General Manager Search Thread: Who will be the 17th general manager?

[Edgy MD]

That "17" figure is debatable, and depends on whether you count interims, recidivists, and interim recidivists. And do you count an interim triumberate who shared the job once, or multiple times?



Early names, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, include former Philadelphia Phillies' general manager Matt Klentak and former Houston Astros' general manager James Click. Nightengale never struck me as good writer, but he's a guy who works his beat and shoots straight.



Klentak was the guy who inherited a team that was paying the bills on contracts accrued during their last top-flight run, led them through some rough years, and got the boot just before their later (current) quality run. You may take that to mean his presence would be waiting out a five-year rebuild with the Mets, though that's probably not a necessary conclusion to draw. He has previously worked in top positions for Rockies, Orioles, and Angels. In the movie, he'd be played by Giovanna Ribisi.



[FIMG=500]https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Matt-Klentak-Headshot-940x540.jpg[/FIMG]



Click is currently the Toronto Blue Jays' vice president role. He ran the Astros from 2020 until 2022 (which included the not officially tainted championship), and spent several years with the Rays before that. You may take that to mean his presence would mean a home-grown team, though that's probably not a necessary conclusion to draw. In the movie, he'd be played by Todd Louiso.



[FIMG=500]https://metsmerizedonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/USATSI_18312533_168402349_lowres-1-768x537.jpg[/FIMG]

[MFS62]

But will they ever be as good as Branch Rickey, who was played by Harrison Ford in 42?

LOL!

Later

[MFS62]

Risingapple.com rates their top 5 GM candidates:

1-Sig Mejdal (Assistant GM, Baltimore)

2-Amiel Sawdaye (Senior VP and assistant,, GM Arizona) \

3-Randy Flores (Assistant GM, St. Louis)

4-Carlos Rodriguez ( VP and Assistant GM, Rays) - my choice

5-Ben Sestanovich (baseball Operations, Atlanta)



The link to the long, pop-up filled story describing each is https://risingapple.com/posts/ny-mets-5-best-gm-candidates-replace-billy-eppler?fbclid=IwAR2LB4A6vIv3OmrCZ_5vO1C9LmmNFTW8Lna1uhzgTAM_iZTYxbCXT_ufy9Ihttps://risingapple.com/posts/ny-mets-5-best-gm-candidates-replace-billy-eppler?fbclid=IwAR2LB4A6vIv3OmrCZ_5vO1C9LmmNFTW8Lna1uhzgTAM_iZTYxbCXT_ufy9I



Later

[metirish]

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

https://twitter.com/CraigMish/status/1713899280971256204

Wow. Right after she gets them into the playoffs. Was this only her second year?

[metirish]

Per The Athletic



Kim Ng will not return as general manager of the Miami Marlins in 2024, the team announced Monday. Although the club exercised her team option to return for the 2024 season, Ng declined

[bmfc1]

At a Starbucks in Miami:

"Psst, Kim... Steve says 'hello'".

"Steve who?"

"You know, Steve. That Steve."

"Oh, the Steve with bad grounds crew."

"Whatever. You can fix that, too"

"Got it."

Edited October 16, 2023 by Guest

[metirish]

[Benjamin Grimm]

It seems like the trend in the industry is that the GM position won't be as glamorous or powerful as it once was.

[roger_that]

GM of the Future: "flunky to the team's CEO or President or Chief of Baseball Operations or Mahatma."

[MFS62]

I wanted her as GM the last time she was available when she left LA. She's put together two teams that made the playoffs, LA and the Fish.

It wouldn't hurt to ask if she would take a job here and she could pick her own title.

Later

[metirish]

And if she chooses title of President of baseball operations?

[MFS62]

=metirish post_id=139509 time=1697477832 user_id=72]
And if she chooses title of President of baseball operations?

[metirish]

Haha , yes, joking of course but one can see why she didn't want to take up her option, I'm sure she will have many opportunities to be GM or Pres

[nymr83]

Ng's departure — about 20 months after Derek Jeter's departure as the team's chief executive — raises questions about Sherman's vision for the organization. How does a franchise fail to retain not just one, but two highly respected baseball minds with championship pedigrees? It's a sobering and bewildering day for a team that should be building off its most encouraging season in decades. — Tyler Kepner, MLB senior writer

From the athletic. Is Tyler trying to get himself a gift basket by smoking Jeter's knob? He has ZERO pedigree of success as an executive. Keep the story about Ng.

[Benjamin Grimm]

=Brittany Ghiroli, The Athletic]


It's fair to wonder where Ng goes from here, as both current open general manager jobs come with caveats. There is Boston, where people in the industry remain wary of a job in which ownership has cycled through multiple candidates over the past five years, and one in which any new GM will be inheriting most of its front office as well as manager Alex Cora, who has considerable power, according to industry sources. There's also the Mets' GM job, though David Stearns was hired as president to oversee the organization earlier this month, and thus Ng would again be No. 2.

[Edgy MD]

Does Kepner back up his assertions with any quotes supporting the notion that Jeter's mind is highly respected in the industry? That colleagues and rivals were befuddled by his tenure ending?



It's not like somebody has moved in to hire him since.



Anyhow, that's a courageous jump by Ms. Ng.

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

Perhaps she will think being the Number 2 in New York with an owner who is committed to winning, is willing to spend, and has a design team that realizes black letters on black jersey is unreadable is better that being the No. 2 in Miami.

[Lefty Specialist]

I didn't realize that only 2 other GM jobs were open; seemed like there should be more. But Stearns seems like a very 'hands-on' guy and I would think that any GM under him will have their options limited, the kind of situation Ng just bailed out from.



Of course Cohenbucks can be a powerful lure, both in one's paycheck and roster flexibility.

[nymr83]

Edgy MD wrote: Does Kepner back up his assertions with any quotes supporting the notion that Jeter's mind is highly respected in the industry? That colleagues and rivals were befuddled by his tenure ending? It's not like somebody has moved in to hire him since. Anyhow, that's a courageous jump by Ms. Ng.

Nope, that paragraph is the only part about Jeter. As I'm sure you know by now from 25 years of listening to Yankees fans, evidence of Jeter's "greatness" is usually considered unnecessary

[Edgy MD]

Thanks.



A limited number of GM jobs may be open at the moment, but probably a greater number of president jobs are available if other teams want to go in that direction.



She also could probably get a lot of interest from the league office or from sectors outside baseball until the chair she's looking for opens up. It's bold of her to walk away, but she's had a pretty impressive walk year.

[roger_that]

Jever work for a large company that hires senior administrative people at the top for absurd salaries, and keeps creating new top senior positions at top dollar while maintaining that they need to keep workers' salaries down because times are tough?

[metirish]

Interesting, although Boston apparently isn't the great job it used to be (ownership)

[Edgy MD]

Kim Ng for Speaker of the House!!

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: Kim Ng for Speaker of the House!!

Good idea.

If she can deal with agents, she can deal with anybody.

Later

[metirish]

Not sure I like this

[Frayed Knot]

Essentially that just means that he's the GM for now.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'm not surprised.



I read something recently that the distinction between POBO and GM is just a result of "position inflation". The POBO does what a GM used to do, and a GM does what an Assistant GM used to do.



It's like when Mary Richards was promoted from Associate Producer at WJM to Producer. Meanwhile, Lou Grant was promoted to Executive Producer. And neither of their job functions changed.



So as far as I'm concerned, no GM is no biggie.

[Edgy MD]

On the other hand, WJM rarely finished out of the cellar.

[Frayed Knot]

One of the ass't GMs will likely be the contact man to the agents for contract negotiations while Stearns makes the final decisions. I agree that not having a titled GM isn't a big deal. If nothing else it gives the POBO time to evaluate who he's got in house.



You (Grimm) should go to the next press conference and point out the Mary/Lou analogy to Stearnes. You'll probably get tossed out of the room on your ass but it'll be totally worth it.