The Marlins parted ways with GM Kim Ng earlier today, and Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic offered additional details on the situation this afternoon. Ghiroli writes that one of the primary issues between the sides was the club’s decision not to offer Ng a three-year extension rather than simply pick up their end of the mutual option, a practice that Ghiroli notes is “fairly standard” for executives at the end of their current deal who have made significant achievements. Those descriptors certainly seem to fit Ng, under whom the Marlins returned to the postseason for the first time in a full-length season since they won the World Series in 2003.
Beyond the contract dispute, Ghiroli adds that Ng and the club were at odds over personnel decisions regarding the front office, the largest of which was ownership’s previously-reported desire to put a president of baseball operations in place above Ng in the organization’s hierarchy, a move that would effectively be a demotion for Ng. Aside from that, Ghiroli notes that Ng had plans for personnel changes regarding leadership-level positions in the club’s scouting and player development departments, which owner Bruce Sherman opposed.
Ghiroli adds that Ng’s next steps are currently uncertain. While there are GM-level openings in both Queens and Boston at the moment, any GM hired in New York would serve under president of baseball operations David Stearns, creating a similar situation to the one Ng sought to avoid in Miami. Meanwhile, Boston’s GM search has seen a number of high-profile candidates decline to interview for the position, with Ghiroli citing the influence of manager Alex Cora and the club’s proclivity for changes at the head of the baseball operations department as potential pitfalls in accepting the job. One possibility Ghiroli floats is a return to the White Sox, where she began her career in professional baseball and served as a member of the front office for seven seasons. Though the club recently promoted Chris Getz to the role of GM, Ghiroli notes the possibility that the club could have interest in Ng as a president of baseball operations to oversee Getz and the rest of Chicago’s front office.
More notes from around the league…
- Yordan Alvarez is recovering from a virus, Astros manager Dusty Baker revealed to reporters (including Ken Rosenthal and Chandler Rome of The Athletic). His symptoms include a headache and an upset stomach, although Baker declined to discuss the exact details of his star slugger’s illness. The skipper said Alvarez was “better today than he was yesterday” and downplayed the significance of the virus, saying “I got a virus, everybody got a virus. So he’s fine.” While Alvarez had a difficult game last night, going hitless with three strikeouts, he hit two home runs off during today’s 5-4 loss to the Rangers. In the event Alvarez does wind up needing a day off at some point in the series, Yainer Diaz and Jon Singleton are among the club’s options who could fill in for the slugger as the team’s DH.
- According to a report from Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, the Rays sent scouts to the Dominican Republic recently to observe a workout by Cuban free agent righty Yariel Rodriguez. They were far from alone on that excursion, however, with Topkin adding that fourteen other teams were present to scout Rodriguez. Rodriguez was reportedly released from his NPB contract earlier this month and appears to be in line to test MLB free agency this offseason. Rodriguez did not pitch professionally outside of the World Baseball Classic this year, though in 2022 he was a dominant relief arm for the Chunichi Dragons as he posted a 1.15 ERA in 56 appearances while striking out 27.5% of batters faced.
Prez of baseball ops would be rebuilding the face of the franchise. Does ng even have experience in that. It’s not involving much to do with trades.
Citizen – POBO is the same ranking that GM used to be, head of baseball ops, the person most responsible for trades & signings etc.
If I were Ng I would have left too. The thanks she gets for doing a great job there is a demotion and a lame duck status for 2024? Sherman sounds just as bad as Henry.
Clueless out of touch billionaire owners who think they are great at everything, when in fact they haven’t a clue about valuing and appreciating their own people. No wonder Jeter left.
No one has experience to begin with until given a opportunity. Why would you seek out experience. That would mean that you didn’t do well enough for your previous employers to want to keep you. And the ones that were mistakes by ownership will want paid for that experience. Give me someone young cheap and hungry with the skills needed. Or better yet they can just get my advice for free and dominate.
Miss Ng in action.
For a variety of different reasons, the Mets and the two Sox teams are not desirable for Ng. She might want to return to the Yankees in a senior advisory position and wait for Hal deciding to move on from Cashman after 2024.
Lord: I would welcome Ng as GM of the White Sox. I have no confidence in Getz who drove both K.C. and the WS’s farm systems into the ground. Someone has to sit Getz in the corner with a dunce cap on his head when he attempts to add another batch of dfa’s to the Sox’ ample collection.
Is she willing to work for league minimum? If not, she’s not going back to Uncle Jerry.
That might change if they listen to Barfield. He did a good job developing the D’Backs’ young talent.
If Kim Ng returned to the White Sox it would likely only be if she was heading the baseball ops department and not as GM with Chris Getz just promoted to that position. Ng would assume a similar role to what Kenny Williams had most recently when Rick Hahn was GM.
Ng might actually be a good fit back with the White Sox. She had her first front office gig with the ChiSox before the Marlins hired her as GM. She is familiar with the organization and many of the younger players who comprise their current roster.
Owner Jerry Reinsdorf often prioritizes the hiring of former employees and generally rewards front office and management personnel with undying loyalty. The White Sox have also been among the most proactive organizations when it comes to ‘minority’ hires. Rehiring Ng as their top baseball ops executive would reinforce that tendency on two fronts as as a female with an Asian heritage
Another important consideration might be the fact that Ng now has a resume working as a top ‘small market’ executive. JR has historically run the major market White Sox like a small or mid-market team. 🙁
Correction: Ng’s first gig in a front office position with the White Sox was back in 1991 following an internship with the team following her graduation from the University of Chicago. She followed up her ChiSox run with assistant GM promotions from the New York Yankees (1998–2001) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2002–2011). She spent the decade between her LA and Miami gigs as senior vice president of baseball operations for Major League Baseball under Joe Torre. It was during that time when she received 5 interviews for a GM position before finally getting hired in that role for the Marlins in 2021.
NG not great. Did a fine job but if they want raise see ya. Anyone with slightly above average intelligence can do the job.
She should leave. I couldn’t stand having a boss. Owner who leaves gives you a budget and leaves you be is ideal.
My advice to NG be an advisor if anyone wants you. Pay to work ratio is incredible.
Huh?
If Yordan Alavarez can stay healthy, he is a hall of famer.
well he can’t stay healthy, so…
He needs to go the Ortiz/Martinez route and just DH.
The Marlins wanted to pick up the option then essentially demote her…yeah that’s like giving her the finger and wanting her to quit.
Don’t anger Alvarez. Guy was sick and couldn’t hit the ball and then comes back the next day and mashes 2 HRs.
> “I got a virus, everybody got a virus.
> So he’s fine.”
lol, what?
Ng to the White Sox makes so much sense that it’s very difficult to see the irrational decision makers in that organisation giving the idea the consideration it deserves.