FIVE FOR FRIDAY

/ totallytigersblog

by Holly Horning

New President of Baseball Operations, Scott Harris, has said he plans on hiring a GM.  He just didn’t say when.

He did mention that he has yet to start the hiring process and has not even set a deadline.  And given that the Winter Meetings start in less than 1 month, Harris certainly isn’t going to rush the timeline.  He’s going to wait until the time is right.

So while some fans may be anxious to see that GM slot filled as soon as possible, I think it’s a wiser move to postpone for awhile.

There is no rule stating that every team has to have a GM.  Some don’t.  Some teams have a GM but not a PoBO and vice versa.  Some have both.  Today, the job description for both positions is very fluid with some PoBOs acting as the GM.  The 2 jobs don’t have to be completely different.  And as we’ve seen with other teams, they can also evolve according to an organization’s needs.

Here are my 5 reasons why it’s a smart move that Harris appears to be delaying the hiring process for a GM…..

1.There is a precedent for not hiring a GM right away.  At least a couple teams have waited a year while their PoBO has taken on the GM’s traditional responsibilities during that time.

2. Harris may have decided that it is important to start by taking on the role of GM himself in order to better understand the organization and its needs.  He’s only been in the position for a month and it’s impossible to think that he already has a complete handle on the team’s strengths and weaknesses.

3. He may want to develop the strategy for the year and get the roster on an even keel before turning it over to someone else to run.  In other words, he may want to establish an initial blueprint for the GM to use.

4. Scott is still learning about the Tigers and may want to run the position himself in order to determine which skill sets will be the most important ones for any new GM coming in.  Additionally, he may want to find the right personality and communication style that will work best with the current Front Office personnel.

5. Potentially, the applicant pool is currently not as desirable as he would like.  Maybe he is waiting for a particular person to become available.  Or maybe he wants to establish his own reputation first so he becomes a known quantity that with attract others to the GM opening.

Can you think of another viable reason for Scott Harris to delay the hiring of a new GM?

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14 thoughts on “FIVE FOR FRIDAY”

  1. There is not some organizational template consistently winning baseball games, so Harris can hand out whatever titles he likes as far as I am concerned. I also do not assume that just because Harris does not hire a GM that it is the right thing to do. If creating an organizational culture is so paramount, one might think it would be good to have the GM with the team on the ground floor.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. With 9 guys on the 60 day IL that need to be added to the 40 man roster, plus 4 – 5 minor leaguers that need to be added to be protected from the Rule 5 draft, Harris may want to be the one to make the decisions on who fits his vision. After he has that settled, maybe he’ll line up some GM interviews at the Winter meetings in December.

    Liked by 9 people

  3. One thing at a time. One day at a time. Don’t try to do too much too fast. We’ll get to it. Old truisms are old truisms for a reason. Just as the olde farmers wives. Or momanagers.

    Liked by 4 people

  4. Once more Holly’s list is so complete I can’t think of another reason Harris may wait to name the new GM. He’s certainly qualified to handle the job himself or in combination with his assistants for as long as he deems necessary. What I do know is my interest level for this off season is very high.

    Liked by 3 people

  5. I agree with Spartan. There are several critical decisions that need to be made early on, and thus I believe Harris wants to be the one to complete those decisions. He will probably interview many candidates at the Winter Meetings and hire one at the appropriate time in his restructuring plan.

    Liked by 7 people

  6. Picking the right Assistant GM, I mean GM, could be like picking the right spouse. Moving decisively when you found the right person is good, but moving too hastily with the wrong person can lead to big problems.

    Liked by 6 people

  8. I think it’s a little bit of everything you listed, Holly. Scott is taking his time, learning the “lay of the land” and getting things organized before bringing someone in. I think he’ll have someone in place before spring training.

    Liked by 2 people

    • All of the theories proposed about Harris delaying are reasonable. There is also a strong likelihood that they could factor diversity into the hire with a more comprehensive search, given the Tigers’ current white all-male staffing. It also can’t be ruled out that Hinch could be moved to the front office after the season and Lombard anointed manager.

      Liked by 3 people

  9. Holly, you’ve stated in the past that the Tigers read this blog and seeing as how Harris says he will welcome feedback, you would seem like a good fit for a job that is GM-ish / special advisor-ish / momanager-ish.

    Liked by 3 people

  11. The World Series will end soon. Scott Harris should take immediate action by trades and free agent signings, to improve the Tigers’ roster. He does not need to hire a GM to accomplish the foregoing.

    Liked by 2 people

  12. Harris has enough to figure out at the moment…it feels like he wants to get some things in place before bringing in a GM. Or….the person he wants isn’t available just yet. Just a thought…….

    Liked by 3 people

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