Mariners Hire Dipoto As General Manager

Dipoto’s first job in Seattle will be deciding the future of manager Lloyd McClendon.

The Seattle Mariners introduced Jerry Dipoto as their general manager on Tuesday, a position he called his “dream job”.

“He’s worn nearly every hat that you need to wear”, Towers said. Really, there are no negatives. “Personality-wise, I think as you all found out yesterday, we’re not going to have a problem getting along”.

“Where I was from, if you were a Mets fan and a good Catholic boy from New Jersey, there was a picture of Jesus on the left of your bedroom and a picture of Tom Seaver on the right”, he said.

The two seemed to iron out their differences in 2014, when the Angels went a major league-best 98-64, but Dipoto reached a breaking point in late June after details of a tense clubhouse meeting before a game were leaked to Fox Sports. Dipoto replaces Jack Zduriencik, who was sacked a few weeks ago. He appreciates the analytics of the game, but also understands the game from the players perspective.

“I believe my decision to leave the Angels”, Dipoto said, “was in the best interest of the Angels”.

When a bulging disc in his neck forced him to retire prior to the 2001 season, Dipoto remained with the Rockies as special assistant to general manager Dan O’Dowd. Scioscia and Dipoto first clashed in 2012 when Dipoto fired Mickey Hatcher, Scioscia’s longtime hitting coach and friend, over an apparent resistance to statistical analysis. The argument was won when Moreno sided with his 16-year manager. Dipoto resigned July 15.

Also citing unidentified sources, the Seattle Times reported that there would be an official announcement Monday afternoon. A year later, the Cleveland Indians selected Dipoto in the third round of the June draft. However, the blend of old school and up-to-date analytical strategy that Dipoto brought to the table was never fully appreciated due to his lack of power with the Angels. Dipoto came into the GM role with a lot of hype. The Boston Red Sox hired Dipoto to their front office as a consultant in mid-August.

The Diamondbacks elevated Dipoto to interim general manager for the second half of the 2010 season after firing Josh Byrnes. Notable deals during his Anaheim tenure included trades for All-Stars Huston Street, Zack Greinke, David Freese and Hector Santiago, and the free-agent signings of Albert Pujols (2011) and C.J. Wilson (2011). I just hope it’s not a very big mistake. We want to create a model here that can be sustained where we have a steady flow coming from the minor-league system. Team president Kevin Mather said that Dipoto has a “unique skill set” among general managers, as he previously played in the major leagues and worked in various jobs in the front office. “We’ll take the time to get to know one another”.