No Moore, No Less
Dayton Moore withdrew his name from consideration for the Red Sox general manager position this afternoon and declined to meet with the team for a second interview. It seems that Braves GM John Schuerholz convinced Moore to stay, most likely putting Moore in a favorable place in the plan of succession upon the former’s retirement. Moore also brought up his three young children whom he would like to see grow up, preferably away from the prying Boston media.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers hired Ned Colletti, former assistant GM with the San Francisco Giants, as their GM. Once again Kim Ng was shunted aside within her own organization. But such an oversight may work in favor of Boston as their candidate pool dwindles. Recently, both Indians assistant GM Chris Antonetti and Blue Jays director of player personnel Tony LaCava stated they weren’t even interested in interviewing for the club. I shudder to think that the preponderance of Jim Beattie fluff pieces were just floated out to the public so that fans could begin to accept the idea of the former Montreal and Baltimore GM as part of Red Sox baseball operations.
Let’s end the charade once and for all. The Red Sox should run the team via internet polls. Genuine Red Sox Nation cardholders would have special access to more pivotal decisions, of course. The marketing team could also make each game like “American Idol” and have voting devices to determine Terry Francona’s in-game moves. I’m a citizen of the Nation and I demand my right to vote. That’s what this country was founded on: no frustration without representation.
Comments
I don't know a lot about Kim Ng but from what I've heard she knows her stuff. She'd make an interesting choice for Boston. If for no other reason than that Callahan would go off the deep end. Not to mention the big show guys.
If Jim Beattie gets the job - I think I may curl up in a ball and cry a little.
Jack ∙ 16 November 2005 ∙ 8:59 AM
I found this article from November 2003 on Baseball Prospectus.
On arbitration:
"BP: It's said that the Yankees were so impressed with your winning the Mariano Rivera case that that's what led to your promotion. How do you try to win a case against a player who might be the best late-inning pitcher in playoff history?
Ng: We were very fair with Mariano in terms of the salary we were offering. We paid him the most that any closer with his service time had received. In arbitration, it's really a question of degree. If you pay a player the most, there's not much more room for you to go."
On stats and scouting:
"Ng: When you're in the baseball operations department, you're watching games every single night, and you get a pretty good feel for what players are capable of and what they're not. Sometimes people think stats don't always tell the truth, and that's true. There are some players where stats don't do them justice. You'll see a player who has great instincts, who does the little things that don't show up in box scores like taking the extra base. I think it is important for people doing arbitration to have a feel for what players can do."
On being qualified to be a GM:
"BP: Let's try this another way. Why do you think you'd be a good candidate for a GM job?
Ng: A lot of it depends on who the owners are and what they're looking for. For me to tell you I have a scout's background in player evaluation, that's wrong. I wouldn't try to say that. More and more general managers out there don't have that extensive background, but have been successful in other areas and have proven themselves over time. Two of those are people I've worked for, Brian Cashman and Dan Evans. With Bill Bavasi getting the Mariners job, it's the same thing, and he would also admit that. Sandy Alderson, years ago, was the same way, and he was able to put together a world championship club.
One of my strongest skills is the decent relationships I have with many agents, players, and other club executives. Someone put it in a really good way: As a GM, you're the conductor of the orchestra--that doesn't mean you need to know how to play every single instrument. But being a good leader, having good communication skills, that's going to take you a long way."
On drafting:
"BP: The Dodgers have had a history of drafting high school pitchers, even though they carry a much higher risk that any other player's background. In general, do you favor high school or college talent?
Ng: I'd take the best available, signable player."
I find it amusing that some fans are concerned that she wouldn't be part of the old boy network in baseball. She's been in the industry her entire professional life.
If the Red Sox don't call Ng for an interview, I will lose even more faith in this ownership group.
Empyreal ∙ 16 November 2005 ∙ 9:18 AM
"If the Red Sox don't call Ng for an interview, I will lose even more faith in this ownership group."
Agreed. They've tried to interview what, 20 candidates at this point? According to the Herald, none of them have been minority candidates.
I'm still betting that they won't find anyone willing to take the job this off season. Ng seems too smart to walk into a no-win situation, wedged between Lucchino and the Boston press and facing something that's gonna end up as high-pressure rebuilding year no matter what happens this offseason.
twitch124 ∙ 16 November 2005 ∙ 10:39 AM
One of the stated goals of the NFL's minority hiring policy was the factor that it gives minority candidates the exposure of actually interviewing for coaching positions, which at least puts minorities in the hiring discussion for future positions that open up. I feel the same should work for Ms. Ng in baseball.
And, on more of a pure baseball note, if the Sox hired Kim, it might relieve the pressure on a foolish trade or free agent signing for the sole reason of generating interest, as Kim's signing would, in and of itself, generate interest.
Fiskian Pole Shot ∙ 16 November 2005 ∙ 6:51 PM