Elias & Mejdal - Time for job title promotions?

[Obando]

I was reading some scuttlebutt in Bob Nightengale’s recent column that the Astros owner, Jim Crane, isn’t fully on board with James Click as his GM and may look to replace him at season’s end, even if the Astros win the WS.  Click’s contract is up after this season, so that would allow Crane to make a move without having to fire Click.  Even though this sounds hard to believe, considering Click has had nothing but success since taking over for Luhnow in 2020, it got me thinking that Crane could attempt to lure either Elias or Mejdal to Houston as either GM or President of Baseball Ops.

Obviously, the O’s would have to grant permission for either of them to be interviewed, and it’s much more likely that it would be Sig to leave for a GM job than Elias, considering Elias has the top baseball ops position in the organization, but I was thinking that the easiest way for John Angelos to prevent this from happening would be to promote Elias to President of Baseball Operations and Sig to GM.  That would still leave Elias as the chief baseball officer in Baltimore, so Sig might still be inclined to leave for a top job, and in an organization/with an owner he knows very well, but I think it would at least lessen the chances of that happening.

I wouldn’t fault Sig if he decided to leave for a GM/POBO job, but I would hate to see it happen, as I think the combo of Elias & Mejdal running the Orioles is special and will be very successful in the long term.  Also, I think Sig is happy here and probably thinks of his job as a partnership with Elias, as opposed to answering to him.  So for that reason, he may not even want to leave, even if offered the GM job in Houston.  But I think John Angelos & Mike Elias need to be prepared in case this scenario were to play out.

That’s why if I’m John Angelos, I promote Elias to POBO and Mejdal to EVP/GM and make it harder for Sig to want to leave.  That’s not to say titles are everything, because I’m sure Sig feels very valued under his current Assistant GM title.  But at the very least, it somewhat lessens the chances of losing Sig, which would be very disappointing now that this team looks to be entering a very competitive window that Sig helped to create.  

[Sports Guy]

When you have success, guys are going to leave but if you are a good organization, you should be able to overcome it.  Next man up.

That said, I think the idea has merit. It’s something to consider if you feel there is a need to.

[OriolesMagic83]

Who is the President of Baseball Operations?  John Angelos?  If you're the owner, you don't need that title. 

[Obando]

52 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

Who is the President of Baseball Operations?  John Angelos?  If you're the owner, you don't need that title. 

No, John is the Chairman & CEO, but Elias has the top position in baseball operations, with a title of Executive VP/GM.  That’s why I think it would be easy to bump him to President of Baseball Ops (it would likely come with a pay bump too) so that you can elevate Sig to EVP/GM (also with a pay raise) and make it harder for another team to hire him unless they name him President of Baseball Ops.  I think Crane is probably the only owner that would do that, though, since he has a history with Sig.

[CharmCityHokie]

8 minutes ago, Obando said:

No, John is the Chairman & CEO, but Elias has the top position in baseball operations, with a title of Executive VP/GM.  That’s why I think it would be easy to bump him to President of Baseball Ops (it would likely come with a pay bump too) so that you can elevate Sig to EVP/GM (also with a pay raise) and make it harder for another team to hire him unless they name him President of Baseball Ops.  I think Crane is probably the only owner that would do that, though, since he has a history with Sig.

San Francisco's Zaidi (Pres. of Baseball Ops) has said they are looking to hire a GM, Sig would seem to jive with their way of thinking. I don't think it's really a change in role as Zaidi is going to continue to oversee baseball decisions, but it would be a promotion in title, and come with a healthier payroll to play with.

[Aristotelian]

I wonder if they would refuse the assignments. Seems like the only thing they would get out of the "promotion" is the same responsibilities and a little more pay while giving up the opportunity to talk to other organizations. Only reason they would accept is if they don't want to leave anyway. That said, if it helps them stay I would be all for it. 

[Frobby]

I’ve always found the “title game” funny. So far as I can recall, Andy MacPhail was the only executive we’ve had who carried the “President of Baseball Operations” title.   I think the only reasons he got that title were (1) he’d had a “President and CEO” title with the Cubs, and (2) Angelos didn’t want to fire Mike Flanagan, who held the EVP title.  As soon as MacPhail left, the O’s went back to using the EVP title for the top baseball executive.   

Don’t ask me why, but I have the impression that Sig is happy being in charge of analytics and working with a GM to incorporate his work into team decisions, rather than having the other responsibilities of a GM.  He gets to do what he loves and is really good at.   But that’s just my impression, I could be off-base.  

As to Elias, I have no idea whether he covets a POBO title.   I’d imagine that there are more important factors, like pay, relationship with ownership, etc.

 

[SpOkane]

Gotta spend that saved $ somehow.

[OriolesMagic83]

12 hours ago, Obando said:

No, John is the Chairman & CEO, but Elias has the top position in baseball operations, with a title of Executive VP/GM.  That’s why I think it would be easy to bump him to President of Baseball Ops (it would likely come with a pay bump too) so that you can elevate Sig to EVP/GM (also with a pay raise) and make it harder for another team to hire him unless they name him President of Baseball Ops.  I think Crane is probably the only owner that would do that, though, since he has a history with Sig.

I think John used to be the President when Peter was still running things.  Then John took over as the managing owner and I guess the President position was left blank.

[spiritof66]

Here's the official listing of Oriole team officers: https://www.mlb.com/orioles/team/front-office

I find it hard, without knowing anything about the contracts that the Orioles have with Elias and Mejdal, to figure out what steps would be necessary or useful to retain either. I also have no idea whether they want to stay together, or whether either would be willing to leave for a promotion or better spot without the other. More money presumably would help, but I don't know what they're making now or at what salaries teams are hiring guys.

I very much doubt that entering into a long-term contract with either right now would make much sense. The team is going to be sold when Peter dies, and he's 93 and not in great health. The new owner will want to be free to decide whether to retain Elias and Mejdal ( assuming they're both still around) and on what terms. Both Mike and Sig have enough stature that they would have other opportunities, so they likely will want to see who the new owners are before signing on with Orioles for more than a few years.

 

[yark14]

I think Theo Epstein will be the first person teams with an open POBO position will call, Elias will probably be #2.

[Can_of_corn]

9 minutes ago, yark14 said:

I think Theo Epstein will be the first person teams with an open POBO position will call, Elias will probably be #2.

Over the guy running the Braves?

[eddie83]

 

Last night the SF Giants hired Pete Putila as their new GM. 

 

[eddie83]

Now question is whether or not they keep Click in Houston. 

[Just Regular]

I guess in the game of musical chairs we could hop on Click if Astros ownership beholds Elias like Mets ownership beholds Stearns.    I believe Stearns had an opt-out if Brewers did well this month, but is otherwise under contract at least another year, and in the aftermath of Mets Elimination, there was an early story Buck and the incumbent GM are good for 2023.    Plus who knows how much bloom is off Stearns' rose after the Hader Gambit blew up on him.

Tinfoil hat I do wonder if these Astros rumors would be smoking like they are if BAL's 2022 year wasn't such a success.

I believe on his hire Elias had what, like 12 hours to prepare for the Rule 5 draft.