http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/08/mlbt..._medium=twitter

 

It’s too early to predict with complete accuracy which franchises will be looking for new general managers in the coming months, but it’s fair to assume that an opening or two will emerge, maybe more. In anticipation of these openings MLBTR has surveyed dozens of baseball people about candidates for general manager jobs. Over the course of the past six weeks, Tim Dierkes and I have heard from a diverse collection of voices, including GMs, agents, scouting directors, scouts, former GMs and, we expect, future GMs.

 

It's now time to present the resulting list of 20 GM candidates, plus honorable mentions. The list is by no means comprehensive; we acknowledge in advance that the list of qualified GM candidates extends beyond the 28 names below. We have limited the list to those who obtained three votes or more from their peers within the game and we are focusing on the candidates who have yet to accept a permanent GM job. Many former GMs like Josh Byrnes and Paul DePodesta received votes, but we are presenting those who haven't had a full-time gig.

 

Here is MLBTR’s inaugural list of the top 20 GM candidates in MLB:

 

1.Jerry DiPoto, Senior VP, Scouting & Player Development, Diamondbacks

2.Rick Hahn, VP, AGM, White Sox

3.Thad Levine, AGM, Rangers

4.Ben Cherington, Senior VP, AGM, Red Sox

5.David Forst, AGM, Athletics

6.Tony LaCava, VP Baseball Operations and AGM, Blue Jays

7.Mike Chernoff, AGM, Indians

8.Bryan Minniti, AGM, Nationals

9.A.J. Preller, Senior Director, Player Personnel, Rangers

10.Kim Ng, MLB

11.DeJon Watson, AGM, Player Development, Dodgers

12.Al Avila, VP, AGM, Tigers

13.Damon Oppenheimer, Scouting Director, Yankees

14.Mike Radcliff, Vice President of Player Personnel, Twins

15.Bill Geivett, Sr. VP Scouting & Player Development, AGM, Rockies

16.John Ricco, VP, AGM, Mets

17.Jeff Kingston, AGM, Mariners

18.Logan White, AGM, Amateur & International Scouting, Dodgers

19.Peter Woodfork, MLB

20.Matt Klentak, Director of Baseball Operations, Orioles

 

Honorable mentions in alphabetical order: Matt Arnold, Director, Pro Scouting (Rays), Jeff Bridich, Senior Director of Baseball Operations (Rockies), John Coppolella, Director of Baseball Administration (Braves), Dan Jennings, VP Player Personnel & AGM (Marlins), Jason McLeod, VP, AGM (Padres), J.J. Picollo, AGM, Scouting & Player Development (Royals), Shiraz Rehman, Director of Player Personnel (Diamondbacks) and Josh Stein, Director of Baseball Operations (Padres).

Where's Hawk Harrelson on that list?

Kim Ng would be a typical White Sox hire.

 

Always on the cutting edge with minority hiring/affirmative action.

 

Former Sox employee.

 

Somehow, at this juncture of Sox history, JR will probably be too conservative to pull the trigger in making her the first female GM, though.

 

DiPoto is the only one with a major league playing background there on that list...I'm pretty sure.

Unless Hahn got hired away first, Hahn in the next person in line. That's the way Jerry operates with his management of his teams.

Hahn isn't going to take any job, too. There are only a few I think he would take:

 

White Sox, Cubs, Cardinals, Brewers as the main ones. Maybe Minny, Detroit and KC, too.

 

He wants to stay close to Chicago.

Is Hahn really a baseball guy? I thought that he was primarily a money/contract guy.

Put Jason on that list.

Good article in this week's Sports Illustrated on Toronto's GM Alex Anthopoulos (age 34). He got rid of expensive contracts for a slew of young players, 2011 draft choices, and Jose Bautista. Too late to help Kenny.

Unless Hahn got hired away first, Hahn in the next person in line. That's the way Jerry operates with his management of his teams.

Really? Try telling Dan Evans that.

Only one of those is a former ML player

DiPoto sucked as a GM last year. If KW wasn't so nice to give up Hudson and Holmberg for one year of Edwin Jackson, DiPoto would have gotten the Diamondbacks the great Joe Saunders and some fringe prospects.

DiPoto sucked as a GM last year. If KW wasn't so nice to give up Hudson and Holmberg for one year of Edwin Jackson, DiPoto would have gotten the Diamondbacks the great Joe Saunders and some fringe prospects.

But he went 16-7 in 2009!