Here's a list of the start dates of each of the 30 general managers.
- Brian Sabean, Giants: 9/30/96
- Billy Beane, Athletics: 10/17/97
- Brian Cashman, Yankees: 2/3/98
- Dan O'Dowd, Rockies: 9/20/99
- Kenny Williams, White Sox: 10/25/00
- Mark Shapiro, Indians: 11/1/01
- Dave Dombrowski, Tigers: 4/8/02
- Jim Hendry, Cubs: 7/5/02
- Doug Melvin, Brewers: 9/25/02
- Theo Epstein, Red Sox: 11/25/02
- Omar Minaya, Mets: 9/30/04
- Jon Daniels, Rangers: 10/4/05
- Josh Byrnes, Diamondbacks: 10/28/05
- Andrew Friedman, Rays: 11/3/05
- Ned Colletti, Dodgers: 11/16/05
- Dayton Moore, Royals: 5/31/06
- Andy MacPhail, Orioles: 6/20/07
- Ed Wade, Astros: 9/20/07
- Neal Huntington, Pirates: 9/25/07
- Michael Hill, Marlins: 9/29/07
- Bill Smith, Twins: 10/1/07
- Frank Wren, Braves: 10/11/07
- Tony Reagins, Angels: 10/16/07
- John Mozeliak, Cardinals: 10/31/07 (became interim GM 10/3/07)
- Walt Jocketty, Reds: 4/23/08
- Jack Zduriencik, Mariners: 10/22/08
- Ruben Amaro Jr., Phillies: 11/3/08
- Mike Rizzo, Nationals: 8/20/09 (became interim GM 3/4/09)
- Alex Anthopoulos, Blue Jays: 10/3/09
- Jed Hoyer, Padres: 10/26/09
- Baseball America and Cot's Baseball Contracts were of great help in compiling this list.
The real question is, who is the best GM?
As a Reds fan I’m going to homer route and saying Walt Jocketty.
not Cashman, Minaya, or Dayton Moore that’s all I know.
I personally like Mike Rizzo.
And Frank Wren hasn’t made too many bad moves (in my opinion… probably not the best though, I’d say he’s in the top 15 or so at least)
Not Cashman? Why not? He deserves absolutely huge credit for the turnaround in that organization’s philosophy.
In the early part of the decade, the team just spent and totally disregarded their farm system, leading to a lack of depth in the organization and a ton of unwanted contracts. But when ownership let Cashman really take the reins of the organization, everything changed.
Cashman was the catalyst of New York’s transformation into a developmental powerhouse that didn’t just have superior resources, but figured out how to maximize those resources. I would argue that Cashman is one of the best GM’s in the game.
How many prospects from this so-called “developmental powerhouse” have actually achieved anything while in Yankee pinstripes? Jeter… pre-Cashman. Mariano Rivera… waaay pre-Cashman. The recently returned Nick Johnson… pre-Cashman… and a stretch to be called much more than an above average player. There are quite a few pitching prospects that have yet to truly pan out (Chamberlain, Hughes, etc.), and Soriano was dealt for A-Rod because the Yankees were the only team on earth that could afford him. I’ll give you Cano, but outside of that the Yankees farm system is full of guys with much hype (probably thanks to the nature of being Yankees prospects – much like being a Red Sox prospect) and little success to this point. It would be hard to judge Cashman as “one of the best” while also factoring in the fact that the man can make pretty much any move he wants to.
Teams like Minnesota, Milwaukee, Colorado, Florida and Tampa Bay have had a much higher success to dollars spent ratio. Let’s develop sabermetric style stats off of these sorts of comparisons to come up with a statistical answer to this question.
and what dept are we refering to? your farm still sucks and nothing has changed. i think any GM can build a perennial playoff team with 200million payroll. and i really do mean ANY gm. even the bad ones.
The best GM?
I’d have to say either Friedman or O’Dowd. They’ve built up some legit developmental powerhouses.
The number of truly awful GM’s has declined a ton in recent years, I would have to say.
Well, technically Theo Epstein left for a couple months before the 2006 season…
Since the primary goal of all GMs is to keep their job, I would have to say Brian Sabean is the best.
Wouldn’t that be the main goal for anyone with a job? lol
Yeah, but to keep your job through an ownership change, widely-panned trades, a rigid unwillingness to listen to new ideas, and a finger-pointing fanbase…
He’s the teflon GM. Either that, or he has pictures of the ownership group in a lemon party-esque situation.
Actually, Sabean’s career has been propped up for a long time because he had Barry Bonds.
Without Bonds, Sabean is probably a scouting director somewhere, because frankly, he’s a damn good scout. As a GM? Not so hot.
You’re right. He signed Jeter. As a GM he has been a disaster and has been propped up by Bonds and PEDs. Some of his signings baffle me. I just remember the influx of aged vets in the early 2000s like Darryl Strawberry.
You never know how much of all the decisions are Sabes or were McGowans.
You must not be a Giants fan.
Incorrect. I have been a Giants fan since 1982.
Me too.
Wren has done well.
I’m liking what Neal Huntington has done.
Andrew Friedman is good too.
Beane, Cashman, Epstein, Friedman, Zduriencik, Reagins, Hill and O’Dowd are all top tier based on performance, transactions and circumstances.
A lot of it is just luck but there are definitely some that shouldn’t be GMs. (Minaya comes to mind)
IMO its hard to say if Cashman is that great of a GM. He has a open check basically and its every GM dream to be able to every offseason go out and sign the top free agent at your position of need. I personally would like to see how he would do with a budget.
Another question that needs to be asked is who is next to Axed?? I am thinking Hendry or Minaya? thoughts
All GMs make mistakes, what you look for are those guys who overacheive given their resources, those whose teams consistently contend, and those that make moves at critical times that make a difference and are opportunistic at all times. It’s too early to judge some of the younger less experienced ones like Friedman, Huntington and Rizzo but Cashman, Epstein, Williams and Jocketty have proven over time they know how to put together contenders and make bold difference making moves.
No disrespect to Cashman, but having unlimited money really kind of cheapens any decision he makes.
There should be a statistic along the lines of “actual salary dollars/total roster WAR.” I think it would give a pretty accurate rating from year to year.
Examples:
2009 MN Twins payroll was $67,634,766 and their WAR was 21.6. That means they paid $3,131,239 per WAR.
2009 NY Yankees payroll was $208,097,414 and their WAR was 38.4. That means they paid $5,419,203 per WAR.
And thats why I don’t root for the Yankees.
Friedman and it isn’t close. He has done way a lot with very little financial resources. And signing Longoria to a 6 yr/$17 mill contract is like the best investment of all time. Matt Holliday just signed a 6 year contract for 17 per year.
Lets begin a “Next GM Fired” Prediction
I’m thinking hopefully Omar Minaya, but that is because I’m a Met fan.. any other broader views?
Dayton Moore!!! (fingers crossed)
Friedman fielded the second highest team WAR in 2009 behind the Yankees at a fraction of the cost. Checks in at $1,804,495 per WAR. That is impressive!
kenny williams
If it was up to me Dayton Moore’s termination date would be tomorrow.
*clears throat*