Free agency has already begun, and the San Francisco Giants and Baltimore Orioles are still without permanent general managers. The Giants, coming off consecutive losing seasons, are working to replace Bobby Evans, who was let go near the end of the regular season. As for the Orioles, fresh off a 115-loss campaign, they let Dan Duquette go after seven seasons at the helm.
Here's the latest on the Giants' situation ...
Hear that #Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi is #SFGiants top choice to become GM. It is in Zaidi's hands to make a choice. Expectation is decision could come as soon as Tuesday. #Rays exec Chaim Bloom is seen as fallback if Zaidi decides to stay with LA.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) November 6, 2018
Zaidi, 41, came to the Dodgers from the Athletics' front office. In L.A., he's the GM, but he works under president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. Presumably Zaidi in San Francisco would be at the top of the baseball ops food chain. Otherwise, it would be at best a lateral move. Bloom, 35, is vice president of baseball operations for the Rays and was a finalist for the Mets' GM job. Kim Ng, a longtime exec at the team and league levels, is also another candidate in San Francisco.
The Orioles, meantime ...
According to sources, Astros assistant GM Mike Elias is one of the top candidates for the Orioles GM position.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) November 6, 2018
Obviously, being in the upper reaches of the Astros' front office tends to make one a viable candidate these days. More on the Baltimore front ...
Keep hearing Ben Cherington’s name as one of interest to the Orioles for gm. Bigger question is whether he’d be interested. He didn’t pursue mets, hasn’t pursued giants. Said to like current job in front office with jays.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 5, 2018
Cherington, 44, of course was GM of the Red Sox and largely built their 2013 championship team.
The Giants appear closer to naming their new GM than do the Orioles, who are also considering a number of other candidates besides Elias and Cherington, who, as noted, might not even want the job.
The Orioles are committed to a rebuild, but it remains to be seen whether the Giants opt to tear it down or seek to add pieces to their aging core. Already, the Giants have been mentioned in connection with generational free agent Bryce Harper.
