Who's gonna be the General Manager?

[Centerfield]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Cerrone suggests that the Mets hire both Melvin and Bloom, which is an interesting idea. I don't know how likely it is, though. Do the Mets want to hire two people? And would both candidates be willing to take the job under those conditions?

Hey we're the Mets! Other teams win championships, but we have FIVE GM's! Name one other club that can say that. Can't do it can ya? Can ya?

[Centerfield]

But all kidding aside, Bloom sounds smart. I'd like to get him into the organization.

[Guest 41Forever]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Cerrone suggests that the Mets hire both Melvin and Bloom, which is an interesting idea. I don't know how likely it is, though. Do the Mets want to hire two people? And would both candidates be willing to take the job under those conditions?

Well, Melvin is 66 and Bloom is 35. I can see a situation where we bring Melvin on board knowing that he's here a relatively short time, taking Bloom under his wing and allowing him to gain some of the experience he's missing, be the heir apparent and step into the role in two or three years.

Kind of like the Emperor and Darth Vader without the black robes and Jar Jar.

[Centerfield]

How's this for a conspiracy theory.

Bud Selig made the Mets hire Sandy Alderson and gave Sandy the directive to keep the budget under control.

Bud Selig is now making the Mets hire Doug Melvin with the directive that the he keep the budget under control.

Crazy?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Don;t buy it, completely.

When Sandy was hired ("installed" is more like it) the Mets were $25M in debt to MLB and Bud needed to be sure he got paid back. The Mets iirc paid back Bud by selling portions of the club to Bill Mahar, the 1800 Flowers guy, and SNY etc.

One of the things that worries me now is that the Mets have been left to their own devices to figure out who to name next and that's always been a problem for the Wilpons who don't really know what they want.

[Guest vtmet]

Cerrone suggests that the Mets hire both Melvin and Bloom, which is an interesting idea. I don't know how likely it is, though. Do the Mets want to hire two people? And would both candidates be willing to take the job under those conditions? Hey we're the Mets! Other teams win championships, but we have FIVE GM's! Name one other club that can say that. Can't do it can ya? Can ya?

is that much different than the Chicago Cubs front office structure? Theo Epstein gets a lot of credit for the work that he did in Boston and also in Chicago...but is he the guy making decisions in Chicago or is Jed Hoyer? Theo is technically not the GM, and Hoyer technically is the GM, but aren't both involved in major decision making?


https://www.mlb.com/cubs/team/front-office

Baseball Operations President, Baseball Operations - Theo Epstein Executive Vice President, General Manager - Jed Hoyer Assistant General Manager - Randy Bush Assistant General Manager - Scott Harris Assistant General Manager, Strategic Initiatives - Shiraz Rehman Director, Baseball Operations - Jeff Greenberg Director, Major League Travel - Vijay Tekchandani Senior Advisor - Billy Williams Executive Assistant to President and EVP/GM, Baseball Operations - Meghan Jones Coordinator, Baseball Operations - Greg Davey Assistant, Baseball Operations - Alex Smith Trainee, Baseball Operations - Adam Unes MLB Diversity Fellow - Katie Carlson

[Frayed Knot]

vtmet wrote: is that much different than the Chicago Cubs front office structure? Theo Epstein gets a lot of credit for the work that he did in Boston and also in Chicago...but is he the guy making decisions in Chicago or is Jed Hoyer? Theo is technically not the GM, and Hoyer technically is the GM, but aren't both involved in major decision making?

A lot depends on how things are structured. The Cubs, as well as Oakland and a bunch of other teams, have, in effect, a CEO of baseball who sets the direction and philosophy for the org while the GM does
the day to day handling of GM type of things (negotiations, trade talks, etc.). But if it's set up with a several-headed GM where no one is really in charge and where each might have slightly different ideas
of how to go about things then the oars aren't exactly all pulling in the same direction and often whoever the owners listen to last gets his way. Steinbrenner used to act like that where he'd essentially have
his Tampa-based group of advisors fight it out with the GM and his office in NY to see whose ideas he liked better, at which point he'd threaten them with "This Better Work!" and publicly name whose idea
it was if/when it didn't (never himself of course). The other group was then the favorite for a while until they fell out of favor. Not surprisingly, since I think they're essentially the same person, Trump
operates his management "style" that way as well.

So while it's not inconceivable that a theoretical Melvin/Bloom team could succeed, you'd want to have the job descriptions separate and, even then, the main problem would still be the idea that the
Wilpons don't seem willing to have the overall direction of the franchise set by anyone but themselves.

[smg58]

I'm hoping for a Bialystock/Bloom team myself. They nailed it without even trying. Of course, they wound up spending more than they brought in...

[Centerfield]

It’s just astonishing that after getting burned by not listening to the analytics team last year when they signed Vargas and Bruce, that they would double down and venture even further away.

This sort of incompetence is how you end up creating a culture of losing.

I am so sick of this team being a laughingstock.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

It's almost as if this organization has no overarching vision for what they'd like to be. Next thing you know, they'll be eschewing homegrown traditions because they're mildly inconvenient, in favor of borrowed, warmed-over roster ideas, in-game presentation shtick, and stadium design.

[ashie62]

Bloom performed a miracle in Tampa Bay. How can you not offer him???

[Benjamin Grimm]

A couple of days ago, Kristie Ackert had a column saying that we shouldn't assume that Doug Melvin is a no-analytics guy. Now she's telling us that we shouldn't assume the opposite about Chaim Bloom.

Ackert: Chaim Bloom may be youngest candidate for Mets' GM opening, but don't assume he's just an analytics guy

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Friedman performed similar wonders under similar constraint during his TB tenure. He's been doing all right (with a slightly bigger budget) since he moved on.

I kinda like Doug Melvin. But I look at the job Bloom has done with player evaluation, player development AND scouting-- all under SEVERE financial duress, and I'm intrigued. Hell, Bloom even has experience with exotic, Bob-and-Carol-and-Ted-and-Alice* GM divisions-of-labor. We know what Melvin is, and that's potentially extremely useful. I know he's more than just an old-schoolbaseballliferblahblah, and I don't mean to denigrate him by pointing up Bloom. I'm just frustrated and worried that THAT would be a primary criterion for his selection.

*That's one for you Melvin contemporaries out there.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I think I agree. I'm not going to gnash my teeth if it's Melvin, but I prefer Bloom.

[Centerfield]

A couple of days ago, Kristie Ackert had a column saying that we shouldn't assume that Doug Melvin is a no-analytics guy. Now she's telling us that we shouldn't assume the opposite about Chaim Bloom. Ackert: Chaim Bloom may be youngest candidate for Mets' GM opening, but don't assume he's just an analytics guy

I like everything I read about this guy. I really hope Fred can be convinced to go this way.

I'm encouraged that Ackert has such a positive piece on him. Maybe the decision hasn't been made after all. Fingers crossed.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Ackert's reporting on this story, as balanced as it is, IMO fails to wholly contextualize the situation. She notes for example that Melvin could mend the alleged disharmony in the front office but doesn't tell us why (hint: It's because Fred hired Sandy's predecessor and the manager he fired as his "special guys.")

[Centerfield]

Word is that Bloom will not have a press conference. He will only issue a statement, like Brodie did earlier.

Based on that it's hard not to conclude the Melvin is the guy and has been all along.

Sucks if this is true. Really was hoping they would go Bloom.

[HahnSolo]

I thought Bloom was going to do the conference call with the media the morning after his second interview? Has that changed?

[Guest d'Kong76]

They probably made Melvin an offer in September and all this other stuff has
been one big Wilponion charade. Me? Bitter? Nah...

[Benjamin Grimm]

Mike Puma wrote: Chaim Bloom is taking a pass on speaking publicly about his interest in the Mets’ opening for a head of baseball operations. The Rays senior VP of baseball operations is expected to issue a statement Thursday, a day after he met with Mets owner Fred Wilpon and COO Jeff Wilpon in a second interview with club officials. It’s possible Bloom’s reluctance to speak publicly stems from the fact he is still employed by the Rays, or it could signal he is no longer a serious candidate for the position. Earlier this week agent Brodie Van Wagenen issued a statement about his interview with the Mets in place of a conference call.

[Centerfield]

Chaim Bloom statement:

We had a productive meeting yesterday. There was a lot of baseball conversation and I enjoyed the time we spent together.

Um. Ok.

So I'm guessing he has either withdrawn, or he's of the mindset that he's out of the running.

[metirish]

Could be Bloom knows this is all BS and why bother doing a phony presser

Edited October 25, 2018 by Guest

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

We had a productive meeting yesterday. There was a lot of baseball conversation and I enjoyed the time we spent together.

oh my god

[Benjamin Grimm]

I enjoyed the time we spent together.

That's like a polite way to say that you're not interested in a second date.

Disappointing. Imagine how we (and the Wilpons) will feel if Bloom goes to San Diego or somewhere and builds a ten-year dynasty.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

[tweet:1bgzovip]

[/tweet:1bgzovip]

[tweet:1bgzovip]

[/tweet:1bgzovip]

[Benjamin Grimm]

Well, I hope it's the "respect for his current role" thing, but it's not like his bosses in Tampa don't know he's interviewing.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'm beginning to think Chaim turned the Mets down

[Guest d'Kong76]

Sure sounds like it. I mean really, who'd wanna front this dysfunctional mess with
Jeff and Fred breathing down your neck in the morning and pulling back your reins
in the afternoon day after day week after week... #lgm #ygb #tkti

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I enjoyed the time we spent together. That's like a polite way to say that you're not interested in a second date. Disappointing. Imagine how we (and the Wilpons) will feel if Bloom goes to San Diego or somewhere and builds a ten-year dynasty.

See, Melvin might do well here. But I don't have any-- ANY-- concern that he would go elsewhere and build a juggernaut.

[G-Fafif]

I enjoyed the time we spent together.

Just to have a laugh and sing a song.

Then he tugged his ear and was gone until next Saturday night at 10/9 Central.