The Orioles have fired farm director Brian Graham, who served as the interim general manager between the dismissal of Dan Duquette and the hiring of Mike Elias, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (on Twitter). The move comes not long after the decision not to retain scouting director Gary Rajsich for the 2019 season, as reported by Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.
The pair of personnel changes marks the latest in a series of moves designed to bring about an organizational overhaul in Baltimore. Graham has been the team’s director of player development since the 2013 season and been with the team since 2007, while Rajsich was hired by Duquette as the team’s director of scouting back in 2011.
With Graham and Rajsich both out the door, two of the three top-ranking executives mentioned in the Orioles’ press release announcing a “transition in baseball operations leadership” are now out of the organization; of that trio, only vice president of baseball operations Brady Anderson remains. The departures of Graham and Rajsich give the Orioles another pair of significant vacancies to fill — all while the team continues its search for a replacement for the also-dismissed Buck Showalter.
Adding a manager is the organization’s top priority at present, Elias said last night in an interview on 105.7 FM The Fan in Baltimore (links via Kubatko and Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun). Elias declined to delve into specifics, as one would expect. However, the newly hired Baltimore GM did acknowledge that he, with assistance from new assistant GM Sig Mejdal and others in the front office, has pared the list of initial candidates down “quite a bit.” Elias added that he feels the Orioles are “well past phase one of this search.”
Once a manager is in place, that hire will work alongside Elias and the front office to fill in what will in all likelihood be a significantly revamped coaching staff for the 2019 season. Paired with the need to hire a new farm director and scouting director (and the subsequent new hires that’ll be made to work underneath that pair), Elias, Mejdal and the remnants of the prior regime face a fairly daunting amount of administrative work in the coming weeks. That, of course, is in addition to the obvious roster machinations that need to be made for a team that lost a franchise-record number of games in 2018.
Chief among those decisions is likely determining who will be selected with the top pick in next month’s Rule 5 Draft. By virtue of finishing the 2018 season with the worst record in baseball, Baltimore has the top pick, and Elias confirmed in last night’s interview that the O’s will indeed be making a selection.
Until Angelos sells, this team goes nowhere.
yada yada. yada yada…
Real original thought there MYRS…
not original, but also not wrong
Quite wrong actually. First off the team has had success, including quite recently, under Peter Angelos. Second Peter is no longer running the team.
It’s still true. The more recent news of Brady not being canned proves that it doesn’t matter which Angelos it is, the same nonsense is going to continue.
I don’t consider overachieving despite a terrible pitching staff and relying on random breakout hitters from year to year a method of sustained success. Lightning in a bottle, sure.
now THIS is a team that’s without a direction, unlike the Phillies.
You sound like you’re in the know!!! Nothing like peddling in clichés.
MYR, you sound like you’re in the know! Nothing like peddling in clichés!
O’s led the AL in wins from 2012-2016 with Angelos as owner so maybe you should learn the facts before making a stupid comment.
The O’s had 14 straight losing seasons from 1998 to 2011 under Angelos without any improvement in the farm system for all those years. Now, the O’s have had 2 straight losing seasons with this year being the worst in franchise history. Oh, and don’t forget they have the worst contract in the history of the sport in the form of Chris Davis that was personally negotiated by Angelos. I think that you need to get your facts straight, and the comment that you claimed was stupid was much more intelligent than yours.
He said the O’s will go no where under Angelo’s when, in fact, they led the AL in wins for 5 straight seasons, moron!!
They have gone nowhere. Last World Series appearance and victory was in 1983, BA (Before Angelos). In the 26 years that Angelos has owned the team, the O’s have been to the playoffs 5 times. Last year they lost the most games in franchise history and challenged the all time record. That is nowhere you IDIOT!
Go comment on your own team.
agree with that, hopefully homegrown talent will flourish
Cleaning house. Out with the old, in with the new. With the Sons running the team, I foresee great things happening for the Orioles.
Things have certainly SOUNDED very good of late. It’s an exciting time for a very proud organization. Much work to be done though.
I love it. Gut it and rebuild. No one associated with last years disaster and the previous years dis function they have to go. Brady better be next!
I think Brady has a lot to offer actually. The Brady bashing is fast approaching the irrational Peter Angelos bashing. If you have reasons why you think he should go I’d love to hear them.
Peter Angelos bashing is not irrational, Louis. Or are you John?
Munchy, you have no idea what Brady’s role is with this team or what he has done so blaming him for ANYTHING is ridiculous!!
Brian Graham was a loyal and good soldier to the team. He is also an outstanding Baseball Guy.
Hoping that he lands on his feet somewhere quickly.
Actually both Graham and Rajsich did some nice work during their respective tenures. Still, time for an overhaul.
The team should move back to St. Louis and change its name to the browns.
Dont change a thing Os. Boston welcomes the 15 wins every year. You’re doing fine.
FYI: Boston v. Baltimore Season Series:
2018: Red Sox 16 – Orioles 3
2017: Red Sox 9 – Orioles 10
2016: Red Sox 11 – Orioles 8
2015: Red Sox 8 – Orioles 11
2014: Red Sox 8 – Orioles 11
2013: Red Sox 8 – Orioles 11
2012: Red Sox 5 – Orioles 13
“15 wins every year” and you show how the Orioles won the season series 5 of the last 7 seasons.
Owned! Talk about putting someone in his place. I F’ing love this!
I LOVE this list. Perhaps swan is forgetting The Curse of the Andino—Sept. 28, 2011.
That was amazing. I was at that game and seeing Boston fans worrying during the rain delay as Tampa was coming back vs the Yankees was nice considering how they come into Camden yards acting like they own the place
Seldom has there been a MLB team more in need of a complete enema than this one. Changes should be made JUST for the sake of changes; throw everybody out; how much of a worse job can some new people do?
It’s a shame. Elias is right; this used to be a model franchise. And was so for decades. But decision makers get old, and don’t adapt to new things as quick as they should; happens in baseball, happens where you work.
Hopefully Elias is “the guy”….seems to know what he’s doing. But to be fair, so did Dan Duquette; (ya, ya, ya, there were worse GMs out there). And Bucky is STILL one of the top managers in the game. But in both cases, not for this team at this time.
How is Brady still around?
Guy could be a very valuable piece moving forward. Potentially quite progressive piece, one capable of really bridging the gap between the executive suite and the dugout. He may well stay!
2017 AL Manager of the Year, Hall of Fame player Paul Molitor could be a GREAT manager for the Orioles..
Wow. I like it… he did get a lot out of that ‘17 Twins team. However, Does he want to be the coach losing 100+ games for 2-5 years?
Look for many of the new hires to come from the Astros org.
And/or Cardinals…
Have they even talked to anyone or mentioned who they are interested in as manager