Mariners Fire Bavasi; Armstrong To Oversee Replacement Search

Mariners Fire GM Bavasi After Five Seasons

SEARCH COMMITTEE: In Seattle, Jim Moore writes Lincoln during the press conference announcing Bavasi's dismissal "looked as perturbed as I've ever seen him." Lincoln "sounded like he was upset with everyone, including the ball girls, but Armstrong was exempt -- he's satisfied with his job performance and comfortable with him leading the search." However, Moore writes Armstrong "has been hit-and-miss with his GM hirings of Woody Woodward, [current Phillies GM] Pat Gillick and Bavasi. Lincoln points to Armstrong's experience and baseball contacts, but I'd like to see some fresh eyes conducting this search or maybe some old ones -- how about hiring Gillick ... as a consultant?" Moore: "I can't help it -- when Armstrong says he will become 'much more involved,' I get nervous" (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 6/17). 

ON DECK: ESPN’s Buster Olney said the Mariners' GM position is "viewed by executives in baseball as a possible sweetheart place to land. …You’re talking about a great ballpark, it’s a great fan base, it’s an organization that spends a lot of money, and they have a lot of room to grow there.” Olney said of possible replacements for Bavasi, “One of the names you are going to hear speculated upon as the permanent GM might be Chris Antonetti, assistant GM of the Cleveland Indians, and another interesting name, Brian Cashman of the Yankees." ESPN’s John Kruk: “You think about the perfect place for Brian Cashman, that’s it. ... Seattle does spend money but they are that smaller market team as far as the media goes where you can just come and go and do what you want to do. I think it’s a great fit for any GM” (“Baseball Tonight,” ESPN, 6/16).

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