... I would bet that Elias will have complete freedom to build as he pleases. Why? Because this move makes me think PA is totally out of the picture. (I don't think Elias is a typical PA-type hire... he's not old and quirky enough.) And from what I've heard/seen of Jala (John Angelos, Louis Angelos)... or Angelbros... I think they're smart enough to let the baseball people handle those decisions. They themselves represent the next generation... on the ownership side. 

Let the new, glorious age begin! 

Sig as number two is a bold move as well. 

[weams]

Sig

Quote

Mejdal, Fast and Hallahan were among the few who worked to create Ground Control — the Astros’ homemade database which catered to the club’s every need. Hallahan, a computer programmer who once worked at STATS, Inc. held the title of senior technical architect.

Mejdal was in charge of the analytics team while also contributing to both draft and major league personnel decisions. He followed Luhnow from St. Louis to Houston in 2012, first as the director of decision sciences before three years later garnering a promotion to Special Assistant to the General Manager.

Once a blackjack dealer who earned two engineering degrees from UC Davis before finishing advanced degrees in Operations Research and Cognitive Psychology at San Diego State, Mejdal had never worked in professional baseball before joining the Cardinals in 2005.

 

[Moose Milligan]

30 minutes ago, TonySoprano said:

FWIW, Roch and Britt confirm the same rumor

 

Don't matter until Brother Ken confirms it, amirite?

Pushing Brady to the margins is so, so key here.  I am hoping Elias takes care of that first.

 

[Bradysburns]

1 minute ago, weams said:

Sig as number two is a bold move as well. 

I was just reading up on him... former NASA engineer and leading baseball analytics mind. Yes please. 

These possibilities are really making me think it WAS Peter Angelos who was keeping the Orioles in yesterdayland all this time... I respect PA's career and I think he did try for many years to make this work. But I'm glad he's out of the decision-making picture, and hope he enjoys his remaining years fishing. 

[weams]

Quote

Sig Mejdal, the former NASA engineer who spearheaded the original analytics team commissioned by Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow upon his hire in 2012

[Absltgreek]

https://twitter.com/Chandler_Rome/status/1062717764673200128

 

Astros beat writer from Houston Chronicle confirming.

[joelala]

1 minute ago, Moose Milligan said:

Don't matter until Brother Ken confirms it, amirite?

Pushing Brady to the margins is so, so key here.  I am hoping Elias takes care of that first.

 

I'm wondering if Brady is related to "the last minute change of heart" caveat

[weams]

 

[Bradysburns]

1 minute ago, Moose Milligan said:

Don't matter until Brother Ken confirms it, amirite?

Pushing Brady to the margins is so, so key here.  I am hoping Elias takes care of that first.

 

Good point on Brady... I think Mike will give him a nice title to make him happy, like "Director of International Sideburns"... Seriously though... I think the Brady question is perhaps far less important than we fear. Could you imagine somehow botching this fantastic hire by inserting Brady into the mix: "Hey Mike, uhhh, we love ya. You know that. But you will have to do Crossfit with Brady on Tuesdays, and he wants you to start dressing better."

[Tx Oriole]

31 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

Elias will be the top executive in the Frontoffice. Just a matter of semantics with word titles.

 

Thank you.

[joelala]

Just now, joelala said:

I'm wondering if Brady is related to "the last minute change of heart" caveat

i.e.: he's trying to find out whether or not he can fire Brady

[Moose Milligan]

Just now, joelala said:

I'm wondering if Brady is related to "the last minute change of heart" caveat

"Elias was reported as to have looked at Brady's sideburns and laughing.  He later remarked that a 50+ year old man shouldn't have hair like that and can't be trusted as he boarded his plane back to Houston."

[weams]

 

[joelala]

1 minute ago, Moose Milligan said:

"Elias was reported as to have looked at Brady's sideburns and laughing.  He later remarked that a 50+ year old man shouldn't have hair like that and can't be trusted as he boarded his plane back to Houston."

hahahahahahahaha

[Bradysburns]

2 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

"Elias was reported as to have looked at Brady's sideburns and laughing.  He later remarked that a 50+ year old man shouldn't have hair like that and can't be trusted as he boarded his plane back to Houston."

Hey - the abs might be 50+. But those sideburns are ALWAYS fresh. He regrows them about once per week. Just wanted to make that absolutely clear for the record.