Ranking the GMs

[Invader3K]

Here's a pretty good article from Tim Marchman that I saw, that ranks all 30 GMs. I agree with his assesments for the most part.

 

For what it's worth, he ranks Jack Zduriencik 5th and Doug Melvin 6th.

[TooLiveBrew]

I agree with Friedman absolutely at #1. I don't agree with Epstein at #2.

 

Among baseball's really big spenders, the Red Sox are the most efficient, or, if you prefer, the least wasteful. It's difficult to avoid roster bloat while playing even-up with the Yankees, but they've managed it.

Mike Lowell, Jason Varitek, and David Ortiz all have pretty bad contracts at this point. The Red Sox spent a lot of money on Matsuzaka (don't forget to factor in the posting fee), and it's pretty questionable as to whether or not he's been worth it.

Before signing starter John Lackey this winter, they didn't have a player making more than $14 million per year, and the team is built around cheap, homegrown talent.

The only homegrown talent the team is built around that I can think of is Youkilis (no longer cheap), Lester, Pedroia, & Papelbon (no longer cheap). You can add Buchholz to that list, but he certainly wasn't anyone the team was built around prior to 2010. Ortiz, Drew, Lowell, Beltre, Beckett, Bay, Scutaro, Martinez, Cameron, & Matsuzaka are all guys that were brought in via other avenues.

 

It just seems like the WS title in 2004 has forever earned Epstein the label of GM golden boy; apparently receiving the torch passed from Billy Beane. I think he's a good GM, but I think he's also quite overrated. I would probably vote for Beinfest at #2.

[Invader3K]

It's really hard to accurately rank Epstein and Cashman. They both have huge amounts of resources to work with. They have both basically bought multiple playoff appearances. Yeah, I understand that if you have the money, who wouldn't spend it? I guess I just can't give Cashman in particular much credit for spending oodles of cash on Rodriguez, Sabathia, Teixeira, etc. They both spend smart, but I don't think either of them are doing anything similarly competent GMs couldn't.

[Ennder]

I really dislike putting Jack Z 5th, he hasn't proven a thing yet. I still don't think that team is going to be in contention this season.

[JoeHova]

I don't like having Melvin at #6. Too high a percentage of the payroll over the past few years has been devoted to dead weight.

[paul253]

Melvin has done an okay job, I think, but not worthy of #6. I think he got off to a great start with the Sexson trade and has been average everr since. He has been utterly unable to acquire any pitching, other than the obvious Sabathia deal. He made a terrible deal with Suppan, obviously, and the year after Bill Hall had his break out year, he changed positions. Not sure how much that had to do with Hall's struggles, but it probably didn't help. The homegrown players he built the team around, the Fielders, Brauns, Weeks, Harts, Gallardos.....was it really him who brought them in or was it more Jack Z? I think he got fleeced in the Carlos Lee deal. While Cordero did an amazing job in Milwaukee, you don't trade an all star outfielder for a reliever, no matter how good the reliever is. The Doug Davis trade was bad. Also, a lot of the prospects he traded for, like Zach Jackson, Jorge De La Rosa, and Jose Capellan, turned out to be huge busts. Carlos Gomez is a huge gamble that he is very heavily relying on as there really is no alternative. I also think the Ken Macha hiring was a bad move. He's done okay with what he's been given, and certainly found some gems like Scott Podsednik and Casey McGehee, and even scored a big winner by trading Podsednik for Lee, but overall I think #6 is too high.

[Invader3K]

I really dislike putting Jack Z 5th, he hasn't proven a thing yet. I still don't think that team is going to be in contention this season.

Yeah, seems like he's ranked there based on past reputation from his Brewers stint more than anything at this point.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

John Mozeliak is way too far down that list.

[Ennder]

I think people underrate just how hard it is to turn around a team that has no major league talent, no prospects, no payroll and a fanbase that just isn't that interested anymore. While Melvin messed up a little with the pitching depth last year he is much better than he is being given credit for here. When he took over I didn't think we'd be at .500 as soon as we were, I didn't think we'd be in the playoffs as soon as we were. We very easily could still be in the state that the Pirates are in but instead we have been a .500 team over the past 5 seasons now and with a little better health from Sheets or a lucky bounce or two somewhere could have easily been in the playoffs 2 of those seasons. Last year was rough, between a rotation that saw 4 of 5 starters hurt and losing Sabathia and Sheets and not getting much in compensation for it and there have been hiccups for sure but he is a very solid GM.

 

I can't really argue for or against where he is placed because I don't know enough about the other GMs but I think he does a better job than most fans on this site like to give him credit for.

[patrickgpe]

i was sure ed wade would be last but atlast there is a gm worse than him.

[logan82]

Wait a minute. Jim Hendry ahead of the Phillies guy. How can Hendry be anywhere near the top half. That club is headed for a few ugly years as guys get old.

 

Honestly I wouldn't even bother putting Cashman in the list and maybe not Epstien either given the money they can spend. How hard is it to identify the best FA and then write him a check bigger than anybody else? or do they get extra credit for hyping their own prospects and pawning them off on lesser teams.

[paul253]

I would have thought Neil Huntington would be last. They've had a lot of veterans lately that could have been traded for high level prospects (Jason Bay namely, Adam Laroche, Jack Wilson, I thought they had some decent relievers too), but it just seems like he never gets anyone really good. His drafts have been pitiful save Pedro Alvarez. He wasn't responsible for that Aramis Ramirez trade was he?

[nate82]

I really dislike putting Jack Z 5th, he hasn't proven a thing yet. I still don't think that team is going to be in contention this season.

I wouldn't say the Mariners won't be in contention this season. Basically everyone in that division has gotten worse except the Rangers and the Mariners. The Angels have a lot of question marks and the A's maybe to young to really compete. The AL West to me is down to the Rangers and the Mariners. The Mariners definitely have the better pitching than the Rangers but I would take the Rangers offense over the Mariners though. I think the Rangers will win the AL West this year but it should come down to the Rangers and the Mariners in the AL West.

[HiAndTight]

I really dislike putting Jack Z 5th, he hasn't proven a thing yet. I still don't think that team is going to be in contention this season.

Yeah, seems like he's ranked there based on past reputation from his Brewers stint more than anything at this point.

 

Yeah, most likely that's largely responsible for his status, but I don't know that I disagree with that per say. Unless you're not going to rank any GM's until they've got 2-3 years in, which would probably be the only truely legit way to do it, you have to go off of the resume and your opinion of the recent moves that have been made as they haven't had time to prove their worth one way or the other.

 

Personally I think Jack Z's done a very good job, and if he can lock up Lee for anything short of Barry Zito type money, I'll think he's done a grerat job. I think Chone Figgins was actually a steal. A Legit leadoff hitter is worth 10 million annually IMO. I like him really going for it with Lee pairing him atop the rotation with King Felix whom he also locked up.

 

I think a legit middle of the order hitter is the only thing they're lacking, and Milton Bradley was a shrewd move and a very possible fix to that problem. He's also very possibly lighter fluid.........

[HiAndTight]

I would have thought Neil Huntington would be last. They've had a lot of veterans lately that could have been traded for high level prospects (Jason Bay namely, Adam Laroche, Jack Wilson, I thought they had some decent relievers too), but it just seems like he never gets anyone really good. His drafts have been pitiful save Pedro Alvarez. He wasn't responsible for that Aramis Ramirez trade was he?

I don't know, I don't think he's gotten anyone "really good" for Wilson and Laroche because neither are really good players. He did turn Freddy Sanchez into Tim Alderson, and he did pick up Jose Tabata and a couple solid arms for a loogy and a journeyman LF'er in the midst of a career year. He turned Nate McLouth into Gorky's Hernandez. Got Jeff Clement for Wilson and Snell, a very nice "buy low" type move IMO.

 

As for his drafts, he's been in Pitt for 2 years and his two first rounders have to be considered successful picks thus far.

 

Tony Sanchez was looked upon as a cheap pick, a guy they thought would sign for under slot. Huntington vehemetly denied this, and it looks after one season that he was right. Sanchez had a very, very good 1st year hitting Hi A and putting up a .950 OPS in 3 stops as the Buccs catcher of the future.

 

 

So while I don't think he's done a great job yet, mainly because it's simply too early, I don't agree that you can say his drafts have been awful, as both of his first rounders look to be middle of the order, franchise building type picks.

 

Honestly, between McCutchen, Tabata, Clement, Hernandez, Alvarez and Sanchez(off the top of my head), they've got some nice sticks coming up.

[Baldkin]

He did not sign Jason Kendall to a two year deal and trade for Yuni Betancourt. The Royals are exploiting the market niche by signing guys who can't field and can't hit.

 

Dayton Moore must be last.

[BrewCrewForever]

One thing that can't be argued is Dayton Moore of KC being #30. He is by far the worst GM.

[TooLiveBrew]

As for [Huntington']s drafts, he's been in Pitt for 2 years and his two first rounders have to be considered successful picks thus far.

 

I agree, H&T. I actually like the direction in which he seems to have that organization heading... well, technically *dislike*, since they're a division rival & all.

[paul253]

I agree, H&T. I actually like the direction in which he seems to

have that organization heading... well, technically *dislike*, since

they're a division rival & all.

I didn't realize he's only been there two years. My fault. It's too bad baseball teams can't trade picks. He could have traded down probably 20 spots and still gotten Tony Sanchez.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

I'm not sure how Ken Williams is ranked 9th. He's made some pretty awful trades in the past 5 years (Lee for Podsednick/Vizcaino, acquiring Rios's bad contract, etc), and the book is still out on the Peavy trade. Sure his team got hot and won a World Series not too long ago, but that might have been in spite of Ken Wiliams.

[clancyphile]

Melvin has done an okay job, I think, but not worthy of #6. I think he got off to a great start with the Sexson trade and has been average everr since. He has been utterly unable to acquire any pitching, other than the obvious Sabathia deal. He made a terrible deal with Suppan, obviously, and the year after Bill Hall had his break out year, he changed positions. Not sure how much that had to do with Hall's struggles, but it probably didn't help. The homegrown players he built the team around, the Fielders, Brauns, Weeks, Harts, Gallardos.....was it really him who brought them in or was it more Jack Z? I think he got fleeced in the Carlos Lee deal. While Cordero did an amazing job in Milwaukee, you don't trade an all star outfielder for a reliever, no matter how good the reliever is. The Doug Davis trade was bad. Also, a lot of the prospects he traded for, like Zach Jackson, Jorge De La Rosa, and Jose Capellan, turned out to be huge busts. Carlos Gomez is a huge gamble that he is very heavily relying on as there really is no alternative. I also think the Ken Macha hiring was a bad move. He's done okay with what he's been given, and certainly found some gems like Scott Podsednik and Casey McGehee, and even scored a big winner by trading Podsednik for Lee, but overall I think #6 is too high.

The Davis trade was a huge mistake. Have to wonder... would it have been better to just keep Sharpie in Milwaukee from 2007-2009?

 

But while Zach Jackson and Jose Capellan didn't make Milwaukee, Jackson was part of the package that brought CC to Milwaukee, and Capellan ended up being traded for a prospect that is at AAA and could help the Brewers' rotation in 2011 (Chris Cody).

[Ennder]

Davis' xFIP, FIP and ERA trends over his career suggest that the ERA for the diamondbacks has been more luck than good, he is still a high 4 ERA pitcher. Now if signing him meant not getting Suppan than that would have been a win for sure even though Suppan was better than Davis in 2007, Davis has been better in 08/09 and would have been cheaper.

 

For all intents and purposes Vargas looked like a pretty comperable starter who was younger and cheaper. Eveland and Krynzel haven't amounted to much and Estrada was having a pretty nice season before the hamstring injury derailed the second half. It might not have been a great trade but it isn't the disaster people like to claim it was either.

[endaround]

Vargas was never seen as good as Davis by anyone, Estrada had one decent month, and Eveland was a huge piece in getting Haren. It isn't a franchise crippling trade but it was bad.

[Ennder]

The year we traded for him Vargas was coming off an ERA/FIP/xFIP of 4.83/4.85/4.64. Davis was coming off of a 4.91/4.38/4.62. They looked relatively comperable. Since the trade Davis has put up around a 4.65 xFIP and FIP and his ERA has historically been about 0.10 better than that so his talent level is probably around a 4.50 ERA. Obviously Davis is the better pitcher but the gap when you consider age and price isn't huge or anything.

 

Vargas was having a good year for us before he strained his back in July. I think so much of the negative opinion of the trade comes down to the fact the players we got ended up injured and didn't play well after the injuries as anything else. That is just part of baseball, hurt guys almost never perform well unless their name is Pujols. See Bush, David last year for an example.

[RobertR]

The year we traded for him Vargas was coming off an ERA/FIP/xFIP of 4.83/4.85/4.64. Davis was coming off of a 4.91/4.38/4.62. They looked relatively comperable. Since the trade Davis has put up around a 4.65 xFIP and FIP and his ERA has historically been about 0.10 better than that so his talent level is probably around a 4.50 ERA. Obviously Davis is the better pitcher but the gap when you consider age and price isn't huge or anything.

 

Vargas was having a good year for us before he strained his back in July. I think so much of the negative opinion of the trade comes down to the fact the players we got ended up injured and didn't play well after the injuries as anything else. That is just part of baseball, hurt guys almost never perform well unless their name is Pujols. See Bush, David last year for an example.

Estrada being a dog was what irked me most about that deal. Eveland not living up to his potential kind of takes some of the sting out of the deal, but there wasn't any question that Davis was the best player in that deal at the time and that it didn't end up actually fixing any holes long term.

 

Robert