D-Backs Appoint Tony La Russa as Chief Baseball Officer

[bankybruce]

This move reminds me of when the Blackhawks named Scotty Bowman to a similar position in 2008. They are on the verge of winning thier 3rd Cup in 5 years.

 

[kps0001]

Love the hire but can't help but think this is just Hall not having the cajones to fire Towers and/or Gibson.

 

[B-Dogg]

Love the hire but can't help but think this is just Hall not having the cajones to fire Towers and/or Gibson.

Don't worry they are both as good as gone its just a matter of time, Kevin Towers already has said communication isn't what it used to be and he is glad they are still letting him be part of things for now. the writing is on the wall, and here are some quotes from Duncan who Tony trust in evaluating talent that will give you an idea of what he thinks Towers has done.

"I think there's a difference between a pitcher that can pitch in the big leagues and a pitcher that can pitch on a championship team," Duncan said. "I think we have pitchers that can pitch in the big leagues, but we need some top-of-the-rotation type starters, some real anchors for our starting staff.

"I'm in Mobile, Alabama, right now watching the Double-A club play, and this club is leading this division by four games, I think, and I'm trying to evaluate what they have down here. And, so far, I haven't been overly impressed."

Talking about Bradley here:

"He still has a lot to do to be a legitimate guy to consider for the major-league rotation," Duncan said. "He has decent control of his fastball. At times, he's above average in velocity. At times, he's average in velocity. So there's no consistency there with his velocity. His breaking ball is very inconsistent, and he virtually has an unusable change-up."

 

[82CardsGrad]

Love the hire but can't help but think this is just Hall not having the cajones to fire Towers and/or Gibson.

LaRussa did not come cheap. I highly doubt Kendrick would have agreed to bring on such a high-profile, high-priced leader like LaRussa, just because his President (Hall) "didn't have the cajones to fire Towers and/or Gibson."

I see this move as more of a statement on where MLB has come in terms of the "business" of running a professional franchise.
It may be that this structure of President / Chief of Baseball Operations / GM / Manager, might be the model of the future...

I think the President has so many competing priorities - many of which have little to do with the talent on the team, but all of which are equally important to the long-term health and viability of the team. And it could be that in this day & age of free agency and the must-win now mentality of professional sports, the GM might not be able to develop an organization in terms of the farm system, drafts & coaches from the instructional league all the way up through the big league team.
That's all just a hunch of course... however, I wouldn't be surprised at all if, at some point over the next 12-24 months, we see a few other teams make a similar/related move as the Dbacks have done with LaRussa...

 

[Brian in Mesa]

A friend of mine believes that LaRussa will replace Hall once Hall leaves to replace Selig...

 

[kps0001]

It's just hard for me to get excited about a guy I used to hate so much.. All the brawls the DBacks and Cardinals had I felt were 90% because of him..

The Dbacks and Cardinals brawled? When?

 

[kps0001]

LaRussa did not come cheap. I highly doubt Kendrick would have agreed to bring on such a high-profile, high-priced leader like LaRussa, just because his President (Hall) "didn't have the cajones to fire Towers and/or Gibson."

I see it as a reason, not the only one, he was brought in. Obviously, LaRussa will bring a lot more to the table. I didn't really phrase my thought correctly.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

The Dbacks and Cardinals brawled? When?

Quick Google search:

April 20, 2003: Batista and Cardinals first baseman Tino Martinez were ejected after their fight precipitated a bench-clearing brawl in the fifth inning. Villarreal (1-0), a rookie who has made one start, struck out four and allowed one hit.

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=230420124

http://retrosimba.com/2013/04/15/tino-martinez-mike-matheny-and-cards-easter-brawl/

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[82CardsGrad]

I see it as a reason, not the only one, he was brought in. Obviously, LaRussa will bring a lot more to the table. I didn't really phrase my thought correctly.

No... If Kendrick felt he needed to bring in LaRussa to fire a guy Hall couldn't, or wouldn't - believe me, Hall wouldn't be here today.

 

[kps0001]

Quick Google search:

April 20, 2003: Batista and Cardinals first baseman Tino Martinez were ejected after their fight precipitated a bench-clearing brawl in the fifth inning. Villarreal (1-0), a rookie who has made one start, struck out four and allowed one hit.

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=230420124

http://retrosimba.com/2013/04/15/tino-martinez-mike-matheny-and-cards-easter-brawl/

You must be registered for see images attach

Oh yeah Tino. I have a terrible memory but should have remembered this. Thanks.

 

[Mulli]

Any chance Kendrick discussed "whispers of steroid use" by LaRussa players with him?

 

[BC867]

Any chance Kendrick discussed "whispers of steroid use" by LaRussa players with him?

The owners of every team in Major League baseball knew there was steroid use and looked the other way, because the results produced revenue for them.

Let's not spite the Diamondbacks future by taking pot shots at generalizations from the past and applying it to one individual. An individual who gives us hope of, in time, overcoming the mistakes of, what will be, the regime from the past.

A friend of mine believes that LaRussa will replace Hall once Hall leaves to replace Selig...

Ah, the ol' addition by subtraction . . . plus a new addition.

Tony LaRussa has brought a new job title to the Front Office of baseball -- Chief Baseball Officer.

The job has existed within industry for a long, long time. COO -- Chief Operating Officer. The guy responsible for bringing in the revenue with the product.

 

[Mulli]

Ok.

 

[82CardsGrad]

A friend of mine believes that LaRussa will replace Hall once Hall leaves to replace Selig...

LaRussa was on Burns & Gambo today. He specifically mentioned that he is "not a business guy"... He was speaking in the context of his time spent with MLB.
He really made a point of painting himself as a pure baseball guy. A guy who has learned and continues to learn about players, coaches, teaching methods and chemistry. He very clearly seemed completely disinterested in anything that was apart from this...
I would be shocked if he eventually ended up as President for the Dbacks, or any other team...

 

[crisper57]

He isn't just a baseball guy. I mean the guy is a lawyer too.

I agree with the theory that Hall will be the next Commish and this is just a wink-and-nod agreement to tie up La Russa until he can take over as President.

There is no other logical purpose for this position. They've essentially gutted KT's authority (not necessarily a bad thing), but if this is a long term position, they would be better served just getting a new GM, instead of creating new titles.

This move is preemptive to make sure Tony is around and on the payroll when something above him opens up.

 

[82CardsGrad]

He isn't just a baseball guy. I mean the guy is a lawyer too.



I agree with the theory that Hall will be the next Commish and this is just a wink-and-nod agreement to tie up La Russa until he can take over as President.



There is no other logical purpose for this position. They've essentially gutted KT's authority (not necessarily a bad thing), but if this is a long term position, they would be better served just getting a new GM, instead of creating new titles.



This move is preemptive to make sure Tony is around and on the payroll when something above him opens up.

He may have been purely posturing... Who knows. But he sure sounded as if he wanted nothing to do with the "business" side of baseball.
Guess we'll have to wait and see.
In the meantime, gotta believe KT's time here is quickly drawing to a close. I think the first bullet fired will aimed his way...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TJ]

He may have been purely posturing... Who knows. But he sure sounded as if he wanted nothing to do with the "business" side of baseball.
Guess we'll have to wait and see.
In the meantime, gotta believe KT's time here is quickly drawing to a close. I think the first bullet fired will aimed his way...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

KT sounded like dead man walking even before this move. This is certainly not a ringing endorsement for him. His time in AZ is done, as is Gibby's.

 

[BC867]

KT sounded like dead man walking even before this move. This is certainly not a ringing endorsement for him. His time in AZ is done, as is Gibby's.

Yes, the status quo has been eroded. For Towers and Gibson, it won't be the same-ol'-same-ol' for long. First the image change, then the details.

 

[crisper57]

I'd love to see Gibby get a chance with a real GM

 

[BC867]

I'd love to see Gibby get a chance with a real GM

Gibby's faults as manager go beyond the roster he was given to work with.

We've never heard anyone say that he is into sabermetrics. But every game is a new adventure all season long. Every day for years has been Spring Training.

He has become slightly more consistent this season, but hardly to the point of being a good manager. His .500 record attests to that.

And, as the figurehead of the team to the Press, his mumbling, introverted personality is hardly the kind required of a leader.

He was chosen as manager because of the fire he displayed as a player, but that fire disappeared,

If you give Gibby an average roster, he turns it into below average. Give him a good roster, he turns it into average.

He is not an effective leader or figurehead no matter how good or bad the GM is.

And with the D-backs stuck in mediocrity, there has to be a change in the manager and coaching staff. As well as the GM.

 

[aznando]

Tony LaRussa was siting next to me up in the press box watching Archie Bradley pitch a rookie game last night. As he talked to Bob Gebhard about baseball, raising his heavy hand with one of his many championship rings on it for emphasis, I felt assured that the Dbacks are now in good hands.

Aznando

 

[BC867]

Tony LaRussa was siting next to me up in the press box watching Archie Bradley pitch a rookie game last night. As he talked to Bob Gebhard about baseball, raising his heavy hand with one of his many championship rings on it for emphasis, I felt assured that the Dbacks are now in good hands.

Aznando

Congratulations to our D-backs for trend-setting the concept of a baseball (sports) expert calling the shots vs. a CEO (Chief Executive Officer) or President (Business Officer), etc.

Building to a performance rather than just a revenue producing show.

You can dress up a rock group all you want, but if they are not producing good music, with good voices, choreography, etc., they are never going to be better than mediocre.

The D-backs have one championship, achieved by obtaining Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling and Luis Gonzalez. But it didn't establish us as perennial championship contenders.

If anyone can, Tony LaRussa can. Despite all their influx of money, the Dodgers can't. But the Giants can. Year after year.

I agree with you that the D-backs are now in good hands. Who ever thought that Tony LaRussa would join the D-backs?

 

[BC867]

I posted this to the Giants series thread, but it is more relevant here.

'Sorry for not thinking it through before I posted.

Bob Brenly has been openly criticizing Gibson's lineups on the air, more and more.

He sounded downright pissed today that Gibson did not give a start to newly acquired Jordan Pacheco (who plays multiple positions) and has hit well vs. Giants starter Madison Bumgarner.

Don't be surprised if BB, once again, leaves the broadcast booth for the D-backs Manager's office.

BB is not shy. I wonder if he has gotten Tony LaRussa's ear yet? I would think that Tony would hear Bob's opinion, as well as others'.

 

[Phrazbit]

I'd rather Brenly stay in the booth, I love our announcing team, they're one of the only things that make this terrible team palpable to watch. I suspect if he became the manager we'd be back with Grace as our color guy... barf.

 

[BC867]

I'd rather Brenly stay in the booth, I love our announcing team, they're one of the only things that make this terrible team palpable to watch. I suspect if he became the manager we'd be back with Grace as our color guy... barf.

If Grace were back in the TV booth, I'd mute the sound, put up with the 5-second delay between radio and TV and listen to the Guv'nor or Jeff Munn do the play-by-play on radio.

Part of the problem with Grace was that Sutton was just as juvenile as he. He played Bud Abbott to Grace's Lou "I'm a baaaad boy" Costello. Sutton didn't slap him physically, but he did it verbally. Over and over.

Just as Todd Walsh had been doing to Joe Borowski in the pre- and post-game TV shows. Funny we haven't seen Joe for awhile. I hope he told Walsh where to stick it.

Back to Gibson. Today he stacked his lineup with four lefties vs. the Giants lefty pitcher. And we were 1-hitted for most of the game. Kirk Gibson is the most obstinate manager I have ever seen. Even the fossil Casey Stengel and Yogi Berra managing the early Mets weren't as bad.

As they bring up more and more new players, the time to get rid of him is now, before he ruins all their confidence. If we are in a rebuilding mode (which we need to be), I feel it has to begin with our illogical and inconsistent manager.

Brenly would be the best candidate at this time. He knows the team well. 'Shows more common sense than Gibson. Connects with our only World Championship. 'Knows how to interview and sound like a leader, to the team, the Press and the fans.

The only thing I don't like about BB is that he started the D'backs obsession with 130 different batting orders each season that continued through Melvin right through Gibson.

I would hope that BB would back off, having seen the worst of it under Gibson. If not, that would be a wash, but everything else would be an improvement.

The more I think about it, the more I hope that we'll hear an announcement soon.

As vocal as BB has been on the air about Gibson's irrational decisions, it is possible that the Front Office is not only letting BB be critical on the air, but encouraging it so the casual fans won't think ill of Gibson being fired.

Bob Brenly is a company man. I don't think he is doing it on his own. Time will tell! I hope it is a short time.

And, hey, you heard it here first.