Dodgers of the Decade: General Manager

January 11, 2010 at 7:36 am | Posted in Dan Evans, Kevin Malone, Ned Colletti, Paul DePodesta | 20 Comments

After nearly 600 votes in a controversal but not nearly as close as I thought it would be competition, Eric Gagne is the closer of the decade. I really thought his steroid allegations combined with the money he swallowed up while being hurt and useless in 2005 and 2006 would have hurt him and helped Takashi Saito, but I suppose not.

Dodgers of the Decade team:
C: Russell Martin (68%)
1B: James Loney (62%)
2B: Jeff Kent (88%)
3B: Adrian Beltre (80%)
SS: Rafael Furcal (87%)
LF: Gary Sheffield (62%)
CF: Matt Kemp (94%)
RF: Shawn Green (79%)
LH starter: Clayton Kershaw (56%)
RH starter: Kevin Brown (42%)
LH reliever: Hong-Chih Kuo (57%)
RH reliever: Paul Quantrill (33%)
Closer: Eric Gagne (71%)

So you thought that just because we filled out the roster we were done with the Dodgers of the Decade series? Well sit tight, because we still have two more spots to fill – general manager and manager. For a lot of teams, one or both of these wouldn’t even be a question (how much competition would Kevin Towers or Theo Epstein have, for example?) , but since the Dodgers have seen four of each, each with their own controversies, this might actually be worthwhile.

Today we’ll start with general managers. There is, of course, no stat like “WAR” for GM’s, so this is going to be a little subjective. I’m going to list a few of their notable trades and signings, both good and bad, and let you choose off of that. It’s not meant to be a full list, just highlights, and if I don’t list a major move it’s because it’s not a win or a loss. I know people like to give credit for things like “didn’t trade the kids”, but that would apply to most of these guys and is hard to quantify anyway since a lot of the drafting is due to scouting guys like Logan White.

Remember, this is in the 2000s only, so some of Kevin Malone’s “work” in the 1990s doesn’t get counted here. I’m also not counting Dave Wallace’s interim stint during 2001. Transactions are pulled from the always invaluable baseball-reference.

General Managers

Kevin Malone (2000 – April 2001)
Record: 93-84 (.525)
Playoffs: none

Good moves

Signed Kevin Elster to a one-year deal. Say what you will about Elster, but $300,000 for a shortstop who puts up 14 homers and a 104 OPS+ is sweet.
I’m going to cheat here a little bit, because even though this happened in November 1999 it didn’t impact the team on the field until 2000: trading Raul Mondesi to Toronto for Shawn Green. Uh, yeah: that worked out.

Bad moves

Gave Andy Ashby $22.5m over 3 years, even though Ashby had put up nearly a 5 ERA the year before. Ashby missed all but two games of his first year in LA with an elbow injury, and went 14-23 with a 4.26 ERA for the team.
Nearly fought a Padres fan during a game, leading to his resignation in April 2001.
Released Craig Counsell. Counsell may not have done much for the Dodgers in his short stint in 1999, but any time you cut someone loose for free and they’re still playing a decade later, it’s generally not your best move.
What was that other thing? Something about “5 years, $55 million“. I can’t remember, my eyes are starting to bleed and I’m speaking in tongues.

Dan Evans (October 2001 – February 2004)
Record: 270-216 (.555)
Playoffs: none

Good moves

Traded spare parts to Toronto for Cesar Izturis and Paul Quantrill. Neither Izturis nor Quantrill were stars, but each were useful pieces. Anyone miss Luke Prokopec?
Traded two guys I’ve never heard of to Cleveland for Dave Roberts. Like the above, Roberts had his moments.
Traded Gary Sheffield to Atlanta for Odalis Perez and Brian Jordan. I’m torn on this one. On one hand, Sheffield was dominant in LA, winning our left field all-decade spot. Jordan and Perez aren’t fair value for that. On the other hand, Sheffield was forcing his way out, diminishing his value, and Perez very nearly was the best Dodger lefty of the decade. All things considered, a win.
Traded the last two years of Kevin Brown’s career (and about $30m in salary) to the Yankees for Jeff Weaver and Yhency Brazoban. Brown was about done, and Weaver & Brazoban each contributed.

Bad moves

Decided a second go-round with Todd Hundley was a good idea. Hundley hit 48 homers in two years as a Dodger before signing with the Cubs as a free agent. Evans sent Eric Karros (who was done) and Mark Grudzielanek (who wasn’t) for the remaining 41 at-bats (and $13.5m) remaining in Hundley’s career.

Paul DePodesta (February 2004 – October 2005)
Record: 164-160 (.506)
Playoffs: Lost 2004 NLDS

Good moves

Trading Paul LoDuca (& others) for Brad Penny and Hee-Seop Choi (& others). Shut up, Plaschke. Trading a declining catcher who you know is using steroids for a young pitcher with top skill and a first baseman with power potential is always a good idea.
Trading bit pieces to Arizona for Steve Finley and Brent Mayne. The parts that went to Arizona never panned out, and do you think having Finley was a good idea on the last day of 2004?
Signed Derek Lowe as a free agent. Widely panned at the time, this ended up being a steal, as Lowe provided four years of excellent performance.
Signed Jeff Kent as a free agent. Kent became, in many ways, the best second baseman in Dodger history.
Signed J.D. Drew as a free agent. I’m sure I’m going to get a lot of heat for this, but Drew put up over a .900 OPS as a Dodger, and his one injury was a freak one (a 95mph heater off the wrist).

Bad moves

Knowing how to use a computer. A fatal sin, apparently.
Having no backup plan at catcher after trading LoDuca. Once the Charles Johnson trade fell through, the Dodgers were stuck with Brent Mayne.
Having zero depth on the 2005 team. When Jose Valentin and Nori Nakamura are your top choices at 3B, you know you have problems.
Being unlucky enough to be the GM just before the vaunted young core arrived. Imagine what he could have done with Kemp, Martin, and the like?
Allowed Shane Victorino to be selected in the Rule 5 draft. Oops!

Ned Colletti (November 2006 – 2009)
Record: 349-299 (.538)
Playoffs: Lost 2006 NLDS, 2008 NLCS, 2009 NLCS

Good moves
1. Trading Milton Bradley for Andre Ethier. I still contend this was dumb luck, but I can’t argue that it’s worked out and belongs on the good side of the ledger.
2. Signed Nomar as a free agent – the first time. Nomar’s one-year deal for 2006 was fantastic, as he put up a 120 OPS+ and even garnered some MVP votes.
3. Signed Takashi Saito. I think this was dumb luck too, but man was he great.
4. Traded for Manny Ramirez. Giving up Andy LaRoche and Bryan Morris is looking like a steal right now.
5. Signed Randy Wolf and Orlando Hudson to cheap 1-year deals for 2009. Granted, the economy had something to do with this. And the decision to not offer them arbitration is indefensible, though I blame the ownership more for that. Still, each played very well in 2009.
Bad moves
1. Juan Pierre. Remember when Ned gave $44m to a below-average weak-armed outfielder? Me neither.
2. Signed Nomar as a free agent – the second time. Nomar’s second deal was $18m of injury-prone, unproductive, disappointment – some of which is still being paid off today.
3. Jason Schmidt. $47m for a pitcher who the Dodgers knew was injured at the time. Yikes.
4. Bill Mueller. Two years and $9.5m for a guy with busted knees, who played just 32 games for the Dodgers.
5. Andruw Jones. Yes, I was for it at the time too. Doesn’t make it less of a disaster.
6. Every interaction with Tampa Bay. Leaving: Edwin Jackson, Chuck Tiffany, Dioner Navarro, Joel Guzman, Justin Ruggiano, Jae Seo. Coming: Danys Baez, Lance Carter, Mark Hendrickson, Toby Hall, Julio Lugo.
7. Allowed Angel Berroa to ever put on a Dodger uniform. Sorry, I can’t ever get over this one.
8. Traded Carlos Santana for Casey Blake. I don’t care that it was McCourt’s fault. You didn’t need Casey Blake that badly.
9. Traded Tony Abreu for Jon Garland. See #8.
So you have, in order, a complete pyschopath, two guys who got a very raw deal from Frank McCourt, and a guy who we all despised at first but has been better lately. Who to choose?

20 Comments »

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Mike, you forgot one thing with Dan Evans – he hired Logan White. That move alone gets him my vote over PDP. Besides, the reason he was cut loose was weaker than the reason PDP was fired. Barely, though.

Comment by grabarkewitz— January 11, 2010 #

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“Kent became, in many ways, the best second baseman in Dodger history.”

I think Jackie Robinson would have an issue with this statement. Also, you should include the Jayson Werth trade under the “good” for DePo, since he helped us win the division in 2004 and all we gave up for him was Jason Frasor. And you should put Jayson Werth being released under the “bad” for Colletti, since we could’ve still had a 4-5 win outfielder instead of watching him and Victorino kill us in the postseason.

Comment by Nofatmike— January 11, 2010 #

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- I should have clarified “LA” history, but even so Kent’s got a nice case to be made. Jackie was clearly a better fielder and runner, but people always forget how much time he actually spent at 1B and 3B.
  
  I probably should have included acquiring Werth for DePo, but I’m not going to kill Colletti for letting him go. He was constantly hurt and I remember seeing he’d been non-tendered and not caring in the least.
  
  Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— January 11, 2010 #
  
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  - “Jackie was clearly a better fielder and runner, but people always forget how much time he actually spent at 1B and 3B.”
    
    True, but during the time Jackie Robinson was primarily a 2B (1949-1952), he put up a 149 OPS+. The highest OPS+ ever had as a Dodger was 133.
    
    Comment by Nofatmike— January 11, 2010 #
    
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  - I hear you. I’m not saying definitively that Kent was better than Jackie. Just that DePo signing a guy who’s at least in the conversation for “best Dodger 2B ever” is a pretty nice acquisition.
    
    Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— January 11, 2010 #
    
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Damn, this is a tough one, I think, especially in situations like GMs where your chickens don’t really come home to roost until years later that it really hurts with the merry-go-round of GMs (and managers) for the Dodgers in the past decade. Depo and Evans are I think the two people who’ve made the best mark on the franchise in the long run. And I would also like to point out that Evans also hired Kim Ng! Gotta big up my Chinese sister here. My vote goes to Evans who I think laid the foundation that DePo built on and that Coletti cashed in on.

Comment by Greg— January 11, 2010 #

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I can’t forgive Depo for that 2005 team so I go with Evans. Colletti has had some really craptastic free agent signings and his trades are only neutral (some good, some bad). Malone? Forget it.

Comment by Steve Dimig— January 11, 2010 #

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I won’t forgive Depo for letting Beltre walk and then signing Drew to a very one-sided deal that allowed HIM to walk after two years on the job, too (which then sort of forced Coletti’s hand in signing Pierre to fill the gap left behind).

I voted for Evans, but the more I look at Colletti’s shitty early decisions, the more I have to look at them through the prism of the Dodgers’ ongoing, McCourt-fueled personality crisis.

Comment by Casey— January 11, 2010 #

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- I actually liked the opt-out deal. Signing Drew for 5 guaranteed years, with his injury history, scared the hell out of me. Getting him for 2 years (knowing he’d likely leave) was a great idea.
  
  Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— January 11, 2010 #
  
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  - I didn’t like Drew at the time of the signing, so on the one hand I was glad he was gone early, too. However, he was signed to be an important piece of the lineup. And the outfield was unsettled ever since he bailed right up until Manny arrived.
    
    Comment by Casey— January 12, 2010 #
    
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I want to make an impassioned case for Dan Evans. Not only did he make sound moves and help build a solid team, he drafted really well. That great core of young players that Ned Colletti gets to play with- Loney, Kemp, Broxton, and Martin [James McDonald too]- were all drafted by Evans (Martin was in the 17th round! As a 2B!) Maybe hiring Logan White was the reason, but Evans gets double credit in my book for great drafting. Although I really liked PDP, and think he could’ve been good if we gave Moneyball a little more time to play out, Dan Evans really has proven his worth.

Comment by Mike Sharperson Lives!— January 11, 2010 #

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Wow! Dan Evans, Paul DePodesta, and Ned Colletti are in dead heat with 63 votes apeice. How amazing is that?

Comment by MfA— January 11, 2010 #

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I voted for Dan Evans, mostly for hiring Logan White and beginning the ground work for the team we now have.

The problem I always had with Depo was his inability to factor in the little intangibles in team building. Sure, on paper, trading for Milton Bradley is a good idea. But in reality, Bradley was an injury prone hot-head, and he was thrown into a clubhouse with Jeff Kent of all people. Who could’ve imagined that situation would ever melt down?

Oh, and, Jason Phillips: starting catcher.

Comment by J— January 11, 2010 #

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I voted for Dan Evans thinking I might be the only vote he got. How surprised I was to see him in a 3-way race. It is possible that Evans wouldn’t have proven out over the long haul but there is no question that the rewards this team is reaping now are in large part due to the people put in place by him. He was handed a franchise in terrible shape and limited in payroll flexibility and he made long-term decisions that have now afforded the Dodgers the opportunity to become a solid team. It’s purely speculation but I doubt that he would have signed Schmit, Jones or Pierre so I would venture to say we would now have a lot more payroll flexibility and we could have afforded to take a chance on offer arb to the likes of Wolf and Hudson and/or had high level draft picks and been able to sign them. I don’t think being the lowest of 30 MLB clubs over the last two years in draft dollar signings bodes well for the future. No doubt Evans deserves a lot more credit for this team today than he will ever get.

Comment by DTW Dodger— January 11, 2010 #

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Maybe Colletti is learning and growing into his job as GM of a MLB team. His early moves were disastrous and to some extent we are paying the price for them now. On a tight budget he seems to have made some better moves than when he had money to spend. And just going from memory but didn’t DePodesta give up Franklin Guiterrez (one of most highly rated prospects – and now the best rated defensive center fielder in MLB) for the time bomb Bradley? It didn’t seem like a good trade at the time and it still doesn’t even if another GM was lucky enough to get Either out of a Bradley send off. Count 1 more notch against Depo in my opinion. I still suspect we will really hate the day that the Dodgers gave up Carlos Santana for Casey Blake too and still believe that if we had to have Blake we should have found another way to make it happen.

Comment by DTW Dodger— January 11, 2010 #

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- Ya, the way to have Blake and not give up the best catching prospect (hell, can you even call Santana a prospect anymore or an outright budding star?) would have been to take on more of his Salary. Basically, the Dodgers sold Santana for Blake + cash (to pay for Blake).
  
  Comment by Greg— January 12, 2010 #
  
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Kevin Malone must be offering cars for sale with Zero per cent financing if you’ll vote for him because amazingly, the worst GM in the history of baseball has already garnered 3 votes. To each his own I guess…unless it’s Kevin and his family voting, I would find it interesting to hear positions on why Malone deserved a GM of the decade vote).

Comment by DTW Dodger— January 11, 2010 #

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I went with Dan Evans because he started this minor league movement.

Comment by kensai— January 12, 2010 #

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[...] Hong-Chih Kuo (57%) RH reliever: Paul Quantrill (33%) Closer: Eric Gagne (71%) General Manager: Dan Evans (35%)/Ned Colletti [...]

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[...] Hong-Chih Kuo (57%) RH reliever: Paul Quantrill (33%) Closer: Eric Gagne (71%) General Manager: Dan Evans (35%)/Ned Colletti (34%) Manager: Joe Torre [...]

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Mike Scioscia's tragic illness