Ringolsby and Heyman: Antonetti is Leading Candidate for GM Job

by Charlie on Sep 13, 2007 4:24 PM EDT in News Comment 13 comments

I missed this, from FOX Sports' Tracy Ringolsby, when it came out yesterday:

With Frank Coonelly ready to move out of the role of chief labor counsel for Major League Baseball and become the CEO of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Pirates are ready to take the next step and hire a general manager, replacing Dave Littlefield, fired last week after a dismal six-year term in charge of a franchise headed for its 15th consecutive losing season.

The name to watch for: Chris Antonetti, assistant general manager of the Cleveland Indians. He has worked closely with Coonelly over the years in his role as an assistant to Indians GM Mark Shapiro. Antonetti is a key figure in contract negotiations.

SI's Jon Heyman, who may just be echoing Ringolsby:

Chris Antonetti, Indians assistant GM. A favorite for Pirates job after helping build a winner in Cleveland.

I'd be thrilled with Antonetti as our GM. Here's Vlad's writeup on Antonetti, in case you missed it.

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Spotted that a while back

Best news I've heard all year.

by Vlad on Sep 13, 2007 5:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If anyone can work with limited resources and use

them wisely, it is Antonetti. If he is left alone to build a system while they do whatever grand strategy the plan to do one and two steps above him, I can live with that. One thing is for sure--we wouldn't be the idiot laughing stocks of the game anymore. Oh, and if Antonetti is hired, Tracy is gone. There is no way they would be able to work together given the vast philosophical gulf.

by RichieHebner on Sep 13, 2007 5:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

No more Tracy?

Oh, and if Antonetti is hired, Tracy is gone. There is no way they would be able to work together given the vast philosophical gulf.

What, Antonetti wouldn't realize that Cesar Izturis is one of the game's great leadoff hitters?

by WTM on Sep 13, 2007 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That reality eludes the inexperienced

eyes of Chris Antonetti, Jim Tracy would tell the media after he is fired.

I can just see it now:

Said Tracy: "I have some real concerns for this game. When great baseball minds such as Dave Littlefield are let go on the brink of success, when I have to deal with young, inexperienced general managers interfering with my building a winner first in Los Angeles and now here in Pittsburgh, well, let's just say it is a sad day for baseball. I will land on my feet, just as Dave will, and I wish the Pirates the best of luck. Wherever I go, there will be a place for Cesar Izturis, for Jose Hernandez and for others with hidden talents that the inexperienced executives that are more and more prevalent in this game cannot appreciate."

by RichieHebner on Sep 13, 2007 6:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Bad news: Antonetti declined an interview

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/09/14/pirates.gm/

Looks like we're looking at guys like LaCava, Bernazzard and Zduriencik.

by Willton on Sep 14, 2007 4:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I was hoping for Antonetti

But there are lots of very good candidates out there, and Coonelly doesn't seem like somebody who's going to be interested in the usual oldboy retreads. Garagiola's name hasn't been mentioned at all lately, thank heavens, and Ed Wade hasn't been mentioned in most articles.

by WTM on Sep 14, 2007 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Zduriencik may be a front-runner

According to SI.com and MLB.com. I'd be cool with that, but one never knows.

by Willton on Sep 14, 2007 6:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That'd be OK

He certainly likes to draft high-ceiling hitters.

by WTM on Sep 14, 2007 6:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Shit.

Antonetti was either 1 or 1A on my wish list.

At least they asked him.

by Vlad on Sep 15, 2007 9:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Look at it this way

If he's so unsure whether he wants a GM job, he might be the wrong guy.

by WTM on Sep 15, 2007 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Vlad's Description

How is this for a new fangled "system" to use for talent evaluation. Hit 290 in AAA> get promted. Have a greater than 4.50 ERA in the majors> get demoted. Triple A hit less than 250> released. Triple A ERA greater than 4.75> get released. Hit less than 240 in the majors> demotion, over 28 get released. In AAA after age 25...released. Chris Duffy/Nyler Morgan types are a dime a dozen. JVB, Sean Burnett, Bullington, and the rest....GONE. Remember the good old days when Gene Clines with a 300 ave. couldn't crack the starting line-up. Or how about thinking that Larry Demery with a 4.25 ERA just didn't have it and would soon be shipped out.

by Doug Froebel on Sep 14, 2007 8:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Let's see . . .

With our current farm system, that would leave Indy with two pitchers and a batboy.

by WTM on Sep 14, 2007 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Seriously

There's no need to do away with players unless we have better replacements. I'm not going to shed a tear if any of those guys depart, but let's not totally do away with our replacement players just for the sake of doing so.

by Willton on Sep 15, 2007 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs