After several weeks of little news about the Angels’ search for a new general manager, several names have emerged as candidate for the position. Four new names join that already lengthy list, as Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports that former Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has spoken with the team, and longtime Royals executives Gene Watson, Scott Sharp, and J.J. Picollo were also part of the Halos’ first round of interviews, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (via Twitter).
Amaro is the only one of this quartet who has previously run a front office, as his stint as the Phillies’ GM from 2009-15 was highlighted by the National League pennant in 2009 and three NL East titles. All of that success came in Amaro’s first three seasons, however, largely due to the core of talent built by Amaro’s predecessor Pat Gillick (though as assistant GM, Amaro also had a hand in that roster’s creation). 2011 was still the last time Philadelphia posted a winning record, as their 2008 championship core aged and Amaro wasn’t able to reinforce the team well enough to keep it in contention.
Since leaving the Phils, Amaro moved not to another front office job but rather coaching positions with the Red Sox and Mets. After the 2018 season, he worked as an advisor to Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen, and spent 2020 as a broadcaster for Phillies games. Amaro does have some memorable ties to the Angels, as he was drafted by the team back in 1987 and he spent the first of his eight MLB seasons in a Halos uniform.
Watson, Sharp, and Picollo have all been linked to other general manager openings in the past. Watson interviewed with the Astros last winter, Sharp was a candidate with the Giants and Mets after the 2018 season, and Picollo has been considered for front office jobs with the Twins, Diamondbacks, and Phillies. In fact, Picollo was one of the favorites to replace Amaro as the Phillies’ GM back in 2015 before Matt Klentak was hired, and Picollo’s name has again surfaced as a possibility in Philadelphia now that Klentak is no longer in the position.
According to Rosenthal, Sharp could be the Angels’ preferred choice among the three Kansas City choices. Sharp, Picollo and Watson have all been with the Royals since 2006, working in various positions while moving up the ladder to their current positions as assistant GM (Sharp and Picollo) and senior director of pro scouting/special assistant (Watson).
They should interview Neander or anyone from the rays
or hire the rays gm as baseball op president.
Just let me know when they start narrowing that list down and not adding to it
Im shocked that Dombrowski don’t want to go to the angels
Angels did not want Dombrowski. Its not like he turned them down.
He’s making good money with zero stress as a consultant for the group trying to get MLB franchise in Nashville. Presumably, if he’s successful, he’ll have a small equity stake in the franchise, which is worth millions after a few years. Why would he want to work for the Angels in that case?
Wrong! Dombrowski took his own name out! S. Sharp should be the leading candidate.
Nah he’s just another dinosaur retread.
Phillies should just bring Amaro back to be honest
Why? He wasn’t responsible for 2008, and you could argue he was partially responsible for the awful rebuilding years. I thought he made some baffling moves and tremendous overpays.
He definitely made short-sighted moves. As a kid, I was always bummed that the Phillies kept getting these All-Stars and Cy Young winners while my Braves big additions were the remains of Garret Anderson, Troy Glaus, Derek Lowe, and Derek Lee.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve better understood the team-building process and emphasis player development and prospects takes in that.
That said, I’d also argue that once Howards, Utley, and Rollins declined, they weren’t going to win anyways. He took a proven World Series core and added Doc Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Hunter Pence at one point or another.
Teams go through phases and substainable winning is the hardest thing to do in sports. He’s wrong for the Angels job (too much win-now pressure with too little assets), but I wouldn’t be opposed to him getting another chance to build an organization.
Then again, he hasn’t had a GM gig in five seasons and has had to coach to stay in baseball. Who knows
Hope they hire Amaro. He and Epller 2 peas in a pod and no clue how to run a club
How about Mike Scioscia?
We can be the one team run like it’s 1964. Screw math, sign guys based on RBI, reputation, and if their dad played ball.
Poppycock!
Hahahahaha NO!
Too early in my day to hear Amaro. Gross.
Please interview Detroit GM Al Avila. He’s really good. Honest. Please, please hire him!
I second this.
Permission granted to take him away…
Amaro who gave a massive extension to an aging one dimensional player in Ryan Howard with 2 full seasons before he would have been a free agent.