Cubs Add Jed Hoyer, Jason McLeod To Front Office; Padres Promote Josh Byrnes To GM

The Cubs have hired Padres GM Jed Hoyer as Exec VP & GM and Padres Assistant GM Jason McLeod as Senior VP/Scouting. The Padres have promoted Senior VP/Baseball Operations Josh Byrnes to replace Hoyer as GM. Press conferences announcing the moves will be held after the World Series (THE DAILY). In Chicago, Gordon Wittenmyer reports the teams "agreed on compensation of one player to be named later to allow Hoyer and McLeod out of their contracts with the Padres." Both are "thought to have five-year contracts with the Cubs, matching the length" of President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein's $18.5M deal. Unlike the "contentious compensation dealings between the Cubs and Red Sox for Epstein, which remain unresolved, talks between the Cubs and Padres have been smooth from the start." That is "partly because of Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts’ strong relationship with Padres CEO Jeff Moorad and partly because of Moorad’s ability to promote Byrnes, his old GM when both were with the Diamondbacks, into a bigger role" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 10/27). Also in Chicago, Paul Sullivan notes Cubs VP/Player Personnel Oneri Fleita and Scouting Dir Tim Wilken "will remain in their current positions," but both now "will report to McLeod" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/27). Meanwhile, in San Diego, Bill Center notes Byrnes' "first order of business will be to realign a front office that has lost its two top officers in Hoyer and McLeod, who was in charge of the Padres draft and development." The "top in-house candidates for McLeod’s job" are Assistant GM A.J. Hinch, VP/Player Development & Int'l Relations Randy Smith and Dir of Scouting Jaron Madison. A source said that the team "could go outside the organization to fill McLeod's position" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 10/27).

HIRE GROUND: The Angels yesterday interviewed MLB VP/Baseball Operations Kim Ng yesterday for their vacant GM position, and in L.A., Helene Elliott write the team should hire Ng "not because she's a women or despite the fact she's a woman." They "should hire Ng because she is experienced and accomplished at many facets of the game." Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said, "Kim deserves an opportunity. She's done just about everything there is to do to prepare." MLB Exec VP/Baseball Operations Joe Torre, who hired Ng to work with him in the commissioner's office, said, "It would be a terrible loss for us. But I think she is ready to take that next step." Elliott writes, "She is prepared for the Angels job. The Angels should be prepared to hire her" (L.A. TIMES, 10/27). Meanwhile, former Dodgers GM Dan Evans is scheduled to interview with the Angels today or tomorrow. The team is also "expected to receive permission to interview" Rangers Assistant GM Thad Levine after the World Series (L.A. TIMES, 10/27).