Latest On Diamondbacks’ Managerial Search, Front Office Changes
Here’s the latest on the Diamondbacks’ hunt for a new manager, via Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic:
- It’s possible the D’backs have already interviewed most of their candidates, Piecoro writes. Those include Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo (who is perceived to be the favorite), broadcaster and former big-leaguer Alex Cora, Royals bench coach Don Wakamatsu and Triple-A manager Phil Nevin, whose candidacies have been noted elsewhere.
- Piecoro also adds a new name: that of Cardinals bench coach David Bell. Before taking his current position, Bell had previously served as an assistant hitting coach with the Cardinals, a third base coach with the Cubs and a minor-league manager with the Reds.
- New Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen came from the Red Sox and has thus been strongly connected to Lovullo, with whom he had also previously worked in the Indians system. Hazen says that dynamic has had no impact on the interview process, however. “People can read or interpret how they want to,” says Hazen. “I don’t think any of that is fair, but it hasn’t been something that has been a major factor. It’s our responsibility to hire the best manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks. That’s the only way I’m looking at it.”
- Piecoro confirms that pro scouting director Mike Russell has left the organization to take a job with the Tigers, for whom he worked from 2012 through 2014. Robert Murray of Today’s Knuckleball had previously reported Russell’s departure.
- Of Ed Lewis, the former veterinarian who until recently headed the Diamondbacks analytics department, Hazen says, “I feel like there are just going to be some avenues that we want to explore on that side of the game that maybe bringing in people who are a little more specialized in certain things and maybe rebuild the department in a different way.” Lewis recently left the organization in the wake of recent changes to its front office.
Rockies, Diamondbacks To Interview Don Wakamatsu
Royals bench coach Don Wakamatsu is set to interview for both the Rockies’ and Diamondbacks’ managerial positions, reports FanRag’s Jon Heyman.
The 53-year-old Wakamatsu has previous experience as a major league skipper, having served in that role with the Mariners from 2009-10. Seattle went 85-77 under Wakamatsu in his first year at the helm, but the club fired him in August 2010 after spiraling to a 42-70 mark. Wakamatsu then worked for both the Blue Jays and Yankees before joining Royals manager Ned Yost’s staff in 2014.
Wakamatsu is the latest of several names connected to Colorado’s job, which the club has been looking to fill since parting with Walt Weiss earlier this month. Heyman reported Saturday that Indians first base coach Sandy Alomar Jr. and Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez are likely to interview with the Rockies after the World Series. The team also has a meeting planned with Marlins bench coach Tim Wallach, and former Padres manager Bud Black, ex-Astros skipper Brad Mills and Rockies Triple-A manager Glenallen Hill are on the radar.
Arizona, meanwhile, has already booked an interview for the upcoming week with broadcaster and former major leaguer Alex Cora. He and Wakamatsu could end up in a five- to seven-candidate race as new general manager Mike Hazen searches for a successor to Chip Hale. Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo, whom Hazen knows from his time as Boston’s assistant GM, is the favorite to land the job.
Diamondbacks To Interview Alex Cora For Manager’s Job
The Diamondbacks are beginning the interview process to find their next manager, and broadcaster and former big leaguer Alex Cora will talk to the team this week about the position, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports. Cora has never managed or coached at any level in the majors or minors, though he received consideration for several recent managerial openings last offseason. Cora interviewed with the Padres, Marlins and Nationals, and was also linked to the Mariners’ job in rumors.
The 41-year-old Cora gained a strong reputation as a teammate and student of the game during his 14-year playing career from 1998-2011. Two of the six teams Cora played for during his career, Heyman notes, connect him with D’Backs GM Mike Hazen. Cora played for the Indians and Red Sox from 2005-08, when Hazen was in Cleveland’s front office before joining the Red Sox in 2006.
In his post-playing career, Cora has worked as a radio and TV analyst for ESPN and ESPN Deportes since 2013, and also served as the general manager of Criollos de Caguas, his hometown team, in the Puerto Rican Baseball League. Cora will be the GM for Puerto Rico’s team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Cora is the first known candidate for the D’Backs job, as Hazen has indicated that he would like to talk to roughly 5-7 candidates before making a hire. Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo has been heavily rumored as the favorite to be Arizona’s next skipper, with Heyman noting earlier today that “it would be an upset” if anyone but Lovullo was hired.
Heyman On Ramos, Duda, Colon, Lovullo, Fowler, Cubs
Jon Heyman covers World Series news, a profile of Andrew Miller‘s career and development into a relief ace and some hot stove items in his latest two columns for FanRag Sports…
- Prior to tearing his ACL, Wilson Ramos was aiming at a $100MM contract in free agency. It’s an eye-popping number, as Joe Mauer ($184MM from the Twins) and Buster Posey ($167MM) are the only catchers to crack the nine-figure threshold. Both of those deals were extensions rather than free agent contracts, and both Mauer and Posey had more consistent track records than Ramos. It’s quite common for a player and his representatives to aim high with an initial asking price, of course, especially when that player is the top free agent at his position. Injury notwithstanding, Ramos is still expected to receive significant interest, to the point that he is still looking for four or five years on the open market.
- The Mets will indeed tender a contract to first baseman Lucas Duda. MLBTR projects Duda to earn $6.7MM in arbitration this winter, following a rough year that saw Duda spend much of the season on the DL due to a stress fracture in his lower back. He hit just .229/.302/.412 with seven homers over 172 PA in 2016, though given the first baseman’s strong production in previous seasons, the Mets are surely counting on a bounce-back next year when Duda is healthy.
- “Nothing’s close” on a reunion between the Mets and Bartolo Colon, though the team has interest in bringing the veteran back and “no one would be surprised” if the two sides work out another contract.
- “It would be an upset” if the Diamondbacks hire anyone other than Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo as their new manager, Heyman writes. Lovullo has been widely connected to the Arizona job from virtually the moment former Boston GM Mike Hazen took over as the D’Backs’ new general manager. Hazen does plan to interview between 5-7 candidates as part of a managerial search, and as of last Tuesday, the D’Backs hadn’t yet asked the Sox for permission to speak with Lovullo.
- One executive suggests Dexter Fowler should accept the Cubs‘ qualifying offer, though Heyman believes the center fielder can top the one-year, $17.2MM offer in free agency. I agree with Heyman; while the QO limited Fowler’s market last winter, his outstanding season for the NL champions should easily net him a nice multi-year deal this offseason.
- Assuming Fowler leaves, Heyman notes that the Cubs face an “interesting” outfield situation with Kyle Schwarber, Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward all best suited to playing the corners. It should be noted that Chicago faced a similar scenario last winter prior to Fowler’s unexpected return, as the Cubs had Schwarber and Jorge Soler lined up for the corner outfield spots and Heyward was going to play center. Heyward has posted excellent defensive metrics over his brief (404 innings) time as a center fielder during his career, though since Heyward is arguably the best defensive right fielder in the game, any lessening of his value could be a problem given how badly Heyward fell off at the plate this year. The versatile Zobrist is now locked into outfield duty with Javier Baez‘s emergence at second while Soler and Albert Almora are also in the outfield mix, so the Cubs are fully stocked with outfield options.
- The Blue Jays have parted ways with scout Ed Lynch. Best known as the Cubs’ GM from 1994 to 2000, Lynch had been working as a scout for the Jays since 2010.
D-Backs Name Amiel Sawdaye Senior VP, Assistant GM
OCT. 25: The Diamondbacks have announced the hiring of Sawdaye and confirmed that his title will be senior vice president/assistant general manager.
OCT. 24: The Diamondbacks will hire another Red Sox executive as they continue to fill out a new-look front office, according to several reports. Amiel Sawdaye will join the Arizona organization as senior VP and assistant general manager, joining new GM Mike Hazen in making the move from Boston.
Sawdaye had been under consideration for an assistant GM role in Boston, too, per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). He had served as the Red Sox’ VP of international and amateur scouting, which was essentially the same role Hazen held before he moved up to AGM and, eventually, GM. Before that, Sawdaye was Boston’s director of amateur scouting, overseeing the team’s drafts from 2010 through 2015.
There won’t be any compensation between the teams for either of the executive transfers. While Hazen technically stayed in the same title, his new role came with a significant increase in responsibility, and Sawdaye’s new job seems clearly to represent a promotion.
It’s not clear at this time what additional plans Hazen may have for building out his front office team, but no further Boston execs are expected to go west, per Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald (via Twitter). Hazen is rumored to be interested in speaking with Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo, but Drellich tweets that the D-Backs still haven’t asked for permission to speak with him — preferring to await Sawdaye’s decision first. Presumably, that’ll change soon. In other D-Backs’ front office news, via Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, the club has parted ways with Ed Lewis, a former veterinarian and long-time acquaintance of executive Tony La Russa who somewhat improbably ran the team’s fledgling analytics department.
Given that the Red Sox were considering Sawdaye only for an assistant GM role, it seems all the more clear that the team likely won’t hire a GM to serve under president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. Instead, perhaps, multiple front office members will receive AGM tags — or, at least, will take on the various responsibilities that typically fall under that general role.
Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald tweeted that the move was expected to occur after Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe reported earlier tonight it was a strong possibility. Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic confirmed that Sawdaye would indeed be hired on Twitter.
Red Sox May Not Hire New General Manager
The Red Sox may not necessarily hire a new general manager to replace outgoing GM Mike Hazen, according to a report from Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski declined to say whether he was still interested in assigning the GM title, explaining that he is “still working on some final decisions.”
It’s obviously not alarming to think that the Sox might operate without a GM. After all, Dombrowski has been the everyday face of the club’s baseball operations department since his hiring as president of baseball operations in August of 2015. Then-GM Ben Cherington departed rather than serving under a new executive with final baseball authority, and though Hazen took his title, he never held the same level of authority.
More than anything, perhaps, the news is a reminder that teams’ executive titles are in a state of flux around the game, with similar-sounding positions meaning different things from one place to the next. Indeed, some have even concocted whole new terms, such as “chief baseball officer.”
But that’s not to say that the apparent shift in plans is without importance. Previous indications were that Boston was looking inside its own organization for a new lieutenant to Dombrowski. Now, Abraham suggests, the team may spread the responsibilities around among multiple executives.
That may well suggest that Red Sox VP of amateur and international scouting Amiel Sawdaye — who had been seen as a candidate for a promotion — will be heading to Arizona to join Hazen. Indeed, Abraham calls that a “strong possibility.” The Twins have also said to be in the mix to add Sawdaye in some capacity, though their front office buildout is on hold while top executive hiree Derek Falvey completes his duties with the Indians.
Red Sox, D-backs, Twins In Mix For Amiel Sawdaye
Red Sox vice president of international and amateur scouting Amiel Sawdaye is weighing whether to accept Boston’s general manager job or take the Diamondbacks’ assistant GM position, Peter Gammons reports (Twitter link). It’s also possible Sawdaye could join the Twins’ front office, a source told Gammons.
The Red Sox have been looking for a GM since Mike Hazen departed last week to lead the Diamondbacks’ baseball department. Boston’s president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, revealed Monday that he wants to replace Hazen from within, and based on Gammons’ report, it seems Sawdaye is his top choice. In the event Sawdaye follows Hazen to Arizona or heads to Minnesota, Red Sox assistant GM Brian O’Halloran, senior vice president of player personnel Allard Baird, pro scouting director Gus Quattlebaum or VP of international scouting Eddie Romero could end up as Hazen’s successor if the team makes an internal hire. Senior VP of baseball operations Frank Wren has more experience as a GM than any of Dombrowski’s underlings, but he’s content in his current role.
It’s unclear which title Sawdaye would have with the Twins, who named Indians assistant GM Derek Falvey their executive vice president and chief baseball officer earlier this month. When the Twins hired Falvey, who will officially take over after the World Series, a report indicated he would be able to name a GM. Given that the Twins are in contention for Sawdaye, it’s reasonable to suggest he could become Falvey’s second-in-command.
Cafardo’s Latest: Hart, Melancon, Hill, DiSarcina
In his latest notes column for the Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo looks at the remarkable list of front office talent incubated by John Hart during his stint as the Indians’ general manager from 1989-2001. Such names as Chris Antonetti, Mark Shapiro, Neal Huntington, Ben Cherington, Paul DePodesta, Josh Byrnes and Dan O’Dowd worked together in the Cleveland front office and went on to run their own front offices as general managers, baseball operations heads and/or club presidents. Of course, those executives all developed their own notable staffers, to the point that Hart’s front office tree extends to virtually every team in the sport. Here’s some more from Cafardo’s column…
- Mark Melancon will draw a lot of interest in free agency this winter, both as a closer and potentially, Cafardo opines, as an Andrew Miller-style hybrid reliever. Melancon could be willing to accept such a role if he still gets paid like a top-flight closer, and Cafardo thinks firemen could eventually surpass closers as the highest-paid members of a bullpen. “Don’t kid yourself, one reason Miller accepts his role is because he earns closer money,” Cafardo writes.
- “The Nationals are expected to go hard” for Melancon, Cafardo reports, which isn’t a surprise given how well he pitched for Washington after he was acquired at the trade deadline.
- Major League sources often cite a three-year/$45MM contract for Rich Hill in free agency this winter, and Hill could even get more the better he pitches during the Dodgers’ postseason run. Last month, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes outlined five reasons why he is predicting Hill to receive at least $45MM, despite Hill’s age and injury history.
- Angels first base coach Gary DiSarcina could be a candidate for two jobs with other clubs, based on his past experience working in the Red Sox front office and managing their A-ball and Triple-A affiliates. Cafardo suggests that Mike Hazen (the former Red Sox GM and newly-hired Diamondbacks GM) could consider DiSarcina as the new D’Backs manager. Boston bench coach Torey Lovullo has been rumored to be a top contender for the Arizona job, so if he indeed leaves, Cafardo wonders if DiSarcina could return to Fenway for a job on John Farrell’s staff.
NL West Notes: Preller, Giants, Rockies, D’Backs
Padres GM A.J. Preller is back on the job now that his 30-day suspension has ended, though both Preller and the organization may need more time to repair their reputations around baseball. ESPN’s Buster Olney (subscription required) reports that several teams will adjust how they negotiate with San Diego from now on, while one team has simply refused to consider any trades with Preller and the Padres. There is also still “a river of industry speculation” that the Padres could face lawsuits about their handling of player medical information. Here’s some more from around the NL West…
- In a reader mailbag piece about several Giants-related topics, MLB.com’s Chris Haft doesn’t see San Francisco re-signing free agents Sergio Romo, Javier Lopez, Angel Pagan or Jake Peavy, though there’s a chance Gregor Blanco could return. The probable departures of Romo and Lopez could be part of a wider bullpen shakeup for the Giants, as GM Bobby Evans has said that finding a closer is a top offseason priority.
- The Rockies‘ managerial search is discussed by Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post as part of his own reader maibag. Saunders feels the team’s new skipper should come from outside the organization in order to bring a fresh perspective. It seems like Colorado is more apt to hire a manager who leans more towards the front office’s analytical mindset. Former manager Walt Weiss “embraced the statistics and analytics to a large degree,” though ultimately preferred to rely on gut-level calls and felt he was being interfered with by the front office. The well-documented discord between Weiss and GM Jeff Bridich also didn’t help things, as you might expect.
- The Diamondbacks lost three members of the scouting department in part due to the front office uncertainty prior to hiring of new GM Mike Hazen, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic writes. Assistant director of scouting Brendan Domaracki and longtime scout Howard McCullough (who had been with the D’Backs since the franchise began operations) both left for positions with the Mariners, while amateur scout Frankie Thon Jr. will join the Angels as their new international crosschecker and assistant director of international scouting.
Latest On D-Backs’ Front Office Changes, Managerial Opening
When the Diamondbacks re-shuffled their front office, changing Tony La Russa’s title from “chief baseball officer” to “chief baseball analyst and adviser,” they also worked out a new contract, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. That makes sense, given that La Russa’s original pact reportedly expired at the end of the season. The new arrangement’s key details — compensation and term, in particular — haven’t yet been reported. It’s clear, though, that La Russa will no longer control baseball operations decisionmaking and is destined for a role that is more advisory in nature.
Here’s more from Arizona and the rest of the western divisions:
- New Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen provided a bit more insight into his strategic thinking with the offseason set to begin in an appearance on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM (via Twitter). Rival executives have yet to reach out to open a dialogue, says Hazen, who emphasized both that he’s undertaking a close look at the team’s internal situation and readying to hit the ground running. “Getting a firm understand of what is here is important to me,” he said. “But we’re not going to hesitate.”
- The incoming GM also addressed the team’s upcoming managerial search in his chat with MLB Network Radio (Twitter links). “We are looking for an impact leader” in the dugout, he said. “The game is evolving, somebody that is looking forward to embracing that evolution.” At present, Arizona is “working through a candidate list,” but won’t rush into a hiring. “This is a critical decision and we’re going to take our time and get it right,” said Hazen.
- Intial speculation for the open skipper gig has focused on Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo, an oft-cited managerial candidate who has obvious ties with Hazen, who was hired out of Boston. But the new Arizona general manager declined to comment on his potential candidacy directly, as Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reports. Hazen also offered some interesting observations on the Red Sox’ ability to maintain continuity even in the midst of change, which could certainly inform the way that he approaches his tenure with the D-Backs.
- Hazen was a wise hire, ESPN.com’s Keith Law argues in an Insider piece. The veteran executive has extensive experience in both traditional and more contemporary approaches to the game, and earns high marks around the game for his management style.
- Still, Law notes, the move is yet another reminder that MLB’s initiatives to improve the representation of minorities in the upper reaches of front offices have yet to gain significant traction. He argues that the league needs to find a way to get more talented minority persons into the types of lower-level positions that ultimately serve as feeders to upper-level decisionmaking roles. One way to do that, Law suggests, is to prohibit unpaid internships — which tend to be occupied by those who can afford not to do paid work for a stretch (i.e., as he puts it, “generally the same kids from privileged backgrounds and expensive private schools who seem to be receiving an undue share of the upper-level jobs in baseball”).