MLBTR Mailbag: Pirates, Beltran, Managers, Tigers, Astros, White Sox, Padres
In last week’s MLBTR Mailbag, some of the topics included a theoretical Bryce Harper extension (which spawned a subsequent poll and Instagram debate) as well the impact of Jerry Dipoto’s departure on the Angels, the Twins’ offseason, Jedd Gyorko as a shortstop option, Chris Davis‘ chances of re-signing in Baltimore and Kyle Kendrick’s future.
Here are this week’s questions, with a reminder that you can submit questions for the mailbag at any time throughout the week via email (mlbtrmailbag@gmail.com) …
“Ray Searage and rest of the Pirates’ staff have consistently turned around struggling starting talent (Liriano, Volquez, Burnett, Happ). Who are possible 2016 projects that could be brought into the rotation?” — Robb W.
Mat Latos is the first guy I think of when I think “Pirates reclamation project.” He’s obviously a highly talented arm and showed even this season that he could still dominate, with an excellent June/July showing that led the Dodgers to trade for him in the first place. Latos has injury problems, to be sure, but he’s still young and had a season catastrophic enough that a one-year deal seems perfectly plausible. And, if you’re a pitcher looking for a one-year deal, why wouldn’t you want to go work with Searage and Jim Benedict in Pittsburgh? I like that fit quite a bit.
One thing going against Latos is that the Pirates have often targeted ground-ball pitchers in the past, and that’s not him. Mike Pelfrey would be a low-cost option who does fit that description. I’d also expect an effort to re-sign Happ, who has been brilliant since the trade but is a bit old for a first-time free agent and doesn’t have a lengthy track record. Those factors can keep him in Pittsburgh’s price range.
“Is Carlos Beltran a Hall of Famer with his current credentials? If so, what team’s cap makes the most sense for him on his plaque? I am curious since Beltran didn’t seem to be associated with one specific team during his career.” — Dan C.
I think Beltran will (or should) end up in the Hall of Fame, yes. There might be some who consider him a fringe candidate now, but he’ll play at least another season, if not one or two more, in an effort to boost his counting stats, for voters who are particularly concerned with round numbers and milestones. Some might think he’s done accumulating meaningful production, but since May 1, Beltran’s hitting .295/.355/.504 with 18 homers. There’s still life in his bat, and Beltran is going to eventually retire with 400-plus homers, 300-plus steals, 1500-plus runs and RBIs, 70ish wins above replacement and an excellent postseason track record.
I think the Mets make the most sense for him in terms of caps, as he played more games for them than any other franchise and had a few of his best seasons in Queens.
“Which managers do you think will be in the hot seat next week when the season ends?” — Justin B.
Lots of questions like this one this week, so a quick rundown. Matt Williams, I’d imagine, will be out the door for the Nationals. We know Dan Jennings isn’t going to return as the Marlins’ manager as well. The Reds’ underperformance and Bryan Price’s ill-conceived tirade against the Cincinnati media is enough for me to think the Reds will move on as well. I could see both Pat Murphy (Padres) and Walt Weiss (Rockies) being let go in the NL West.
Turning to the AL, I don’t think any of the East skippers are in peril, though Torey Lovullo won’t manage the team, most likely. It’ll be John Farrell or a replacement, which is an awkward situation for the Red Sox, given Farrell’s health. The only candidate that could go in the AL Central would be Robin Ventura, but White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf is a big fan. Still, he has to be listed as a consideration, as the team has never really won under him and didn’t live up to the hype this year. In the West, I can see Lloyd McClendon going. Jerry Dipoto may want to bring in his own guy, and the team fell way short of expectations this season.
“Tigers closer, April 2016: Bruce Rondon? Neftali Feliz? Someone not currently in the organization?” — Mark S.
After his 2015 struggles and the embarrassing manner in which he was sent home, I can’t see any way Rondon is closing games in Detroit from day one next season. Feliz has been awful and will almost certainly be non-tendered. I’ll be stunned if Detroit’s closer in 2016 isn’t an offseason acquisition. Al Avila has seen the bullpen’s struggles first-hand over the past few years and will want to make a good impression on ownership and the fans by working to correct it.
“In the last few years, the Astros have unloaded pretty much every expendable MLB player and have relied heavily on the draft to reboot their farm system. Those efforts have come to fruition perhaps a bit earlier than expected, as the team is competing for a playoff spot. Because the Astros have very few long-term commitments (potential extensions for guys like Correa and Springer notwithstanding), do you think it’s possible Houston is a big player in the free agent market this offseason? Maybe go after an ace, such as David Price?” — Nathan B.
I do think they’ll be linked to top-of-the-market names, yes. Houston made a run at Cole Hamels this summer, and while they might not be able to afford Price or convince him to come to Houston (Hamels, after all, vetoed the notion of going there), the dearth of long-term financial commitments on the Astros’ ledger works in their favor, as you said.
The Astros have only $34MM in payroll committed to 2016, and many of the departing free agents have internal replacement candidates. Chris Carter, one of their most expensive arb candidates, seems like a non-tender. In 2017, the commitments drop to about $20MM total.
Houston has a wealth of talent coming up through the system on both sides of the ball that will help keep payroll down and should allow them to push for a starter. It’s also worth noting that next year is the last they’ll control Carlos Gomez; they made that trade with 2015 and 2016 in mind, so it’d be a surprise if they didn’t do everything in their power to make notable improvements to the 2016 roster.
“Who are some of the top second-tier bats who will be available this offseason?” — Robert F.
I’ll answer this one quickly and use it as a means to remind everyone that our full list of 2015-16 free agents is always available on the right-hand side of the page (desktop version, that is).
Dexter Fowler, Asdrubal Cabrera, Howie Kendrick, Daniel Murphy, Colby Rasmus, Gerardo Parra and Denard Span all come to mind.
“This morning’s ‘Three Needs’ piece got me thinking about the many similarities in reality for the Padres and White Sox, and the vastly different tone of coverage for the two clubs since mid-July. Care to weigh in on how two teams who decided to go status quo at the deadline despite being so closely matched in their remote chances for the playoffs, which have been equally bad since, which have roughly the same amount of money committed next season (with a sadly similar percentage of it committed to guys who won’t be worth it), and which are equally bereft of short-term answers in the upper minors, get such totally different play in the national baseball media?” — David J.
The Padres do seem to take more flak for their current situation. I think there are a few reasons for that, the first of which is that so much of their activity came in a relatively short period of time. That frenzied span grabbed more headlines and created more of a buzz, and extra hype leads to extra coverage when the plan doesn’t pan out. Conversely, the Sox spread their moves out more over the course of the winter.
More importantly, though, is that the Sox added in a such a way that took on less long-term risk. David Robertson‘s four-year, $46MM contract is sizable, but it falls shy of San Diego’s commitment to Matt Kemp or James Shields, and the Melvin Upton contract was seen in a far more negative light than any of Chicago’s acquisitions. Beyond that, the Padres parted with significant prospect collateral, whereas the Sox made mid-range free agent investments for much of their overhaul. (The Jeff Samardzija trade is one notable exception.) As MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes noted when I mentioned this to him, the Padres’ strategy felt inherently more flawed. The Padres overloaded on right-handed bats with questionable gloves. I still bought them as a Wild Card contender, personally, but there were a fair amount of naysayers from the beginning.
Lastly, I think the Sox get a pass because they’re in better shape than the Padres. While the team has clear needs, the presence of Chris Sale, Jose Quintana and Carlos Rodon (plus the re-emergence of Erik Johnson) gives them a more compelling rotation than San Diego. And, looking around the lineup, Jose Abreu gives them a star, while Adam Eaton has that upside as well. They need help all around the diamond (though Melky Cabrera has rebounded since early summer), but it’s easier for me to see the White Sox rebounding in 2016.
Both have significant needs, but Sale, Quintana, Rodon, Abreu, Eaton and Robertson is a better starting point than Ross, Shields, Cashner, Myers and Kimbrel, especially considering how quickly Cashner and Shields can depart from that scene.
Minor MLB Transactions: 9/28/15
Here are today’s minor moves from around the league.
- The Orioles have reached an agreement with 18-year-old Australian lefty Alex Wells, according to MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko (on Twitter). Wells will receive $300K, Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun tweets. Wells’ twin brother Lachlan is a prospect in the Twins’ system.
- The O’s have also signed righty Michael Zouzalik from the St. Paul Saints, CSNmidatlantic.com’s Rich Dubroff tweets. The Rangers originally signed Zouzalik in 2012 after an open tryout, and he pitched for one season in the minors before ending up in independent ball. This season, he had a solid year in St. Paul’s bullpen, posting a 2.06 ERA, 9.2 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 48 innings.
- No move is yet official, but veteran lefty Jo-Jo Reyes is working out with the Angels, MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez tweets. The 30-year-old pitched 68 innings with the Angels’ Triple-A Salt Lake affiliate this season, posting a 4.76 ERA, 6.0 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9. He’s pitched for the Braves, Blue Jays and Orioles in the past, but hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since 2011. The Angels could be considering adding him to their roster due to the rash of injuries to their pitching staff that also recently led them to sign Mat Latos.
Quick Hits: Gray, Epstein, McClendon, Desmond
Athletics ace Sonny Gray will not pitch again this year, MLB.com’s Jane Lee tweets. Gray left his start on Friday with tightness in his hip. Gray has been a huge standout in what’s otherwise been a frustrating season in Oakland — he’s pitched 208 innings with a 2.73 ERA, 7.3 K/9, 2.6 BB/9 and a 52.7% ground ball rate, posting ace-caliber numbers for a 65-91 team. Starting in Gray’s place on Wednesday will be veteran Barry Zito, who will be making his third start of the season in his comeback with the A’s. Here are more notes from throughout the game.
- Cubs owner Tom Ricketts says the team will eventually work on an extension for president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, but that will wait until after the season, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. “Theo and I have a great relationship. Obviously, the results are great,” says Ricketts. “Everyone in the baseball organization, we’re on a mission. And we want to keep that mission going forward.” Epstein is currently signed through next season to a five-year, $18.5MM contract. Given the Cubs’ strong season and the escalation in executive salaries since his deal was struck in late 2011 (Andrew Friedman’s contract with the Dodgers is worth $35MM), Epstein’s next deal will likely be significantly more lucrative.
- Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon had what he describes as a “great” conversation with new GM Jerry Dipoto on Monday, MLB.com’s Greg Johns writes. It isn’t yet clear whether Dipoto will retain McClendon next season, however. “I’m under contract to manage next year, and hopefully I’ll manage the club,” says McClendon. “So beyond that, if you’re looking for security in this game, you’re in the wrong business. That’s me and every other manager.”
- Impending free agent shortstop Ian Desmond has fans in the Padres organization, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets. The Padres, of course, have a need at shortstop, and Desmond’s struggles with the Nationals this year (during which he’s batted .236/.289/.389) should make him available more cheaply, and on a shorter deal, than he previously figured to get.
- Rockies 2015 first-round picks Brendan Rodgers (No. 3 overall) and especially Mike Nikorak (No. 27) had uneven pro debuts, but the team isn’t worried, MLB.com’s Jim Callis writes. Rodgers hit well (.273/.340/.420) at rookie-level Grand Junction, especially given his age, but suffered through hamstring troubles. Nikorak walked 32 batters in 17 2/3 innings, also for Grand Junction. The Rockies believe that Rodgers’ injury issues were due to a long break between the end of his high school season and the start of his pro career, and they’re going to help him work on his conditioning. Rockies director of player development Zach Wilson says he isn’t concerned about Nikorak’s debut. “Quite frankly, this season is going to be the best thing that ever happened to Mike Nikorak,” says Wilson. “He’s got the mentality to learn from this and make adjustments.”
Latest On Angels’ GM Search
Here’s the latest on the Angels’ hunt for a new GM.
- Mariners farm director Chris Gwynn interviewed last weekend for the job, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets. Gwynn, Tony’s younger brother, played parts of ten seasons with the Dodgers, Royals and Padres as an outfielder, then worked in the Padres’ scouting department for over a decade before taking his current position with the Mariners.
- Yankees assistant GM Billy Eppler still appears to be the front-runner, MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez writes (Twitter links). The decision might not be officially announced, however, until after the Yankees are eliminated from the postseason. In any case, the Angels seem to be down to a small number of candidates. (In addition to Eppler and Gwynn, other names that have been connected to the position include Rangers assistant Thad Levine, former Diamondbacks and Padres GM Josh Byrnes, former Padres and Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers, Blue Jays assistant Tony LaCava, Indians vice president of player personnel Ross Atkins, Angels director of pro scouting Hal Morris, and current Angels assistants Matt Klentak and Scott Servais.)
- Regardless of who it is, the team will likely wait until after the season is over to announce their choice, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times tweets.
Nationals Notes: Boras, Rizzo, Papelbon/Harper
The Nationals might not be headed to the playoffs, but they’ve certainly owned the headlines today, thanks to the Jonathan Papelbon / Bryce Harper confrontation yesterday (and Papelbon’s subsequent suspension) and Max Scherzer taking a no-hitter into the eighth against the Reds this afternoon. Here’s the latest from Washington.
- Scott Boras represents a number of key Nationals players, but he rejects criticisms that he has something to do with the team having underachieved lately, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. Boras represents Scherzer, Harper, Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon, Jayson Werth, Danny Espinosa, and now Gio Gonzalez and Denard Span. Boras, though, points out that he also has several clients each on the Rangers, Cubs and Royals, all of whom are likely or definite playoff teams. “The issue is whenever I have had a number of players on the team, the vast majority of times it goes very well,” says Boras.
- Nats GM Mike Rizzo’s deal goes through 2016 and contains a club option for 2017, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal tweets. The Nats will reportedly keep Rizzo for next season, although the details of his contract do seem relevant, given the Nats’ high-profile collapse this season.
- Public opinion understandably (and, from my vantage point, very justifiably) came down against Papelbon for his actions in his dustup with Harper, but responses from players were more mixed, pitcher-turned-commentator C.J. Nitkowski of FOX Sports writes. Some said Papelbon’s behavior was acceptable or that they “would have done the same thing,” seemingly proving Nitkowski’s point that “the clubhouse is like no other place.”
- Another former pitcher, Dirk Hayhurst of VICE Sports, writes that the fight was the consequence of baseball’s strange culture in which “the preferred tool for teaching is assault, and no one has any idea what that lesson is actually being taught because all the important stuff is not written down anywhere.”
- Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, meanwhile, argues that criticism of Harper for the altercation is unfair. Harper did run out the ball on the play that led to the fracas, and he’s played hard this season. He’s also been accommodating of media and autograph requests. And he has, of course, played brilliantly, while some of his teammates have foundered.
Angels Sign Mat Latos
The Angels have signed veteran starter Mat Latos, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweets. To clear space for Latos on their 40-man roster, they recalled catcher Rafael Lopez and placed him on the 60-day DL with fractured hand, tweets MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez. Latos will not be eligible for postseason play, but he can pitch for the Angels the rest of the regular season, after which he’ll become a free agent.
Latos began the 2015 season with the Marlins, who traded him to the Dodgers in July. The Dodgers designated him for assignment and then released him earlier this month. Latos is making $9.4MM this season, but most of what’s left of that deal will be paid by the Dodgers (and by the Marlins, who sent the Dodgers an undisclosed amount when they traded him, via Cot’s).
Latos has had an uneven year, posting a 4.95 ERA, 7.7 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 112 2/3 innings. From the Angels’ perspective, though, the precise quality of Latos’ play going forward is probably less important than the fact that he’s a veteran starting pitcher they could acquire quickly and cheaply. His acquisition appears to be merely a short-term move for an Angels team that needs an extra arm, either for its rotation or its bullpen. Jered Weaver has a shoulder injury, Matt Shoemaker has a forearm issue and won’t make his next start, and Huston Street and Joe Smith are dealing with injury as well.
Quick Hits: Redesign, Wainwright, Ausmus, Janish
As MLB Trade Rumors nears its ten-year anniversary, I’ve decided to update the design for desktop and tablet users. The changes are mostly aesthetic, but if you’re willing to take five minutes and send us feedback on the new look, I’d love to hear it. Just drop me a line at mlbtrdata@gmail.com and I’ll send you a link where you can preview our new design. I hope to roll it out within the next few weeks. – Tim Dierkes
With that said, here’s some news from around the league…
- Adam Wainwright‘s return to the Cardinals is now pending only a doctor’s approval, writes MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch. Wainwright threw 27 pitches in a simulated game and faced six hitters, allowing a single but then retiring four hitters on strikeouts and a fifth via fly-out. Wainwright said that he felt like himself on the mound and called the session “incredibly uplifting.” Langosch notes that he also fielded grounders and tested his quickness on covering first base without issue. If all goes well, he could be activated not only for the postseason, but for the Cardinals’ upcoming regular-season series against the Pirates.
- Via MLive.com’s Chris Iott, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus briefly spoke about the team’s decision to bring him back and his expectations for the 2016 season (video link). Ausmus said that after a conversation with GM Al Avila, he knew that reports suggesting he’d be fired didn’t come from him or owner Mike Ilitch. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets that he spoke to someone close to Ron Gardenhire — a rumored candidate to replace Ausmus — and was told, “Just when you think you got it figured out, it always surprises you.”
- The latest Q&A conducted by Fangraphs’ David Laurila is an excellent conversation with Orioles infielder Paul Janish — a longtime defensive wizard who has struggled to maintain consistent big league playing time due to his offensive deficiencies. Janish discusses with Laurila the rigors of playing in the minor leagues, the difficulty that being labeled presents (both mentally and in terms of getting future opportunities) and acceptance of his limitations. Janish believes that he can contribute to a big league club for at least another three to four years but admits that finding the right spot is more crucial for a player like him than it is others. I enjoyed Janish’s self-assessment and the insight into the experiences of less established stars that are perennially fighting for roster spots and would encourage all to check out the piece.
Mariners Hire Jerry Dipoto As General Manager
Three months ago, Jerry Dipoto was a division-rival of the Mariners, but the former Angels GM is now atop their baseball operations pyramid. The Mariners announced today that Dipoto has been named their new executive vice president and general manager. He was rumored to be one of the final two candidates for the position, alongside Yankees assistant GM Billy Eppler.
“Jerry impressed us at each step of the process,” said president Kevin Mather in a prepared statement. “He has a very unique skill set, having been a successful player in the Majors, then moving into front offices with steadily increasing responsibilities. Jerry has scouted, spent time in player development and has a track record as a very successful General Manager. During our conversations over the past few weeks, it became clear to me that he has a very solid understanding of our team and organization, both where we are and where we want to be. And he has a strategy to get us there. Few candidates bring the combination of playing the game, scouting, a solid understanding of statistical metrics and a plan for player development. I am looking forward to having Jerry lead our baseball operations for a long time.”
Dipoto, 47, began his career in baseball when the Indians selected him in the third round of the 1989 draft out of Virginia Commonwealth University. He’d go on to enjoy an eight-year Major League career as a relief pitcher with the Indians, Mets and Rockies.
Following his playing career, Dipoto joined the Red Sox as a scout in 2003 and quickly rose to the position of scouting director with the Rockies. After joining the D-Backs in a similar capacity, he was eventually named interim general manager in Arizona, following the dismissal of Josh Byrnes, who, ironically, is a candidate to replace Dipoto at his former place of employment — the Angels. Dipoto was named GM of the Angels shortly after the 2011 season and served in that capacity until this summer, when he resigned abruptly due to a feud with skipper Mike Scioscia. The manager reportedly took umbrage to Dipoto’s attempts to provide him with analytical data for the purposes of aiding his in-game decision-making, and the dispute escalated to the point where Dipoto walked away from the organization. Many expected Dipoto, a well-regarded executive, to ultimately land another GM gig, and after a brief stop as a senior adviser with the Red Sox, it appears he’s done just that.
Dipoto’s log of transactions as a GM (which can be seen with the aid of MLBTR’s Transaction Tracker) is more brief than a number of his contemporaries due to his limited time serving in a GM role, but he’s made a number of quality trades to bolster the pitching staffs of the organizations he’s overseen. Dipoto received Patrick Corbin and Tyler Skaggs from the Angels in exchange for Dan Haren when he was Arizona’s interim GM, and he’d later reacquire Skaggs (along with Hector Santiago) in exchange for Mark Trumbo in a three-team trade with the D-Backs and White Sox. Dipoto also picked up Andrew Heaney this past offseason in the trade that sent impending free agent Howie Kendrick to the Dodgers. His pickup of Huston Street and Trevor Gott from the Padres in exchange for four prospects (R.J. Alvarez, Jose Rondon, Taylor Lindsey and Elliott Morris) has, to this point, delivered positive results as well. The decision to part with Randal Grichuk in the trade that netted the Halos David Freese and Fernando Salas could prove to be a misstep, however.
Free agent endeavors by the Angels under Dipoto’s tenure have been spottier, though the massive contracts for Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton have been reported to be more the doing of owner Arte Moreno than of Dipoto himself. Joe Smith has looked to be a nice add, but signings of Joe Blanton, Sean Burnett, Ryan Madson and Raul Ibanez didn’t pan out as hoped. C.J. Wilson has had mixed results over the life of his deal as well.
Mariners president Kevin Mather was said to prioritize a GM who has experience, though, and Dipoto unquestionably fits that bill. Based on Mather’s comments at the time Jack Zduriencik was dismissed from the Seattle GM chair, Mariners ownership will probably hope that Dipoto can use his blend of scouting and analytics to create a balanced gameplan that will help put a contender on the field in the near future.
Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM first reported that Dipoto was the Mariners would offer the position to Dipoto (Twitter link).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Nationals Suspend Jonathan Papelbon For Remainder Of Season
The Nationals announced today that they have suspended Jonathan Papelbon, without pay, for four game’s following last night’s dugout altercation with Bryce Harper. That suspension, in addition to a three-game suspension for throwing at Manny Machado (Papelbon has dropped his appeal of that league-mandated suspension), will keep him out of games for the remainder of the year.
“The behavior exhibited by Papelbon yesterday is not acceptable,” GM/president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo said in a release announcing the move. “That is not at all in line with the way our players are expected to conduct themselves, and the Nationals organization will not tolerate it in any way.”
Papelbon’s outburst, in which he grabbed Harper by the throat after the two exchanged heated words following a Harper fly-out which he didn’t run out particularly quickly (video link), was the source of a good deal of controversy and a number of reactions/far-reaching implications last night. Papelbon’s suspensions — one league-issued and one team-issued — will cost him a total of just over $497K in salary.
From a big-picture standpoint, one can’t help but wonder what this means for Papelbon’s future in D.C. Already, there’s been speculation that Papelbon will be either traded or, more drastically, released. He’s owed $11MM in 2016 after restructuring his contract as incentive to waive his no-trade rights. Based strictly on his on-field performance, that sum may not be exorbitant, but when paired with a reputation that was already poor prior to this recent wave of drama, the Nats will be hard-pressed to find a taker for his services. That’s not to say it’s impossible, but I’d imagine that Rizzo will need to include a fair amount of cash to facilitate the move, making the entire acquisition look particularly regrettable.
Mariners’ GM Search Nearing Completion
11:58am: One source tells ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, “I think [the Mariners] have their guy.” Crasnick adds that the Mariners also interviewed former Dodgers GM Dan Evans — currently a Pacific Rim scout for the Blue Jays — but Evans is not considered to be a finalist (Twitter links).
8:04am: It’s been exactly one month since the Mariners dismissed Jack Zduriencik as general manager, and Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports that the search for his replacement is in its final stages. One source told Dutton that announcement could come as soon as Monday, with others indicating later in the week was more likely, barring any “snags” in contract negotiations.
Last Friday, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported that former Angels GM Jerry Dipoto and Yankees assistant general manager Billy Eppler were the two finalists, and Dutton hears the same from multiple sources. And, while Eppler has also been rumored to be one of the favorites to fill Dipoto’s role in Anaheim, Dutton notes that the Angels’ interest in Josh Byrnes could diminish Eppler’s chances in Anaheim.
Dipoto, of course, resigned from his post with the Angels this summer due to a now-well-documented rift with manager Mike Scioscia. He then took a short-term role with the Red Sox, where’s he’s serving as a senior adviser. Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said at the press conference to introduce new Boston GM Mike Hazen that he would love to keep Dipoto in a full-time capacity, but he first had to wait for resolution on any remaining jobs for which Dipoto had interviewed.
At the time that Zduriencik was released, Mariners president Kevin Mather said that he wanted to hire an experienced GM, as he didn’t want someone “learning on the job” while risking the production of Felix Hernandez, Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano dropping by the time a rookie GM was up to speed. However, reports since then have indicated that Mather and the rest of the decision-making contingent has softened on that stance and would consider candidates without GM experience. Notably, those reports came in conjunction with Eppler’s first interview, so it would seem that he impressed ownership. Heyman noted in last week’s report that both Dipoto and Eppler would interview for a second time, though the specific timing of those sit-downs was not indicated.