Rob Manfred Makes Sweeping Changes In MLB's Executive Leadership, Front Office

MLB Commissioner ROB MANFRED has started a "sweeping reorganization that unifies the league office," MLBAM and MLB Network into "one entity" and elevates COO TONY PETITTI and Chief Legal Officer DAN HALEM, according to Eric Fisher of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. Petitti will become Deputy Commissioner/Business & Media, while Halem has been named Deputy Commissioner/Baseball Administration. Also, Exec VP/League Economics & Strategy CHRIS MARINAK becomes Exec VP/Strategy, Technology & Innovation. Those three will be part of a "five-person senior team of executives reporting directly" to Manfred, along with Chief Communications Officer PAT COURTNEY and CFO BOB STARKEY, who "adds direct oversight of finance operations for MLBAM and MLB Network" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 12/11 issue). MLB also gave CHRIS PARK the title of Exec VP/Product & Marketing and NOAH GARDEN Exec VP/Commerce. JASON GAEDTKE remains CTO, and JOE TORRE keeps the title of Chief Baseball Officer (THE DAILY).