Mariners Name Zduriencik GM -- Latest: Blengino, McNamara Join Him (reply #123)

[And That]

McCalvy notes that Melvin won't interview replacements for Zduriencik until he decides on a field manager.

[piccione88]

I read this article on Blengino at SABR, and I like what I read. Plus he has a sicilian sounding last name, so he has to be a great guy as well.

[colbyjack]

Man, if that story doesn't get a lot of fans around here about Zduriencik's possible replacement, I don't know what will. Thanks for sharing!

[TooLiveBrew]

Wow -- ditto to that, Casey. I am now fully pulling for Blengino to get the gig.

 

 

"Among his current responsibilities, Blengino is responsible for all amateur scouting in Canada, and prior to that, scouted in the northeast part of the U.S."

 

So he was largely responsible for Lawrie, correct? Who are some other guys that would have been Blengino 'products'?

 

 

"'I was a very small kid. I had a very late growth spurt. By the time I grew at all, I was in high school, and I wasn't one of the guys at that point in time,' he said. 'I knew if I was going to get into the game, I knew it was going to be off the field.'

 

His involvement in SABR helped him to do just that. He joined SABR in the early 1990s, and his membership with SABR and subsequent work on the book Future Stars helped him gain valuable experience and contacts to help him get his start in professional baseball.

 

'I was a crazy baseball fan just like anyone else,' he said. 'I was really into statistics and read all the Bill James stuff. SABR helped me make the connections and make the big steps along the way to where I am now.'

 

...

 

Prior to his career in baseball, Blengino worked as a CPA out of college, first at a Big 8 accounting firm before working as a CFO in the non-profit arena. Blengino said that the background he gained in accounting and business has benefited him in his career in baseball."

 

Ok, so sign me up right now. Blengino please.

[bklynbrewcrew]

Blengino sounds like a real solid choice but do SABR techniques work well when it comes to scouting? I remember reading moneyball and those factors lead to only college guys getting picked and ignored traditional scouting methods. I think SABR works in general but I would hate to ignore traditional scouting methods as well. I think the best type of scouting director would be one that factors in both. Actually seeing a guy perform is just as important as seeing his stats.

[colbyjack]

Blengino wasn't the area scout in the NE for very long, but during his time spent in that role he definitely made a strong enough impression for Jack Z. to listen to his recommendations. IIRC, Joel Rivera (2003) was one of the first players he was responsible for (a DFE signing in '04), followed by Rogers, Salome and Ford in '04 (Ford signed in '05 as a DFE) and Garrison and Braddock (signed in '06 as a DFE) in '05.

 

Keep in mind that the NE isn't a hotbed for talent, which further proves that he made a strong case for the players in his area for the team to use that many high picks to take so many players from that area.

 

Lawrie's signing technically goes to the Canadian area scout, whose name escapes me, but I believe Blengino served more of a crosschecker for the talent North of the border, and like Zduriencik also filled in at other events (such as the WWBA tourney currently being held in Jupiter, FL).

 

Also, just because Blengino is a SABR guy doesn't mean that he doesn't know/appreciate old-school scouting techniques. Keep in mind he's the man responsible for signing Mark Rogers, who basically goes against the pre-conceived notions of what "Moneyball" is all about.

[brewerguy71]

The possibility exists that Jack Z would take Flanagan or Blengino to be his scouting director with the Mariners.

 

It will be really interesting for me to see if they shift the draft emphasis/approach to one that looks more closely at pitchers and defense/speed.

[And That]

It will be really interesting for me to see if they shift the draft emphasis/approach to one that looks more closely at pitchers and defense/speed.

Well, 20 of their first 27 draft picks in the '08 draft were pitchers. I'm not sure if it would be a good idea to look a lot more closely than that. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

I'm sure there will be some change in draft philosophy. If it's not the same guy guiding the ship there are bound to be some differences in strategy and focus. What those changes will be won't really be answered until next June at the earliest.

 

As for Jack Z. taking guys with, I would not be surprised in the slightest to see one of Blengino/Flanagan going to Seattle (perhaps whichever one doesn't get the Scouting Director job here), as well as a crosschecker and a scout or two. The damage won't be insurmountable.

 

Edit: I just remembered what year it was.

[kramnoj]

It will be really interesting for me to see if they shift the draft emphasis/approach to one that looks more closely at pitchers and defense/speed.

 

Do you think there has been an emphasis on anything other than "draft the best player available"? Sure, it would be great if we had Tampa's pitching staff, but I bet they would like to have some of the Milwaukee hitters. If lots of teams are focusing on pitching and a good hitter is available for the Brewers to take, I don't think it makes sense for the Brewers to take a lesser pitching prospect to fill a current need. Take the best player and things will sort themselves out later.

[Invader3K]

I agree with the "draft the best player available" plan. The draft is sort of a crap shoot anyway...you could draft the best available pitcher, and they could just as easily end up being a bust like any position player. You can always trade for a pitcher to fill a need later...you can't always get a guy like Ryan Braun on the cheap, though.

[CheezWizHed]

Obviously, most of the scouting work for the '09 draft is still to come with the spring baseball season, but how much is carry-over from summer of '08? Any ideas? Just wondering how much of that Jack will take with him that we will lose...

[Tbadder]

Congrats to Jack--he totally deserve it. If this was last year though I be angry, but now I'm not so concerned. The bloom has come off the rose on many of his draft picks: Hart, Weeks, Fielder, Gamel, etc. He just doesn't seem like the slam dunk. I'm probably overstating it, but the farm system doesn't really seem loaded at all; I don't envision a second wave, and wouldn't be upset with the trade of anyone except Braun.

[Ennder]

My wife sent me a news clip from the AP that said Yost is one of the candidates for the managerial job.

 

New Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik says recently fired Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost and Seattle interim manager Jim Riggleman are two candidates to be Seattle's new skipper in 2009.

[homer]

Wow. Guess Jack can judge player talent but not coaching.

[EdgarDiazRocks]

Hey Patrick, good stuff on USS Mariner yesterday.

 

Now can you you explain to me why Cameron thinks the Brewers are dying to get their hands on Jarrod Washburn?

 

Trade Jose Lopez, Wladimir Balentien, and Jarrod Washburn to the Brewers for Corey Hart and Brad Nelson

Trade: Adrian Beltre, Jarrod Washburn, and J.J. Putz to Milwaukee for J.J. Hardy and Brad Nelson

He keeps saying he can't think of a reason why the Brewers would turn that deal. Funny, I can think of 10 Million reasons why we would. The second deal is slightly more plausible, except there we take on about $25 Million more in salary.

[brewers19]

Quoth Brewers.com:

Melvin will then move to replace amateur scouting director Jack Zduriencik, who was formally introduced on Friday in Seattle as the new Mariners GM. Melvin plans to interview two internal candidates next week in Milwaukee during regularly-scheduled organizational meetings: Midwest crosschecker Ray Montgomery and West Coast crosschecker Bruce Seid.

 

Melvin received some calls from outside candidates interested in the job, but would prefer to fill the post from within. Tom Flanagan, Zduriencik's longtime assistant, is likely to remain in an administrative position.

 

"We're going to try to do it in-house," Melvin said. "I recognize how important it is to have stability in your scouting."

[And That]

I was spot-on in my analysis that the two finalists would be Blengino or Flanagan. I think I mentioned crosscheckers back there somewhere...

 

Seid and Montgomery have each been crosscheckers for two years. This was Seid's 11th year in the organization, and Montgomery's 6th.

[piccione88]

So does this mean that Montgomery, and Seid are the favorites, since they are getting the first interviews?

[BrewCrewForever]

I really thought it would be a year or two before Ned got another Manager's job. Looks like I might be wrong. I figured he could get a job as a coach somewhere this season, but if lands the Mariners job, wow.

[crewcrazy]

I would've figured Yost would find a way back onto Atlanta's staff, where he'd wait for Bobby Cox to retire...guess not. Good for him, though, if he does get another job next year. He seems to be the kind of manager you want when you're building a young team, but not necessarily the guy you want if you're trying to take it to the next level. Right now, a guy like Yost probably makes sense as they start to rebuild.

[endaround]

I think people need to hold off a bit on this. Jack Z was likely prepared to handle direct questions about Riggleman and Yost and just threw them into his answer on mangers.

[Invader3K]

I would've figured Yost would find a way back onto Atlanta's staff, where he'd wait for Bobby Cox to retire...guess not. Good for him, though, if he does get another job next year. He seems to be the kind of manager you want when you're building a young team, but not necessarily the guy you want if you're trying to take it to the next level. Right now, a guy like Yost probably makes sense as they start to rebuild.

Some great points. While I know a lot of us were glad to see Yost gone, I think you have to at least giving some credit for doing well with what he had, especially back when he first started as manager for the Brewers. Yost could be a good fit for the M's in that regard.

[recte44]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/33342319.html

 

In the meantime, he is moving forward with the process of replacing scouting director Jack Zduriencik, who was hired to be general manager of the Seattle Mariners.

Melvin said he would interview two of the team's national cross-checkers, Ray Montgomery and Bruce Seid, for the opening. Melvin expects Zduriencik to take some of his scouts with him to Seattle, including top assistant Tony Blengino.

Bye bye, Blengino. Ugh.

[Mass Haas]

Blengino, McNamara join Jack in Seattle

A day after he fired vice president of scouting Bob Fontaine, Zduriencik hired two men he'd worked closely with in Milwaukee, Tony Blengino and Tom McNamara.

So quickly were the decisions made and announced Tuesday that titles for the two hires weren't yet determined.

"I can tell you that Blengino is one of the men going to the general managers' meetings with me next week," Zduriencik said.

Blengino, 42, was the Zduriencik's assistant while both were with the Brewers and McNamara was an East Coast cross-checker with Milwaukee.

Blengino will be missed, hopefully Angel Salome and Zach Braddock leave a long-lasting legacy; Mark Rogers will as well, for better or worse.

[bball123h]

Wow. That is a lot of talent to replace. All part of being a successful franchise, but that will probably sting a bit.