The Orioles have brought in former Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti for an interview, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter links). It’s not known if Colletti is a serious candidate to join the organization, and if so in what capacity. The report also indicates that other, as-yet-unreported names could also be under consideration.
Now a broadcast analyst, the 64-year-old Colletti served as the GM in Los Angeles for a decade before Andrew Friedman was hired just after the 2014 season. Colletti continued on as a senior advisor to president/CEO Stan Kasten, but certainly no longer carried the status as the top baseball decisionmaker in the Dodgers organization.
We haven’t heard Colletti mentioned often as an executive candidate elsewhere, but he did pop up in some rumors for the Diamondbacks job when it was open in 2016. There was never any indication that Colletti was a serious candidate for that gig, which ultimately went to Mike Hazen. But it did provide an opportunity for MLBTR’s Steve Adams to run through Colletti’s transactional track record.
This news takes place against a backdrop of ample uncertainty in Baltimore. Some change is evidently afoot at the ownership level, with Peter Angelos’s sons said to be increasingly grasping the reins. Both executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter are operating on expiring contracts, with VP of baseball ops Brady Anderson widely viewed as an increasingly important voice.
The future is just as murky from a roster perspective. Despite making a few veteran additions and deciding against any significant sell-side trades over the winter, the team has stumbled to a horrific start and is completely buried from a competitive perspective this year. Meanwhile, key players including Manny Machado, Adam Jones, and Zach Britton are now months away from free agency.
With a mid-season sell-off of some kind all but certain, and the future baseball ops leadership in question, it could be that the O’s are considering a move to bring in a veteran hand before making tough calls. Whether such an executive would supplement or displace Duquette is unclear, though it’s tough to imagine that he’d be particularly amenable to a power-sharing arrangement.
As far as other potential candidates go, it’d be foolish to guess at the possibilities, but one imagines that the Baltimore organization is considering other people who come with experience at the highest levels of baseball ops departments. Rosenthal does note that the Orioles haven’t yet sought to speak with anyone who’s currently employed by a rival team.
If hired, Colletti will have the hightest payroll in baseball in no time!
Not if he’s hired by the Orioles.
Isn’t the same owner that gave Albert Bell that contract
As well as Chris Davis, Mark Trumbo, and Ubaldo
The O’s carried one of the higher payrolls in the league in the late nineties with same owner. Same owner that gave Chris Davis 171 million. The Orioles operate with a pretty healthy salary so it’s really a false narrative that the Orioles ownership is cheap.
It’s a moot point because in the late 90’s a $100M payroll was unheard of. Since 2001 the O’s have basically had a middle of the pack payroll. Yes they gave Davis $171M……which is why they can’t resign Machado. It’s also the reason why the O’s also never go after top tier FA’s.
They actually at one point had the highest payroll but at that time they weren’t competing with the Ravens and Nationals for fans.
It wasn’t really Duquette’s fault with the Davis contract. The Orioles we’re making some strong offer so Baltimore had to match
exactly
I never thought about not forgetting about that
The Chris Davis signing has Peter Angelos’ name all over it.
Chris Davis is a complete disaster
It’s pretty well known that Angelos was behind the Chris Davis signing. I don’t think it would have happened if Duquette had his choice.
The Baltimore Orioles have lost their way
Showalter has lost the team. I have no idea as why in the world he is still there
Hitting Coach Scott Coolbaugh is worthless!
3rd base coach Bobby Dickerson is clueless, he almost broke the ankles of Chance Sisco the other night. He was waving him to go home then had him throw on the brakes.
He does this all the time!!!
Heck what makes the situation even more bizarre Roger McDowell is doing a good job as Pitching Coach, but believe me he is no bargain
The Angelos trio wants to talk about their social causes which is nice, but baseball should be top priority not social causes
As for Duquette I am at a loss, I mean he wanted to interview for the Blue Jays but Angelos would not let him. However DD is still employed and the O’s are interviewing Ned Colletti?? Marvelous Heck when was the last time NC talked business with any current GM in the league? It’s been awhile and now the O’s are considering him? Makes no sense.
When you have a terrible roster, you can’t blame the coaches.
Can’t really blame Duquette either, tho he’s going to be the one who takes it all. this is Angelos and his buddy buddy relationship with Davis, penchant for picking the worst players to resign and force The Duke to get which ruined this team.
I see no hope until the entire family is gone and franchise sold myself.
I wanted Showalter gone last year, I wanted him gone after the 6th game this year. He is awful! Let him go somewhere else.
I cannot stand him and I blame him for a lot of the problems on the field.
Get him some pitching
Blame Buck for taking a team with lack luster SP and a bunch of bargain 1-2 year contracts every year to having the most wins in the AL over a 5 year stretch 2012-17.?
Buck can’t hit. The offense is terrible, way underperforming from just about everyone apart from Manny. Buck can’t drive in runs, Buck can’t hit HRs, Buck can’t play defense. The players are having terrible years and it’s definitely not Bucks fault.
Showalter is awful!
Fire him now!
Voice of reason. I don’t think Buck is the best manager ever but I would take him over a first time manager or a retread manager. Fans seem to forget how hard it is to find a good manager, ask the Nats. Also, guys like Aaron Boone can win with a good roster but you give this Os team to Boone or comparable and they’d have less wins if that’s even possible.
but you give this Os team to Boone or comparable and they’d have less wins if that’s even possible.
I don’t buy that at all.
You sound like the Cardinal Fans!!! They can’t stand their president of baseball operations, John Mozeliak and manager Mike Mathaney. Maybe they ought to swap out !! Ha!
It could make sense in this way: the O’s are definitely letting Duquette walk at the end of the year. They don’t trust him to get the best possible return for trades. So you bring in an experience GM or team President now to oversee the mid season trades and off season transition. I’m not arguing it should be Colletti. I’m just trying to put logic on it.
I’m interested to see what the younger Angelos brothers do with the team. I’m guessing they will run the team very differently than their dad has.
As for the coaching staff, Buck has done great things with what he was given. I’d take him as the coach long term, but I doubt he’s going to want to stick for the rebuild.
I hope so!
The O’s have one of the worst pitching staff’s in the majors…..McDowell is doing a great job?
Just like the consistently dysfunctional Orioles to interview a onetime GM in the middle of June with no obvious vacancy and/or family ownership succession plan in place.
In retrospect Angelos should have let Duquette go to TOR. The baseball landscape would be quite different had that gone the other way. I doubt the Jays would have hired Mark Shapiro if they’d landed Duquette. That incident created a rift between Angelos and Duquette that has obviously led to the org interviewing GM candidates while the current one is still there. Unless Duquette has advised ownership that he won’t be seeking a contract renewal at season’s end, interviewing candidates now is really bad form ESPECIALLY when a candidate realizes they’ll inevitably be in Duquette’s position some day.
For a team as bad as the Orioles, it’s always the fault of (1) ownership and (2) the general manager. Period.
Can he pitch?
This Coletti news actually gives me hope.
Cal Ripken would be a choice to consider during possible rebuild.
Cal wants nothing to do with this dumpster fire.
They traded their international bonus slots in order to interview Coletti.
I hope he passes the physical
Hey just curious, can you name someone that failed the physical that went on with no issues?
Orioles ownership will hurt them until they sell. The refusal to sign any international players makes me glad i’m not a baltimore fan and their lack of attendance is a legit concern. That franchise is in a bad bad position and the light at the end of the tunnel is barely visible
You said the Orioles, correct?
– Mets fan
I hope he passes the physical
What is happening in Baltimore is bizarre. There appears to be s lack of concern. Buck seems to lost his desire as he keeps saying the players are trying. The press appears too nice. Fans have stopped going and many don’t care. I would imagine TV ratings are sinking. The Ravens are now the topic of interest. I do think that a house cleaning is in order to shake things up. This franchise is in big trouble.
The Media writes about outright nonsense and if you knock Showalter or the clueless Third Base Coach Dickerson, they knock you, which is really quite marvelous.
As for this: What is happening in Baltimore is bizarre
I could not agree more!
They needed to move Manny yesterday. The earlier then the bigger return they get. Then find someway to move Davis. Get whatever possible for him. Package Manny and Davis if it means no no prospect return (I.e What the Marlins did with Stanton dealing away his contract). And start from scratch. Deal Cobb, Schoop, Jones, Britton and start the rebuild
Do people think when they say package Davis with Machado and get no return?Chris Davis has over 100 million dollars on his contract and he’s currently the worst hitter in the league. Manny Machado has half a season left on his. In what world would a team pay 100 million dollars for half a season of MM?
So, how do you propose that the Orioles get out from under the remainder of the Chris Davis contract? You would think that Duquette negotiated some sort of buyout clause in the contract but I don’t know.
How can the Orioles IGNORE the International market? That’s insane!
The Orioles without a doubt have the worse beat writers ever. Roch Kubatko and Britt Gihorli and Steve Melewski are all Angelos yes people. Kubatko thinks he’s Rosenthal or better. But yet again, Rosenthal made it nationally because he put Angelos in his place. Kubatko is trash and always will be.
You forgot Peter Schmuck, he is the worst of them all.