I’m Just a POBO Nobody Loves Me

[Centerfield]

So Chernoff is out. Theo Epstein was never in. I'm a little surprised that Alderson has taken this long to fill out his front office. From what I'm hearing there are still candidates out there, but I get the impression that their first choices might be off the table.



As one of the guys who thought that there would be a rush of guys wanting to work for Steve Cohen, it's just a bit disappointing.

[Benjamin Grimm]

We know that Jeff Wilpon is interested.

[Centerfield]

ARod too.

[MFS62]

And every caller to WFAN who has come up with a WATP.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

First of all, great thread title.



Secondly, it's amazing sometimes to see how things in baseball's off-season move at the pace of a relay race at a Molina family picnic.

On the player FA side of things it's at least partially explainable by the lack of a salary cap. In the NBA & NFL the money available to players is not just a finite number but a publicly known finite

number so the players are, in effect, playing a game of musical chairs and tend to jump into the first one they see figuring that missing out on that one might just leave them without a chair entirely

and that it's not like the next chair is going to have a better cushion anyway since the league mandates that all cushions be the same. A bit of a tortured analogy perhaps but the point is that the NBA FA

season (in a normal year anyway) seems to entirely take place inside about 48 hours and most of those deals are cut (not legally but also not so secretly) prior to when the official start of the period

even begins.

The NFL is kind of the same except that the 'Franchise' and 'Transitional' player tags effectively skim the cream of the FA crop off the top each year leaving the FA signings to be mostly faceless guys

fighting for a limited amount of positions for a mostly fixed amount of dollars so, again, there's pressure to grab the first offer you get for fear it won't be there if you dare to take even a few days to

contemplate what else might be out there. In MLB, those hours and days-long time frames get stretched out to weeks and maybe months as if part of a slow-moving game of chess (redundancy?).



But none of that should apply to front office positions in baseball so this is kind of strange and not something for which I have a logical explanation, especially seeing as how the field of qualified

possibilities is smaller (at least at the upper ranks) and the openings so few that one would figure things to move more quickly.

Edited November 23, 2020 by Guest

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, but I can see how they can operate at least partway into the offseason with what they've got.



You don't need a director of development, when nobody's developing. You don't need a director of scouting when there's no one to scout. Sandy can act as GM in the meantime, he has scouting reports on file, and senior scouts to consult with.



You want to get the right guys in place, and hopefully intellectual property and junior staffers and the Marlin McPhails left behind are enough for now. As long as the agents have a guy that's in charge, they know who they are dealing with.

[Frayed Knot]

Oh I don't think they HAVE to have someone by tomorrow.

But it has been close to four weeks now with seemingly little or no movement apparent, a pace which feels oddly par for the course.

[Frayed Knot]

Frayed Knot wrote: First of all, great thread title. Secondly, it's amazing sometimes to see how things in baseball's off-season move at the pace of a relay race at a Molina family picnic. On the player FA side of things it's at least partially explainable by the lack of a salary cap. In the NBA & NFL the money available to players is not just a finite number but a publicly known finite number so the players are, in effect, playing a game of musical chairs and tend to jump into the first one they see figuring that missing out on that one might just leave them without a chair entirely and that it's not like the next chair is going to have a better cushion anyway since the league mandates that all cushions be the same. A bit of a tortured analogy perhaps but the point is that the NBA FA season (in a normal year anyway) seems to entirely take place inside about 48 hours and most of those deals are (not legally but also not so secretly) cut prior to when the official start of the period even begins. The NFL is kind of the same except that the 'Franchise' and 'Transitional' player tags effectively skim the cream of the FA crop off the top each year leaving the FA signings to be mostly faceless guys fighting for a limited amount of positions for a mostly fixed amount of dollars so, again, there's pressure to grab the first offer you get for fear it won't be there if you dare to take even a few days to contemplate what else might be out there. In MLB, those hours and days-long time frames get stretched out to weeks and maybe months as if part of a slow-moving game of chess (redundancy?). But none of that should apply to front office positions in baseball so this is kind of strange and not something for which I have a logical explanation, especially seeing as how the field of qualified possibilities is smaller (at least at the upper ranks) and the openings so few that one would figure things to move more quickly.

[Edgy MD]

Sandy's on now, and he appears to be saying that he hasn't been able to find his candidate and will be leaving the role of president of baseball operations vacant and will focus on appointing a general manager for now.

[Edgy MD]

A half dozen GM candidates have been interviewed. Steve Cohen is involved in the process. Luis Rojas coming back. Puma at the mic with a question NOW!!!!

[Edgy MD]

Sandy is "very happy that 'Looie' is coming back." He likes Rojas' personnel management and looks for him to improve with the in-game side of the job.



He is taking Theo Epstein at his word that he intends to take the year off, and so hasn't reached out to Eppy.

[Edgy MD]

Ricco is not a candidate for GM but will be back as Sandy's "right-hand person."

[Centerfield]

I'm fine with that. Makes sense to wait for the right guy than to rush into a bad fit.



Hell. Even Sandy and Ricco are fine as a one year stopgap. I think I read that the Dodgers didn't make the playoffs until year 2 after the McCourt sale. Makes sense.



Let's beef up that analytics department though.

[Edgy MD]

Howie Rose asks if the GM template has changed with no POBO to be hired.



Sandy says no, but his "relationship with that GM" has changed. He will be more involved on the baseball side than anticipated.



In other words, he will be the de facto POBO.

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: Sandy's on now, and he appears to be saying that he hasn't been able to find his candidate and will be leaving the role of president of baseball operations vacant and will focus on appointing a general manager for now.

Has anyone asked the question we were wondering - what are the responsibilities of each title?

Has anyone asked if this delay will set them back in the signing of free agents?

If so, what did he say.





OE: looks like I was writing that while others posted.

Later

[Edgy MD]

Sanderson wants someone with a background that suggests "baseball credibility" but also with the energy and initiative to make things happen..



(Is this a "no girls" policy?!! I DON'T KNOW!!)

[Edgy MD]

Here's the FB link:

Facebook

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM

[Edgy MD]

Points out that the Canó thing opens up $$ for 2021, but that money is still earmarked for 2022 and 2023. Finds the roster flexibility opening up just as interesting. Not currently considering releasing Canó.



Decision hasn't been made on Rojas coaches.

[Edgy MD]

Lindsey Kramer of Syracuse.com in the house, and he's asking about ... TIM TEBOW!!!



Sandy says he's anxious to come back. Sandy advocated for him to return, saying he told him (paraphrasing), "Why let COVID policies end your career?"

[Edgy MD]

Gelbsy asked about a Conforto extension. Sandy says he has not spoken with the agent yet, but expects to.

[Edgy MD]

"To a person," all the GM candidates have said that "bringing Rojas back is the right thing to do."



Sandy wants an NL DH. Boo.



"Pitchers can't even bunt any more."



Fuck that logic, Sandy.

[Edgy MD]

Andy Martino has no fedora, but has a set of Beatles plush toys in the background.

[Edgy MD]

Howie Rose has a "New York State Baseball Hall of Fame" inductee plaque on his wall behind him.

[Edgy MD]

Ed Coleman has some really weird dragonfly-patterned wallpaper.



Press conference over.

[Edgy MD]

I didn't mention that Sandy thinks "the foundation is strong," but they are "more than one or two players away."



While that's true, I always wonder about that analysis. It depends on the players.



Also, a confession: Before I stumbled across this presser, I didn't know what a POBO was.

[Lefty Specialist]

Edgy MD wrote: "To a person," all the GM candidates have said that "bringing Rojas back is the right thing to do." Sandy wants an NL DH. Boo. "Pitchers can't even bunt any more." Fuck that logic, Sandy.

Yeah, but when he's talking about the Mets pitchers, he's spot on.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Edgy MD wrote: Also, a confession: Before I stumbled across this presser, I didn't know what a POBO was.

It's what they call a hero or a hoagie in New Orleans.

[Edgy MD]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Edgy MD wrote: "To a person," all the GM candidates have said that "bringing Rojas back is the right thing to do." Sandy wants an NL DH. Boo. "Pitchers can't even bunt any more." Fuck that logic, Sandy. Yeah, but when he's talking about the Mets pitchers, he's spot on.

I disagree. Because current Met pitchers fail to bunt effectively does not distinctly mean they cannot bunt. It more likely means they haven't been taught well or been given the reps. It's self-justifying logic.

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

Theo's contract with the Cubs expires in a year. Perhaps they are keeping the light on for him.



I used to hate the DH. Hate it. But I kind of got used to the idea of having Alonso and Dom in the lineup at the same time without having Dom in left.

[nymr83]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Edgy MD wrote: "To a person," all the GM candidates have said that "bringing Rojas back is the right thing to do." Sandy wants an NL DH. Boo. "Pitchers can't even bunt any more." Fuck that logic, Sandy. Yeah, but when he's talking about the Mets pitchers, he's spot on.

The Mets are likely best positioned to take advantage of the DH. Certainly of the NL East teams.