Interviews

[Guest AG/DC]

Interviewing with former Met and current Texas president Nolie Ryan for the Rangers vacant pitching coach job: former Met pitching coach Rick Peterson.

Interviewing for the vacant Seattle GM positon: Mets VP, assistant GM, and lightning rod Tony Bernazard. Also up for that job: Diamondbacks assistant GM Peter Woodfork; Jerry Dipoto, Diamondbacks director of player personnel; Kim Ng, Los Angeles Dodgers assistant GM and Tony LaCava, the assistant GM for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Jerry DiFreakinPoto?

[DocTee]

Kim Ng, who interviewed for the spot now held by Dodgers GM Ned Coletti, would be the first female GM in the majors.

[Guest AG/DC]

Bill Singer, meanwhile, is working for your Washington Nationals, where he is responsible for --- you can't make this up --- scouting operations in Asia.

[Centerfield]

He's a natural fit, with his proficiency in Chinese.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I don't know what to think about Tony Bernazard. He probably gets more scorn from the fan base than anyone else in the front office other than Jeff Wilpon, but few really know what either of those guys do.

If he leaves, how much of a loss would it be for the Mets? Or would it be one of those "additions by subtraction?"

Maybe I don't pay enough attention to front office responsibilities, but all I know about Tony B. is that he's been interviewed on SNY a few times about the Mets farm system, and he dared to speak Street Spanish to Carlos Delgado during the 2004-05 offseason.

[metirish]

Bernazard runs the Mets' player development department so I would see that as an important role. If we are to believe what we read then Tony B was in tight with the Wilpon's and is very close to Minaya.

It's an opportunity for him to move on I guess to bigger things.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

FWIW the Bernazard is the Devil stories virtually disappeared after Willie was fired.

That he is getting attention as a potential GM from other orgs says more about his rep than do all these "one source close to the Mets said" stories. The few times I heard him talk he came off as well spoken and competant -- and if I had to make a guess, Omar would be every bit as likely to whip out street spanish in negotiations.

[metirish]

Here is an item form the Seattle times , running through the list of candidates.


Tony Bernazard

Vice president, player development, New York Mets

Age: 52

Background: Played 10 seasons in the major leagues as a second baseman, including 80 games for the Mariners in 1983. Most of his executive experience since his playing career ended in 1991 has been with the players' union. Was a special assistant to Donald Fehr from 1992 until joining the Mets in December 2004. Played a key role in labor negotiations, salary arbitration and globalization while working for the union. Also served as GM for six major-league All-Star teams that competed in Japan. Was a special assistant to Mets GM Omar Minaya, and now runs the Mets' player development department. Ran into controversy this year with allegations that he helped undermine manager Willie Randolph, who was fired in June.



I'd hire him in a minute to run my team.

[Guest AG/DC]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: FWIW the Bernazard is the Devil stories virtually disappeared after Willie was fired.

Well, after the Mets rallied under Manuel anyhow. There were certainly enough stories in the weeks after the firing that it was engineered --- in part or whole --- by a sniveling Bernazard.