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Tony La Russa

Tony La Russa Joins Angels As Senior Advisor

By Steve Adams | November 12, 2019 at 4:59pm CDT

The Angels announced Tuesday that Hall of Famer Tony La Russa has joined the organization as a senior advisor to the baseball operations department.

“I’ve admired Tony for a very long time,” general manager Billy Eppler said in a press release announcing the move. “As our paths have crossed over the years, Tony and I discussed the potential of working together and we’re excited to finally get that opportunity. Adding his knowledge and experience will be an invaluable piece to the success and continued development of our baseball operations efforts both on and off the field.”

La Russa, 75, has spent nearly six decades working in professional baseball as a player, manager and front-office executive. He played parts of six seasons in the Majors from 1963-73 and, in 1979, embarked on a legendary managerial career that would eventually lead to his enshrinement in Cooperstown. A four-time Manager of the Year winner who has six League Championships and three World Series rings on his resume, La Russa managed the White Sox, Athletics and Cardinals to a combined 2728-2365 record across an incredible 33 seasons in the dugout.

He more recently had a less successful run as the Diamondbacks’ chief baseball officer, working alongside since-fired general player-turned-agent-turned-manager Dave Stewart in Arizona from 2014-17. La Russa resigned from that post after the D-backs dismissed Stewart and brought in current general manager Mike Hazen. He subsequently joined the Red Sox as a special assistant to president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski prior to the 2018 season. He’d reportedly been expected to remain in the Boston organization but will instead now tackle a new opportunity with the Angels organization.

In his new role with the Angels, La Russa will “assist in all areas of baseball operations including Major League player evaluations and minor league development,” per the Angels’ announcement.

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Front Office Notes: Epstein, Red Sox, Orioles

By Dylan A. Chase | September 21, 2019 at 6:20pm CDT

With recently returned Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel having issued another ninth-inning meltdown today–against the NL Central-leading Cardinals, no less–Chicago fans may feel disinclined to read today’s piece from Chicago Sun-Times scribe Gordon Wittenmeyer, which doesn’t pull any punches in evaluating the job done by team president Theo Epstein and his staff this year. In Wittenmeyer’s view, blame for the Cubs 2019 underachievement should be directed at ownership and Epstein’s front office–not underperforming players or maligned manager Joe Maddon. Wittenmeyer writes: “What’s clear is that the onus of this season’s shortcomings falls on the shoulders of Theo Epstein’s front office for free agency and player development failings and Ricketts ownership for failure to exercise the market advantage of franchise-record revenues to increase spending during a seize-the-moment competitive window.”

Wittenmeyer leaves little earth unscorched in this column, citing the club’s inability to develop impact pitching, unwillingness to spend beyond ownership-established thresholds, and in-house pressure regarding the need for early-season “urgency” as factors that dragged down this year’s Cubbies. The Cubs dropped today’s 9-8 decision to St. Louis and now fall to 6.0 games back in the NL Central race.

More notes concerning FO leaders and PD staffers from around the game…

  • When Dave Dombrowski was relieved of his post by the Red Sox on Sept. 8, many cited the club’s thinned-out farm system as a potential impetus for the leadership change. For those interested in investigating that theory first-hand, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe took the time to explore Dombrowski’s effect on the Boston farm in a subscriber-only piece today (link). Recent farm system rankings from Fangraphs and Baseball America have placed Boston’s system as 30th and 22nd in the game, respectively.
    In more Sox-related news, Jen McCaffery of The Athletic spoke with Red Sox assistant GM Eddie Romero regarding the organization’s decision to retain front office staffer Tony La Russa in the wake of Dombrowski’s ousting (link). La Russa’s title under Dombrowski had been “Special Assistant and Vice President of Baseball Operations”, but the club is in the process of how the club can augment the baseball legend’s role moving forward: “We think it will evolve into a lot more overall staff development, not just major league-focused,” Romero told McCaffery. “But those are things we’re still talking about and we’re excited with the prospect of Tony continuing to bring his vast experience and knowledge.” 
  • Former big leaguer B.J. Surhoff was one casualty of Orioles GM Mike Elias’ midsummer front office shakeup, and Surhoff, for one, does not appreciate the way Elias handled his dismissal. In a candid interview with Dan Connolly of The Athletic, Surhoff claims that he was relieved of his duties as special assignment instructor after only having spoken with Elias on one other occasion–the day Elias was introduced as O’s GM back in November. “Am I pissed? Yeah. I’m unhappy about what happened,” Surhoff told Connolly. “Do I have sour grapes toward the organization? Well, I don’t like the way things are being handled. I just don’t like how they’re treating people. I want that to be known.” Surhoff stressed to Connolly that he could not speak for the other 30-plus employees who were issued non-renewals by Elias this summer. One of those non-renewals, longtime Baltimore scout Dean Albany, has been hired as a special assignment scout by the Phillies organization after spending 20 years in the Orioles org, per a separate tweet from Connolly (link).

 

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East Notes: Red Sox, La Russa, Mets, Callaway, Bichette

By Connor Byrne | September 19, 2019 at 10:48pm CDT

Set to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2015, the Red Sox have already made a few changes to their front office. They let go of president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski on Sept. 8, and then followed his firing with the dismissals of senior VP of baseball ops Frank Wren and special assignment scout Eddie Bane on Thursday. VP/special assistant Tony La Russa won’t walk the plank with them, though, as Jon Heyman of MLB Network first reported the Red Sox planned to retain the former big league manager. He’ll indeed come back for at at least another year, according to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. La Russa, soon to turn 75 years old, was a Dombrowski hire back in November 2017.

More from the East Coast…

  • Don’t expect the Mets to trade outfielder Brandon Nimmo during the offseason, Mike Puma of the New York Post tweets. After looking like a breakout star in 2018, Nimmo got off to a rough start this season before sitting out from late May until the start of this month because of neck problems. However, his torrid numbers over the past couple weeks have allayed any concerns Mets brass had over him earlier in the campaign, according to Puma. The 26-year-old has posted a video game-like September 1.183 OPS that has helped him to a .222/.377/.407 line in 213 plate appearances this season.
  • While Nimmo looks like a good bet to stick with the Mets in 2020, the same might not be true for oft-maligned manager Mickey Callaway. The Mets won’t decide on whether to keep Callaway until after their season ends, multiple organizational sources have suggested to Puma. The club has rallied from an awful start to log a respectable 79-73 record; however, the Mets are still 3 1/2 games back of a wild-card spot, and they’re likely to fall short of the expectations the front office placed on the roster entering the year, Puma notes. That could lead to the firing of Callaway, who’s in his second year on the job and whose teams have gone 156-158.
  • Standout Blue Jays rookie Bo Bichette left the team’s game against Baltimore on Thursday after getting hit in the helmet with a pitch. The Blue Jays removed Bichette for precautionary concussion testing, per Sportsnet’s Arash Madani, who adds that the club will reevaluate the 21-year-old shortstop Friday. Bichette has burst on the scene since his late-July promotion, having slashed .311/.358/.571 with 11 home runs in his first 212 major league PA. The Jays are way out of contention, but Bichette’s among the reasons they could return to relevance soon, so they’re certain to proceed with caution in regards to his health.
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AL Rumors: Indians, Orioles, Machado, Red Sox

By Connor Byrne | November 19, 2017 at 11:27am CDT

While it’s unclear if any deals will materialize, a slew of Indians drew trade interest at this month’s general managers meetings, according to Terry Pluto of cleveland.com. Specifically, teams inquired about a few Indians pitchers – including right-handers Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer and Mike Clevinger – as well as catchers Roberto Perez and Yan Gomes. Clubs also approached the Tribe about a couple less heralded members of the organization in outfielder Greg Allen and minor league righty Shane Bieber, Pluto adds. Of those players, it’s clear Carrasco would warrant the largest return, but there’s no reason for the Indians to move him. Conversely, the Tribe would be open to dealing either Perez or Gomes, Pluto suggests, considering the team has high-end prospect Francisco Mejia waiting in the wings behind those two.

More from a pair of other American League cities:

  • The Orioles will wait until later in the offseason to discuss extensions with third baseman Manny Machado and center fielder Adam Jones, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com relays. Kubatko doesn’t expect an extension for Machado to come to fruition, which isn’t surprising given that he’s primed sign a mega-deal on the open market a year from now. Interestingly, though, Kubatko hears that Machado would prefer to play shortstop instead of third base, which could make a potential trip to free agency all the more intriguing. Machado logged 52 appearances at short between 2015-16 but has otherwise played the hot corner since debuting in 2012.
  • Closer Zach Britton, another high-profile Oriole entering a contract year, likely wouldn’t bring back a great return via trade this offseason, Buster Olney of ESPN.com observes. While the Orioles are open to trading Britton, his lack of team control, high salary (a projected $12.2MM in arbitration) and recent arm problems figure to tamp down his value, Olney writes. Still, whether it’s Britton, Darren O’Day or Brad Brach, Baltimore seems poised to move one of its most established relievers and use the money it saves on much-needed starting pitching help, per Olney.
  • More from Olney, who reports that the Red Sox and three-time World Series-winning manager Tony La Russa discussed having him serve as rookie skipper Alex Cora’s bench coach. Instead, Boston hired La Russa as a special assistant to president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and replaced previous bench coach Gary DiSarcina with Ron Roenicke. La Russa, 73, hasn’t been part of a coaching staff since he managed the Cardinals to a title in 2011.
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Red Sox Hire Tony La Russa As Vice President, Special Assistant

By Jeff Todd | November 2, 2017 at 9:10am CDT

NOV. 2: The Red Sox have formally announced the addition of La Russa to their baseball operations department. Per the team’s release, La Russa “will assist Dombrowski in all areas of baseball operations, including player development and consultation with the major and minor league coaching staffs.”

NOV. 1: The Red Sox are set to add Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa to their organization, according to a report from Chad Jennings and Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. La Russa just wrapped up a stint with the Diamondbacks, which he began as “chief baseball officer” and ended as “chief baseball analyst” after a front office shakeup.

We’ll likely know more soon, as the Herald reports an announcement could come tomorrow. What is clear is that La Russa will not be wearing a uniform. Jennings and Silverman say that he’s not slated to take a role on the staff of incoming skipper Alex Cora.

La Russa, who is now 73 years of age, instead seems slated to join a front office that’s helmed by Dave Dombrowski. (The two go way back, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag notes on Twitter.) It seems likely that La Russa will function in some kind of senior advisory capacity rather than taking up a spot with everyday duties in the chain of command, though that’s just speculation at this stage.

Boston has failed to make its way out of the divisional round in each of the past two postseasons, despite capturing consecutive AL East crowns. In the aftermath, skipper John Farrell lost his job and was ultimately replaced by Cora — who’ll be a rookie manager but is currently experiencing a deep run in his job as the Astros bench coach. It’s not entirely clear whether La Russa will have any role in helping to mentor Cora, but his vast experience will surely be drawn on as the organization looks both to repeat its divisional title and advance further into the playoffs.

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Quick Hits: C. Seager, Cubs, Rangers, Red Sox

By Connor Byrne | October 21, 2017 at 10:08pm CDT

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is optimistic shortstop Corey Seager will be able to return for the World Series, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com was among those to report (Twitter link). “Corey doesn’t want to be denied,” Roberts said of Seager, who missed the Dodgers’ five-game National League Championship Series triumph over the Cubs with a lower back sprain. Reserve Charlie Culberson provided surprisingly excellent production at shortstop against the Cubs, hitting .455/.417/.818 in 13 plate appearances, but he’s obviously not in Seager’s stratosphere. Seager has opened his career with two superstar-caliber seasons and is arguably the Dodgers’ top position player.

More from around the game:

  • The Cubs’ firing of pitching coach Chris Bosio on Saturday was manager Joe Maddon’s decision, Paul Sullivan and Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune report. Maddon’s relationship with Bosio deteriorated as the season progressed, per Sullivan and Gonzales, who add that Mike Maddux and the previously reported Jim Hickey are candidates to serve as the Cubs’ next pitching coach. Maddux was the Nationals’ pitching coach over the past two years, but his time with the club ended with manager Dusty Baker’s exit. Hickey, meanwhile, is also on the Cardinals’ radar, according to Sullivan and Gonzales.
  • Rangers general manager Jon Daniels will enter a contract year in 2018, but he told Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram and other reporters on Friday that he has “no desire to go anywhere.” Daniels’ hope is to land an extension, though neither he nor members of the Rangers’ ownership group commented on whether a new deal is in the works. The 40-year-old has been in his post since October 2005, making him the second-longest tenured GM in the game behind the Yankees’ Brian Cashman, and has helped construct five playoff teams and two pennant winners (2010 and ’11). The 2017 season wasn’t a success for the Daniels-led Rangers, however, as they finished 78-84. Daniels is still optimistic, though, saying: “This was not a fun year, just the variety of things that we dealt with, but what it illuminated was getting back to the things that are fun. Being creative, finding new ways to compete, finding different competitive advantages, circling the wagons and building with our people.”
  • The Red Sox are an “obvious” fit for Tony La Russa, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe observes. La Russa, who’s set to exit the Diamondbacks’ front office at the end of the month, has a longstanding relationship with Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, Cafardo points out. La Russa spoke glowingly of Boston’s front office leader, telling Cafardo, “There’s nobody in baseball I respect more than Dave Dombrowski.” Both La Russa’s friendship with Dombrowski and his vast experience in baseball could make him a candidate for an advisory role with the Sox. When asked about the possibility, Dombrowski said, “We’ll see.”
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Tony La Russa Stepping Away From Diamondbacks Organization

By Steve Adams | October 18, 2017 at 1:47pm CDT

The D-backs announced today that Tony La Russa is leaving the organization, effective at the end of the month. The 73-year-old Hall of Famer served as the D-backs’ chief baseball officer from 2015-16 and worked for the club under the title of chief baseball analyst in 2017 following a restructuring of the front office (including the hiring of general manager Mike Hazen).

“I am grateful to everyone in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization for the opportunity to complete my baseball education,” La Russa said in a statement released via press release. “After years in uniform and working with the Commissioner and many special members of Major League Baseball, being a part of the D-backs was both exciting and educational. The challenges facing baseball operations, player development and scouting are unique, as it’s a 24-7, 12-month job and more demanding than I ever realized. The success in 2017 was a complete team effort throughout the organization — including great support from our fans — and with the current leadership in place, we can expect it to be the foundation for many winning years to come.”

Hazen, Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall and Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick all thanked La Russa for his services as well. “Tony has been of great value to me, personally, and our staff during the past season, and I’m very appreciative for all that he has done here and the manner in which he handled the transition,” said Hazen.

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NL Notes: Braun, Gennett, Reds, Diamondbacks

By charliewilmoth and Connor Byrne | January 29, 2017 at 7:38pm CDT

Outfielder Ryan Braun has been the subject of trade rumors going back to last summer, in which he was connected to the Dodgers in a deal that might have included Yasiel Puig. Nonetheless, it’s now late January, and he remains with the Brewers. That doesn’t surprise owner Mark Attanasio, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. “No, I’m not surprised,” Attanasio says. “I think there was a lot of momentum [toward a trade] last summer, given the challenges the Dodgers had in hitting left-handed pitching and how strong a season he was having. … But after it didn’t happen, I actually thought if it wasn’t going to happen then, it wasn’t going to happen. We’re delighted he’s back.” Though Braun remains under contract through 2020 with a mutual option for 2021, it wouldn’t be surprising, in my view, if he reemerged as a trade candidate in the future as the Brewers continue their rebuild. McCalvy notes that the Brewers plan to be generous with time for young players this season. “It is essential that we do this rebuild correctly, and I think if we get too hung up on wins and losses, we’re maybe not doing it [right],” Attanasio says. Here’s more from the NL.

  • Brewers second baseman Scooter Gennett will try his hand at multiple positions, including the outfield, in Spring Training, according to manager Craig Counsell (Twitter link via McCalvy). Excluding pinch-hit appearances and one inning in the outfield, Gennett has come close to playing his entire career at second (396 games there, one as a designated hitter). However, Jonathan Villar is moving from the left side of the infield to the keystone, thereby relegating Gennett to a bench/utility role. He’ll also have a hard time garnering playing time in the outfield, though, as Braun, Domingo Santana and Keon Broxton are firmly entrenched as starters.
  • The Reds haven’t been able to trade Brandon Phillips or Zack Cozart and thus still have a logjam at middle infield, where they also have youngsters Jose Peraza and Dilson Herrera. The Reds say that they aren’t worried about Peraza’s playing time, however, according to MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. Peraza’s ability to play second, shortstop and outfield will help the team keep him on the field. “Going into the season with Brandon, Cozart, [Adam] Duvall, [Billy] Hamilton — those are our guys going into the season who will take the lion’s share of the playing time at those positions,” says manager Bryan Price. “That being said, Peraza is going to play. How I get him in there has yet to be seen, but he’ll get in there. It may just have to be rotation through different spots until an everyday spot comes to light.” Herrera, who only plays second base, is trickier, and Price says the plan will be for him to play at Triple-A if he can’t play second regularly in the big leagues. GM Dick Williams says, meanwhile, that the team’s ongoing situation with Phillips (who has repeatedly used his no-trade clause to reject potential trades, including one in November to the Braves) is “hard to predict” going forward.
  • Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall expressed regret Sunday over the team’s previous front office alignment, telling MLB Network Radio: “We probably had too many cooks in the kitchen. If we had to do it over again, we probably wouldn’t have done it that way.” Tony La Russa, Dave Stewart and De Jon Watson were the most prominent members of the Diamondbacks’ baseball department from 2014-16. Only La Russa remains now, and Stewart’s replacement – new general manager Mike Hazen – had a hand in keeping him. “It was another skill set Mike Hazen thought he needed around him,” Hall said of La Russa, whom he called a “team player” (Twitter links).
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Latest On D-Backs’ Front Office Changes, Managerial Opening

By Jeff Todd | October 20, 2016 at 4:30pm CDT

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”).
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D-Backs Introduce Mike Hazen, Address Tony La Russa’s Role

By Jeff Todd | October 17, 2016 at 10:09pm CDT

The Diamondbacks introduced new general manager Mike Hazen today, as Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. While there wasn’t much in the way of specifics on offer, the team’s top brass did talk through some general approaches and also addressed the still-undefined role of re-positioned executive Tony La Russa, Piecoro further reports.

Hazen enters the fold with a broad mandate as he takes the reins from the outgoing Dave Stewart. Though he was the last executive interviewed by the organization, things came together in a matter of days. “Clearly, in the case of Mike, everybody agrees he’s the right guy,” said president and CEO Derrick Hall. “So you have to let him do his job. That’s the goal.”

Hall and his boss, owner Ken Kendrick, expressed confidence in their new hire. Hall explained that Hazen will look to build a sustainable contender, with a “well-balanced” approach. The long-time Red Sox executive impressed with his breakdown of the organization, presenting a “vision” that the organization’s top leadership found compelling.

The incoming GM will take over final authority over the baseball decisionmaking for the organization, whereas Stewart had reported to La Russa. While the Hall of Fame skipper will stay in the organization — which was no sure thing after Stewart, VP DeJon Watson, and manager Chip Hale were all cut loose — he’ll do so in a diminished capacity.

La Russa was involved in the GM hiring process even after he was ordered to fire Stewart and was stripped of his title of chief baseball officer. But he’ll now work under the lesser title of chief baseball analyst and adviser, and will join Hazen in reporting to Hall, who says there’ll be “a dotted line” between the two men. “Mike needs to know everything that [La Russa is] doing and be comfortable with it,” Hall explained, adding that the relationship between La Russa and a new manager will also require “an understanding on both sides at what that role is.”

The precise nature of the relationship between Hazen and La Russa remains to be seen, but it seems that the former will attempt to embrace the latter’s experience. “I know that the game is moving in a particular direction with the buzzword of analytics,” Hazen explained. “(But) there’s no replacing the softer parts of the game, the knowledge of how to manage a human being.  … “Those things I’m confident that Tony’s going to be able to help with and I look forward to hearing what he has to say on all those things.” La Russa struck a similar tone, saying: “I think there’s a real place in front offices for guys that have uniform experience, just so you can help balance the metrics (with) some of that baseball expertise that’s come along for 100 years.”

Indeed, though he has spent much of his time in a Boston organization that obviously values analytics, Hazen stressed his roots in scouting and player development. As for the team’s many upcoming offseason decisions, Hazen largely demurred. “I don’t have a defined view just yet,” he said. “It would be irresponsible for me at this point to sort of say exactly how we’re going to attack the roster.” That’s understandable enough, given that he hasn’t yet dug into his new job, and he did notethat offseason opportunities will have an impact on the organization’s direction. “We’ll have more concrete answers on that as we move through the offseason,” he said. “We’ll see what the landscape is in the marketplace.”

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