Zduriencik hired as GM

[PhilipNelsonFan]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3657500

The 57-year-old Zduriencik spent nine years in Milwaukee's front office, most recently as the special assistant to general manager Doug Melvin.

Since Zduriencik came to Milwaukee in 1999, he made the call to draft Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks as well as 2007 NL Rookie of the Year Ryan Braun, J.J. Hardy, Corey Hart, Yovani Gallardo, Manny Parra and Tony Gwynn Jr. -- the foundation of Milwaukee's playoff team this season.

Appropriately, the franchise went out and hired the guy who anyone with any sort of baseball acumen would pick fourth out of the four candidates. But I see glimmers of hope surrounding this hire.

[BlackMamba]

well, like you say they seem to have gone with the sure bet. i was really hoping Ng would be selected.

i hope he works the M's how the brewers changed in the last few years.

"I am very excited about this opportunity," Zduriencik said in the press release. "Seattle is an outstanding organization with great fans, a great ballpark, and an ownership group committed to bringing a World Series to the Northwest.

"I believe that working together, we can make the Mariners a model franchise. I am looking forward to getting to work immediately."

so now that the M's have a GM, what's the scope for the coaching vacancy?

[HeavyP]

I heard Ned Yost needs a job.

[Basketball Jesus]

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

[BlackMamba]

really?

[HeavyP]

I disagree. Reading what Milwaukee fans are saying they're devastated.

[Basketball Jesus]

He has essentially the same skill set as Bavasi did – great evaluator of amateur talent, scouting background, not much experience with the business side of baseball. That’s not what the Mariners need. They need a new direction, someone with a fresher perspective.

[Bulltalk]

Frankly, I didn't know much about the GM gene pool. I'm bummed if BBJ says he's same old-same old. That's not what I want to hear. PNF, too, why did you also have him ranked 4th out of 4th?

Isn't there a damn thing I can look forward to out here in Seattle?

[Sweezo]

But he seems keenly different from Bavasi in a few key areas, namely the mistaken belief that clubhouse chemistry cures all and the importance of including stat-based analysis. Also, compare Dr. Z's (I am not typing that name out) draft history to Bavasi's (keeping in mind Bavasi was not as high-ranking w/ the Angels as Dr. Z was w/ the Brewers).

He was asked during his press conference about stats, and the answer he gave satisfied me in terms of stats being relevant.

He sounds like a nice compromise...an old school to appease an old-school front office, and an eye for talent and know-how to appease the younger crowd.

[PhilipNelsonFan]

PNF, too, why did you also have him ranked 4th out of 4th?

Isn't there a damn thing I can look forward to out here in Seattle?

Ng, DiPoto and LaCava are more adept with advanced baseball statistics, which I would argue is more of what we wanted, since it seemed like the Mariners made moves all through last year without even acknowledging basic statistical information.

Jesus and Sweezo are both, essentially, right, as far as I can see it. Brewers fans are pissed that he left only because he drafted well; that's not all that a major league general manager needs to do.

And Ned Yost would be an abysmal managerial hire.

[studcrackers]

you should've hired john hart

[trwi7]

And Ned Yost would be an abysmal managerial hire.

He's not bad for a rebuilding team. If he is hired, just hope that Jack Z. does a better job of not being afraid to let him go when the team starts becoming competitive. Something Melvin failed to do.