Looking For A GM With Hart
The Dodgers finished their disappointing season with a loss to eventual division champs San Diego Padres and closed the books on what was their worst season in over 10 years. We don’t know what was more frustrating, the fact that the Dodgers, just before the post season was to start last year, watched their first place team melt away under the misguided general management of the since fired Paul DePodesta. Or that the team that was brought in to replace it this season was mainly on the bench injured while unproven youngsters took the bulk of the innings as well as the bulk of the losses. LAist never thought that DePodesta’s “Moneyball” system was going to work in LA bringing in new players with stats but not taking into regard the chemistry of the clubhouse (see future Hall of Famer and clubhouse cancer Jeff Kent). Then to add insult to the injuries (sorry that was too easy) manager Jim Tracy, a master at making the most of what he was given, was let go.
So here we are, no manager, no general manager, a team of injured, young malcontent players and fan base losing interest and faith. If the Dodgers are to turn this thing around, they have to start from the top, that is with the general manager position. Several names have been tossed into the rumor mill. Starting with Nationals general manager Jim Bowden (who has since refused the position) former Texas Rangers GM John Hart, former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein, assistant Giants GM Ned Colletti (PLEASE tell us they are joking) and Dodger assistant GM and team vice president Kim Ng.
All the candidates are qualified in some respect but LAist has a preference for Hart. While everyone knows what Epstein did for the Red Sox, he did it with the second highest payroll in baseball. The Dodgers are a big market team, but their owner does not necessarily have big market pockets. Big money is already locked up in free agent pickups Jeff Kent, JD Drew, and Derek Lowe and the Dodgers will probably have just enough funds to secure one big free agent (former Dodger Paul Konerko perhaps?). Ng has been a great assistant and has championship experience with the New York Yankees. While the Dodgers would make history again by making Ng the first female general manager in Major League Baseball history, the situation calls for someone with more experience and the Dodgers would be able to keep Ng on the staff anyway. We are not even going to get into why we don’t like Colletti.
John Hart, who was the architect of the Texas Rangers revival, would be a great fit. He has the ability to discover and develop talented stars like Mark Teixeira, Hank Blaylock and Michael Young and the craftiness to make great moves such as the trade to get All-Star Alfonso Soriano for amazing but super expensive Alex Rodriguez, a move that has been regarded as the one that turned the Rangers from also-rans to AL West contenders. It is that type of foresight and knowledge the Dodgers need to return to competitiveness in a very winnable NL West.
Dodger owner Frank McCourt has a huge decision on his hands. With the General Manager Meetings already underway in Indian Hills, the Dodgers are at a disadvantage with the inability to make any serious deals. Although Ng and vice president of player development Roy Smith have attended the GM meetings, and say they have the authority to make decisions on any deals that might come up, a GM is needed immediately to help find the big bat or bats the Dodgers desperately need to improve the 15th ranked offense (out of 16 teams) in the National League. LAist and Dodger fans will be watching.