First Jobs For MLB General Managers

As any Cubs, Red Sox, Angels, Padres or Orioles fan will tell you, the last few months have featured more than their share of general manager turnover. This summer’s trade deadline doesn’t seem so long ago, yet six teams have replaced their GMs since then. MLB's ‘new’ GMs include two first-time general managers and two others who have been at it for decades.

Thanks to Baseball America's executive database, I’ve compiled a list designed to show when and where each team’s top executive got his first GM job (not including interim positions). I'm using the term 'GM' loosely; many of the executives below have different titles on their business cards. Apologies to Michael Hill and Jed Hoyer, the two GMs who report to their clubs’ respective presidents of baseball operations. They aren’t on this list below, but interim Twins GM Terry Ryan appears because of his previous experience running Minnesota's baseball operations department.

Here's the list of baseball's longest-tenured general managers, plus the teams with which they got their first GM jobs:

1. Sandy Alderson, Athletics, 1983
2. Dave Dombrowski, Expos, 1988
3. Dan Duquette, Expos, 1991
4. Doug Melvin, Rangers, 1994
5. Terry Ryan, Twins, 1994
6. Walt Jocketty, Cardinals, 1994
7. Kevin Towers, Padres, 1995
8. Brian Sabean, Giants, 1996
9. Billy Beane, Athletics, 1997
10. Brian Cashman, Yankees, 1998
11. Ed Wade, Phillies, 1998
12. Frank Wren, Orioles, 1998
13. Dan O'Dowd, Rockies, 1999
14. Kenny Williams, White Sox, 2000
15. Larry Beinfest, Marlins, 2002
16. Theo Epstein, Red Sox, 2002
17. Jon Daniels, Rangers, 2005
18. Andrew Friedman, Rays, 2005
19. Ned Colletti, Dodgers, 2005
20. Josh Byrnes, Diamondbacks, 2005
21. Dayton Moore, Royals, 2006
22. Neal Huntington, Pirates, 2007
23. John Mozeliak, Cardinals, 2007
24. Jack Zduriencik, Mariners, 2008
25. Ruben Amaro, Jr., Phillies, 2008
26. Mike Rizzo, Nationals, 2009
27. Alex Anthopoulos, Blue Jays, 2009
28. Chris Antonetti, Indians, 2010
29. Ben Cherington, Red Sox, 2011
30. Jerry Dipoto, Angels, 2011

Brian Sabean has spent the most time running his current team. He, Billy Beane, Brian Cashman, Dan O’Dowd and Kenny Williams are the five GMs to have held their current positions for at least a decade.