By now, I'm sure you've looked over our list of players that will be free agents after the 2011 season numerous times, but what about general managers? With some help from Cot's Baseball Contracts, here's the list of GMs without contracts for 2012…
- Andy MacPhail, Orioles – Technically, MacPhail isn't the GM, he's the president of baseball operations. He's still the guy calling the shots though. Last October we heard that he doesn't have any plans to approach owner Peter Angelos about a new deal before his current one expires.
- Neal Huntington, Pirates – Team president Frank Coonelly said he expects Huntington to be in Pittsburgh "for a long time" earlier this year.
- Walt Jocketty, Reds – Cincinnati is clearly a team on the rise, so it seems likely that ownership would want to bring Jocketty back after the season.
- Dave Dombrowski, Tigers – A few months ago we heard that the fates of Dombrowski and manager Jim Leyland could be a package deal based on the team's performance in 2011.
- Brian Cashman, Yankees – The third longest-tenured GM in the game would seem to be on rocky ground after being over-ruled by ownership on the Rafael Soriano signing, but we heard afterwards that he still has the "full backing" of the Steinbrenners.
When someone gets “full support” i notice them getting canned very soon after. Of course, this may only apply to football, with wade phillips and josh mcdaniels (and almost Tony Sparano)
Then again if the owners were strangely quiet (almost impossible for the Yankee ownership) everyone would speculate that Cashman was gone. It is just too early to tell right now. Lets discuss in July especially if the Yankees are 10 games back.
Sabean’s option has already been picked up for 2012
Regarding Andy MacPhail, the owner came out this offseason and publicly said that he expects Andy “is not going anywhere,” pretty much assuring that he gets resigned.
Agreed. Unless this season blows up, or Andy is offered the commissioner’s job, he’ll be back in Baltimore.
The new Steinbrenner is an impulsive hot head like his father was in his non-dead younger years. He will not give Cashman the long leash and support the old dead man did. If the scumstripes don’t deliver this season, I wouldn’t be surprised to see hanky go after a guy like Jocketty.
Look how bitter this guy is.
“non-dead?”
You like “pre-dead” better? The dead Steinbrenner’s lifeless body was propped up for several years before they gave in and buried him. Remember the All-Star game? Remember Weekend at Bernie’s?
I think “post-life phase” would’ve been more effective.
Nope. It doesn’t resonate with me.
On the other hand, I’m beginning to like the “Look how bitter this guy is.” comment more and more.
Not bitter, just hate that south bronx cadre of under-achieving millionaires working for billionaires. At least some of the players earn part of their $$ rather than inheriting it as did the dead Steinbrenner and then his offspring.
GO DODGERS!!!!!
Add: And I guess none of the current players are convicted felons as was the dead Steinbrenner.
assuming your theory is true wouldn’t that put the sons in charge meaning the style won’t change from the “non-dead” era to the next generation?
The dead Steinbrenner style did change – it was not until he let go of his micromanaging and let the pros take over that they ever won anything. hanky is going the same route and will have to learn the hard way.
So you’re saying that George was a hot head before he dies but now that he is dead he’s a lot more mellow? Guess I would have to agree. Wtf?
Also, Hank doesn’t call the shots. Hal, and to a lesser extent, Levine have more power.
Also, most of the changes regarding managers and GM’s that George was notorious for firing, came during an era where the team didn’t even make the playoffs (1981 thru 1993).
Cashman has fielded a team that has made the playoffs every year except 2008 and has won 4 WS regardless of who the architect was for the first 3. GMs good enough to field 95 +win teams in the AL East are doing pretty damn goodjobs. He can’t pitch and hit too.
Cashman is the perfect GM for NY. Smart, diplomatic, good baseball IQ. I can’t really think of another GM in the game that would thrive like he has with the Yankees. Maybe Beane, Theo, Friedman. Maybe not. Don’t get me wrong, Cashman isn’t perfect, but he’s very weIl suited or the situation he’s in. If the Steinbrothers let him go over some silly power trip they’ll be harming their own team.
Oh, that’s what Cashman is doing as Yankee GM. He’s thriving. Oh
A lot of GMs would be well suited for a job with a bottomless wallet.
i know, right?
-o. minaya
I know your comment was mainly intended for comical purposes, but an extra 70 million a year might of helped to cover up some of Omar’s mistakes.
Or it would’ve lead to bigger and even better mistakes.
easy game
-j.p. ricciardi
no complaints here
– theo epstein
Even Kevin Towers said that during the brief year he spent as special assistant that he saw the realities of being the Yankee GM and it was far, far more complicated than the regular x’s and o’s that come with the job. Prime example…..Arod and Soriano’s deal.
You’re not a GM when you are with the yankees, you are basically a glorified wallet holder bringing out the money when the big stars are free agents.
Jobs less volatile / stressful than being NYY GM:
Bomb Squad
Qaddafi’s Bodyguard
Fireworks Manufacturer
Fringe Member of Soprano Family
Red Shirted Crewman on USS Enterprise
I love the last reference to Star Trek. lmao
Yeah, LMAO about that extra crewman who beamed down on the original Star Trek! Dead for sure by the first commercial!
That being said, Cashman has had a long run. This year will come down to how the pitching staff holds up, and if it doesn’t, what he can do about it.
You gotta be a woman to be Qaddafi’s bodyguard.
Neil Huntington will be in Pittsburgh for many years to come.
LET US compare Neil Huntington to the GM he replaced, Dave Littlefield;
Dave Littlefield’s last 6 first round draft picks:
2002- Bryan Bullington (one word: BUST!!)
2003- Paul Maholm (average finesse SP)
2004- Neil Walker (good today, but was considered a bust 2 yrs ago, credit neil to have patience with him)
2005- Andrew Mcutchen (Great 5 tool talent)
2006- Brad Lincoln, SP (supposed to be a frontline SP, Brad was drafted ahead of names that include like Kershaw, Lincecum, Morrow, and SCHERZER)
2007- Daniel Moskos, RP (Seriously? you could have had Matt Wieters, and you get an average SP)
Neil Huntington:
2008- Pedro Alvarez (Good power and could become a 1B in near future)
2009- Tony Sanchez (Controversial, but he has shown great defense and could get called up this year)
2010- Jameson Taillon (solid strong arm with promising offspeed pitches)
2011- Gerrit Cole/Matt Purke (prospectively) (Great future frontline SP)
Must I keep going??
A draft alone a GM does not make – Yoda.
4 drafts, not one!
Plus ALL of Neil’s signings beat Jeremy Burnitz’s 3yr/$33 million contract.
(i.e. Signing international F.A. Luis Heredia)
You don’t have to keep going but there is a lot more than just drafting players. And he should be fired if he takes Cole over Rendon.
Oh, like trading All Star- Aramis Ramirez for the Man of STEEl, Bobby Hill??
This is worse than the Nate Mclouth trade.
How can you judge the Nate trade yet? Morton is an enigma and Locke and Gorkys are still developing.
I don’t think it was a bad trade, but from what i’ve heard, alot of people still have a bad taste about it.
I really hope Morton can pitch well enough to stay in the rotation in 2011
mclouth was a glorified AAA player last year. at the time it looked awful but right now i don’t think you can complain
The Ramirez deal was a Littlefield move….but to be fair you were only 5 years off with GMs.
EDIT: At least, I think you’re taking about Neal?
I was still talking about Littlefield by citing some of the bad trades he made.
Ramirez and McClouth weren’t going to stay with Bucs long term anyway. So, atleast they got something for them.
The Pirates got jack squat for Aramis Ramirez. MLB de facto forced the Pirates to trade him to cut payroll.
No he shouldn’t, the arms at the top of the draft are great, and Rendon has had some leg issues. This is an incredibly deep draft at the top, and Cole would be a solid pick.
Should be the other way around if you ask me. Offense from the 3b position isn’t as hard to find or to attract to a small market team like the Pirates. Cole projects to be a hard throwing, bull dog ace. Snatch him up.
The Bucs have enough pitching prospects in the pipieline. They need to start raising offensive prospects, instead of acquiring them through trade.
You should careless about how many offensive prospects you have. Look around. If the Yanks have a hard time acquiring front of rotation starters with all the money they have then that says something. It’s increasingly difficult to acquire top of rotation starters thru free agency or trades. Gerrit Cole has a raised his stock tremendously and features what looks to be 4 quality pitches, two of which are a 98 mph FB and devastating curve. He might turn into a perennial 18-20 game winner. Stock pile the arms and either use them for your own purpose or trade them. Teams will pay a pretty price for a young cost controlled power TOR arm vs an offensive 3B.
You NEED a power staff to win titles and WS. Ifyou have great pitching then you can get away with a non-superstar at 3b. Name me the 3b on the Red Sox, Tigers, White Sox, San Francisco Giants, Phillies or Cardinals WS teams. How many of them were all-star caliber 3B those years? Not many.
To win you have to score more than your opponent. The Bucco position players that are considered prospects are more known for defensive ability. To wit Tony Sanchez and Chase D’Arnaud.
Consider the #1 overall pick as currency. If you had $100 mil to spend would you do it for someone like King Felix or someone like Longoria?
a) Young pitchers struggle and some of them aren’t going to make it.
b) The biggest commodity is a great starter. Fewer and fewer are hitting the open market.
c) It’seasy to win with mediocre offense (see the Giants) than it is to win with mediocre pitching (see the Yanks last year).
But to each his own.
If the Bucs had a mediocre offense they might beat someone beside the Cubs. Althogh if they keep the big four together they might produce enough offensr to sustain the team.
I’d say the Bucs offense is very high risk- high reward. When Walker, Tabata, Mcucthcen, and Alvarez are all hitting, they will score tons of runs!
Good post. Pirate ownership has shallow pockets so Huntington has to put it together on his own.
heinsight (or however you spell it) is 20/20. who says the guys huntington drafted can’t bust just as easily as the guy’s littlefield drafted? in fact, because of uncertainty i would give littlefield the advantage. we can call mccutchen and alvarez a push and maholm wins his battle vs nobody because no one else has proven themselves
That is very true. We still have to wait for Neil’s moves to pan out.
If Rendon is out of picure, how do you move Alvarez to first?
Oh come on! not one Like?? I established a valid argument. Is logic useless in today’s MTV world??
Lame Duck?
The Oriole hate is getting old fast…
Yep Tony Reagins is lame but he doesn’t fill out the lineup card.
Are you serious? Littlefield himself described Bullington in 2002 with, ‘We feel comfortable projecting him as a No. 3 starter’. Meanwhile, both Taillon and Cole (if he is picked) project to be No. 1 starters on any team’s rotation.