Elias expects to have more "cross-pollination" between the Orioles' amateur and pro scouts going forwardGETTY IMAGES
Orioles Exec VP & GM Mike Elias continued his "reshaping of the organization" with the "firing of 11 members of the team's scouting and front office departments," according to Ruiz & Meoli of the BALTIMORE SUN. Elias on Friday confirmed that Baseball Operations Dir Tripp Norton was "let go." A source said that scouts Dean Albany, Jim Howard, John Gillette and Nathan Showalter, the son of former Orioles manager Buck Showalter, were also "among those fired." Elias said, "We're in a period of change right now with the industry, and we're in a period of change right now with the Orioles. This is sports. Changes happen frequently." Elias said that the Orioles will "make 'a lot' of scouting hires" before Spring Training in preparation for the '20 Draft, in which the team will "likely have one of the top five picks a season after picking first overall for the second time in franchise history." He added that he "expects there to be more 'cross-pollination' between the Orioles' amateur and pro scouts going forward." Ruiz & Meoli noted this latest "batch of Orioles moves span the country and removes coverage from large portions of the country." Elias said that the "timing of these firings came so those let go would have ample time to find another organization ahead of and during the next offseason hiring cycle" (BALTIMORE SUN, 8/24). Elias "insisted that this wasn't a cost-cutting move, but rather an adjustment to the current state of major league scouting" (AP, 8/23).
