The Orioles have assembled a list of six candidates to be their next general manager, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. Josh Byrnes of the Padres, Gerry Hunsicker of the Rays, J.P. Ricciardi of the Mets, Thad Levine of the Rangers, Tony LaCava of the Blue Jays and Dan Jennings of the Marlins are considered possible successors to president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, according to Olney.
The Orioles are forming a panel to interview the candidates, Olney writes. Others may enter the mix for the position, which MacPhail announced he will not be returning to.
Manager Buck Showalter and owner Peter Angelos are expected to meet tomorrow to discuss candidates, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Connolly notes that the Orioles haven't asked for permission to interview anyone at this point and suggests that the club won't consider more than five candidates.
Hunsicker recently told Murray Chass that he'll listen if a team expresses interest in him as a GM, but he doesn't sound eager to leave the Rays. "This is a unique situation," he said. "This means a whole lot more to me than running a baseball team under less than ideal circumstances.” Ricciardi told Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal that he'd listen if the Orioles contact him (Twitter link).
Connolly suggests former Reds GM Wayne Krivsky, Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer, Phillies assistant GM Scott Proefrock and Rangers senior director of player development Scott Servais are also possible candidates. For more information on GM Candidates in MLB, check out our list.
Jeff 30
No dipoto? Sigh. Thad Levine please. If not then Byrnes or Lacava. Sigh.
Ryan
As long as they don’t Hunsicker away from the rays, I’m pretty good with any of the choices, except Ricciardi.
Rabbitov
Ricciardi has to be a joke.
Jeff 30
Please jesus no.
Jeff 30
Please jesus no.
Lunchbox45
for your sake i hope it is .
Thomas 10
Does it matter? I think Angelos just wants to keep up the illusion of “progress” by replacing managers and GMs every three years. The real problems in this organization are much much deeper than that and probably require a complete restaffing of the Minor League teams, and scouting departments.
bacboris
and ownership
aa 2
Please please please please please please please please not Ricciardi. Please please please please please please
ellisburks
We get it, you like Ricciardi.
Lefty
Now how the heck does Buster Olney know anymore than Dan Connolly of the Sun?
Angelos doesn’t talk to the press and I doubt Showalter would talk to Olney first!
Buster why don’t you cover what Theo Epstein is doing instead of the Orioles?
PS I don’t think Showalter has any ties to those candidates listed. The next GM has to have some understanding on how to deal with Showalter. That would make sense to me
Jeff 30
I would talk to Buster first.
Jeff 30
I would talk to Buster first.
Hermie13
Mark Shapiro?
I don’t think he’d leave his job as President of the Indians to go to Baltimore…but it makes some sense.
Shapiro has ties to the Baltimore area (dad is an agent and started there). Was friends with Hank Peters. Still talks about his love of the Orioles growing up. He also has worked with Buck Showalter. Showalter worked as a special assistant to Shapiro a few years ago.
There were reports that Shapiro would be interested in the Cubs job possibly. He’d have deeper pockets in Baltimore than he had in Cleveland….
Wouldn’t bet on it, but crazier things have happened.
Lefty
Hermie, that doesn’t sound half bad and Shapiro went to the Gilman School which is another Baltimore connection. Plus, the fact he’s a History Man (degree), I love history!
Hermie, this is the best idea that I have heard from someone else all day!
Although, I would be very surprised if Mark would want to leave the Indians. They are starting to come together, then again so are the Orioles. Although a bit more slowly.
Kyle Haker
uhh Buster used to be a beat writer for the Sun. and, he gets like every scoop in baseball
snowbladerp14
i know i am just saying this and will always be a Os fan but if ricciardi is hired i am done lol
Steven Jones
I was thinking the same thing about Ricciardi
BVHjays
Go JP! We’re rooting for you in Toronto!
Jay
Haha Riccardi set back your franchise for years.You should be thankful you have a good GM and a bright future
yt
yea, he sure showed us know-nothings how this baseball game works.
Lunchbox45
As a Jay fan, I hope Ricciardi get its…
As an oriole supporter I hope he’s hired as a usher
Jeff 30
At least that way he wouldn’t be on TV anymore.
Rabbitov
“As an oriole supporter I hope he’s hired as a usher
This is how we went from enemy-ish to friend-ish.
MetsFanXXIII
Ricciardi doesn’t need to be an usher, he’s an assistant to the GM, even though he likes to tell people he’s really Assistant GM.
Lunchbox45
ha.
Kyle Haker
LaCava LaCava LaCava
Fred Draper
Ricciardi makes sense. He would follow in the footsteps of Gregg, Accardo, Jo-Jo Reyes, Blue Jays rejects who have gone onto even worse things in Baltimore.
harvman29
Tell Angelos to sell the team already and start from scratch. The Os have the worst minor league system, and it has to be more than a coincidence that they kill every young pitcher who has any promise!