The Giants have offered Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi the title of president of baseball operations within their organization, tweets MLB.com’s Jon Morosi. Fancred’s Jon Heyman tweets that the ball is in Zaidi’s court and that the Dodgers “appear prepared to sign off” on the move. Joel Sherman of the New York Post had previously reported that Zaidi was the Giants’ top candidate. Per Morosi, a decision can be expected within the next 24 hours.
Formerly an assistant general manager to Billy Beane with the Athletics, the now-41-year-old Zaidi has held his role as GM of the Dodgers since November 2014. He’d bring about a new era in San Francisco — one more commensurate with today’s data-driven baseball ops departments than the Giants had under Bobby Evans and Brian Sabean. That pairing served San Francisco quite well, delivering three World Series titles in a five-year span, but CEO Larry Baer has recently voiced a desire for a “next-gen” leader to the baseball operations team, and it seems that Zaidi is the preferred choice.
Since the time Evans was dismissed, it’s been suggested that the Giants may ultimately make two new hires atop the baseball ops hierarchy. The fact that Zaidi has been offered a president of baseball ops title speaks to the further likelihood of that scenario, though that may well also be the cost of doing business to get him in the door. Teams typically will only let their top execs leave in order to pursue a promotion, so the Giants probably couldn’t have landed Zaidi had they only been offering a lateral move to the position of GM. Nonetheless, it stands to reason that Zaidi, if hired, could add a GM to serve underneath him in the coming weeks.
Zaidi’s background with the A’s included statistically-focused player evaluation in the draft, free agency and on the trade market, arbitration cases, contract negotiations and advance scouting. He’s an MIT grad with a Ph.D in economics from UC Berkeley.
This is like a reverse Colletti trade. (Humor, you trolls)
So much for rivalry and more analytics please…
Get him in there so he can trade MadBum to ATL
ATL would instantly become a WS contender with MadBum. They should be willing to give a haul, IMO.
I know owners want to keep good relations, and not sour an employee, but where’s the incentive to just let a GM go to another organization mid-contract?
I think its a mutual parting. His heavy handed management wasn’t sitting well with fans.
That’s why fans are idiots. If my teams executives used witchcraft to make it to back to back World Series to win/lose I wouldn’t complain.
It’s certainly not a mutual parting. If Farhan doesn’t accept he’ll still be with the Dodgers. He’s being offered a promotion and full autonomy.
Teams rarely ever block an executive from pursuing a higher position with another club. It basically creates a bad blood if it’s blocked so it’s just hoped that X executive will return.
Most will allow it if it’s a bump up, example GM to President of Baseball Ops .
Yeah — if the exec in question is receiving a promotion, it’s common that he’ll be allowed to depart.
It’s the professional (and right) thing to do. Part of being a desirable organization is fostering employee growth.
The Giants position is higher in stature than his current position. It is industry standard to let an employee leave for a position higher up the food chain. It is also good for employee relations.
If the Giants simply wanted him for GM, I highly doubt the Dodgers would allow it.
He built two world series winning clubs….but Dave Roberts was the manager.
Let that narrative go. The Sox were easily the best team in baseball this past season. Did Roberts only start managing once the World Series began?
I happy for Zaidi. He deserves this opportunity.
*I am
Plug him in and let’s get to work.
Good for him – it will be a shame to lose Zaidi’s skillset at the Dodgers, but from a personal development perspective, this is a huge step up for him. Can never begrudge someone for wanting to further their career.
I have a feeling he will turn this down and stay in LA.
Would not surprise me. LAD will give him a raise, he loves working for Friedman. Gonna be fascinating to watch this play out.
I would be surprised if he turned it down. It’s a promotion, and he gets to be in charge.
Not only that, but he’ll likely get the pick of the litter for GM (and by all rights, will probably be one of his buddies from his days in Oakland).
I don’t know why he’d turn down the opportunity to build something himself. These jobs don’t open up all that often.
Why would he turn it down. The Giants are a wonderful organization with a fantastic ballpark in a big market with a rabid fan base and history. Its a plum job. Grab it.
Just hope he doesn’t pull a Stanton and nix the deal.
Well Bochy will be gone in a year because he won’t let this guy make his lineups for him
bochy will be gone in a year because his contract will be up and he will probably retire.
Wow… he’ll be the first openly Muslim president of a Major League Baseball team!
President of Baseball Ops*
If he accepts, best of luck and I still hate the Giants.
I don’t think the Giants care weather or not you like them or not.
And that means what? People are allowed to have opinions you know.
That means exactly what I said, the Giants don’t care if you like them or not. They appeal to THEIR fan base, why care if another teams fan base likes them or not is what that means. That’s not hard to understand. Is it? Do you care if someone doesn’t like your team? Lol crazy.
Yeah very interesting! Sounds like he was the intended target the whole time, will the appoint a GM under him or he be the one and only?
I believe they will hire someone for him to assist or be below him
Posey for Turner?