Worst General Manager in any sport

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Randy Smith in Detroit has a good case too given the stars he let go...

 

Team Record: 411-560 (42.3%) from 1996-2001

 

Randy Smith (1996-2002) - Just Some Highlights of his Tenure. Gone 6 games into 2002 Season

- Trades David Wells for C.J. Nitkowski and 2 other players

- Trades Chad Curtis for Joey Eischen and a nobody

- Trades Cecil Fielder for Ruben Sierra and a nobody in July. Trades Ruben Sierra for 2 nobodies in October of that same year

- Trades Brad Ausmus, Jose Lima, and 2 others to Houston. Big names he gets back are Doug Brocail and Brian Hunter

- Trades Phil Nevin and Matt Walbeck to Anaheim. Nevin eventually lands in San Diego.

- Trades Dave Roberts and Tim Worrell to Cleveland for Geronimo Berroa. Roberts eventually goes to Los Angeles. Worrell eventually lands in San Francisco.

- Trades Luis Gonzalez to Arizona for Karim Garcia.

- Trades a slew of guys including Frank Catalanotto, Francisco Cordero, and Gabe Kapler to Texas mainly for Juan Gonzalez. Juan plays one season.

Most of those really don't stand out to me. Cecil Fielder was out of the majors after two seasons. Chad Curtis was a fourth outfielder, Brad Ausmus could never hit, Lima time was awful, Ruben Sierra had half a good year in him left, and that came five years later. I think what sets the Smith regime apart is that the organization had an absolutely pathetic record in the amateur draft. They brought virtually no good players in the entire time.

[Guest Czech please!]

Phil Nevin is no star.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Phil Nevin is no star.

 

Maybe not but the guy did have a 3 year stretch of 24, 31, and 41 HR starting 2 years after he left Detroit. All done in an extreme pitcher's park as well (95, 91, and 89).

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

David Littlefield...

 

I give the Pirates a pass because there's nothing you can do to better this train wreck. I was leaning toward the Clippers' Baylor, but then again that organization is awful as well. While reading this thread I've changed my vote to the Knicks mentioned above.

[migoli 0]

Kevin McHale has been a mini-Millen for Wolves fan.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Re: Steve Phillips.

 

Based on the fact that this guy hasn't had a GM job in 6 years (and the numerous idiotic stuff he says and writes) tells me that most high ranking baseball people are able to see how shit-tastic of an executive he was.

[MFer 0]

Randy Smith also had this obsession with making deals with the Astros and Padres (he had ties to both teams). I think Brad Ausmus was involved in at least 4-5 transactions with the Tigers during that time period.

 

As far as Millen's record vs. Al Davis, Millen had a better record over the past 5-6 seasons (basically everything after the Raiders/Bucs SB), which is what some people choose to focus on. Also, Oakland could set a record this year with 7 straight 11-loss seasons. Millen's clearly worse, but a lot of people in the media do focus on the Raiders' record in the years following their SB appearance.

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

Is it too early to put Omar Minaya on this list?

 

Sure he did shape the 2006 NL East Division champs, but let's take a look at a few things:

 

-Lucked out on the fact that John Maine and Oliver Perez were essentially throw-ins in their trades. Jorge Julio was the target of the Kris Benson to Baltimore trade, and Perez was an afterthought in the emergency trade that brought Roberto Hernandez in from the Pirates for Xavier Nady.

 

-Oh sure he made big splashes with Beltran, Pedro, the Delgado trade, Wagner, Santana trade, KRod and the Putz trade, but it doesn't take much creativity to reel in the big free agent fish for the NYC market, and Delgado, Santana and Putz can be seen as salary dumps or "We can't sign the guy, so you get him, you sign him" deals.

 

-Gave way too many years for guys like Alou, Castillio, Schoenweis, and even Julio Franco! The Mets are now beholden to a slap singles hitter with bad knees for the next three years at 2nd, while their "2nd baseman of the future" is in the outfield mix.

 

-Seems to rely too often on the notion that deals don't have to be made because Player A is due to come off the DL in a few months. Rather than consider the possibility that Player A might not be ready when scheduled (considering the Mets' crack medical staff, that should ALWAYS be a possibility) and bring in a talent from another organization to fill the gaps.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I don't think Daniel Murphy was ever the second baseman of the future. He's stretched defensively there and the Mets tried it because they had a weak spot. Obviously they aren't pursuing it. I think Minaya's greatest strength will become apparent in a few years. As much as he's joked at for his love of Dominicans, there are some DAMN good looking prospects coming up through Brooklyn right now. Wilmer Flores, Jefry Marte, etc. The Mets are two wins away from having three straight playoff appearances under their belt.

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

I don't think Daniel Murphy was ever the second baseman of the future. He's stretched defensively there and the Mets tried it because they had a weak spot. Obviously they aren't pursuing it. I think Minaya's greatest strength will become apparent in a few years. As much as he's joked at for his love of Dominicans, there are some DAMN good looking prospects coming up through Brooklyn right now. Wilmer Flores, Jefry Marte, etc. The Mets are two wins away from having three straight playoff appearances under their belt.

 

But they DIDN'T win those games, they didn't. And that is part of the damn problem. To say nothing about the fact that, no offense, but it wasn't a 1978 Yankees-Red Sox clash of the titans, or a 1993 Giants and Braves both hit the century mark with wins, but only one team makes the playoffs.

 

In theory the Mets should have clinched both the 2007 and 2008 divisions half way through September, but there is a culture on this team that seems to wilt when the pressure is on. THAT you can lay the blame on Minaya for, since he brought in many of these ballplayers who don't seem to care that their seasons were slipping away (Delgado, Castillo, etc).

 

And now with the shit going on with Johan, this team is lucky to win 85 freaking games in 2009! So yeah, Al, you are going to have yourself three straight divisional titles my friend! Put THAT in your books!

[garfieldsnose 0]

The GM is not to blame for the players not playing to their potential down the stretch. That goes STRICTLY on the players, and in some instances the coach. How you can blame Minaya for that is, as cabbageboy would say, laughable.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Indeed. And considering that Carlos Delgado played extremely well down the stretch, he's hardly responsible either. What really gets me about the Mets' wailing is that the Phillies lost the playoff chase in the last two weeks of the season every year from 2003-06. What the Mets have done is not unique in the slightest. And to say that they should have won because hell, it's only the Phillies is insulting.

 

The Mets finished below .500 every year from 2002-04. Since they hired Minaya, they have averaged 89 wins a year. In the three years Minaya was GM of the Montreal Expos, they finished above .500 twice. And that was a team with NO ownership support whatsoever. And the Mets' minor league system is starting to show the fruits of Minaya's labor. Even if the oh my god championships aren't there, Minaya has made the Mets better.

[migoli 0]

Is it too early to put Omar Minaya on this list?

 

Sure he did shape the 2006 NL East Division champs, but let's take a look at a few things:

 

-Lucked out on the fact that John Maine and Oliver Perez were essentially throw-ins in their trades. Jorge Julio was the target of the Kris Benson to Baltimore trade, and Perez was an afterthought in the emergency trade that brought Roberto Hernandez in from the Pirates for Xavier Nady.

 

-Oh sure he made big splashes with Beltran, Pedro, the Delgado trade, Wagner, Santana trade, KRod and the Putz trade, but it doesn't take much creativity to reel in the big free agent fish for the NYC market, and Delgado, Santana and Putz can be seen as salary dumps or "We can't sign the guy, so you get him, you sign him" deals.

 

-Gave way too many years for guys like Alou, Castillio, Schoenweis, and even Julio Franco! The Mets are now beholden to a slap singles hitter with bad knees for the next three years at 2nd, while their "2nd baseman of the future" is in the outfield mix.

 

-Seems to rely too often on the notion that deals don't have to be made because Player A is due to come off the DL in a few months. Rather than consider the possibility that Player A might not be ready when scheduled (considering the Mets' crack medical staff, that should ALWAYS be a possibility) and bring in a talent from another organization to fill the gaps.

 

 

 

Yeah but the guy somehow managed to wiggle free one of ,if not the best pitcher in the game and didnt even have to give up some of his highest rated prospects. On that alone I would give him a pass.

 

[naiwf 0]

What the Mets have done is not unique in the slightest.

 

Here I was thinking that losing a 7 game lead with 17 to go was a historic collapse because everyone in the media told me it was. And then they followed that up blowing a 3.5 game lead with 17 left the following season. It's nice to know that that stuff happens all the time and that everyone was just overreacting because it was a NY area team.

 

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

What the Mets have done is not unique in the slightest.

 

Here I was thinking that losing a 7 game lead with 17 to go was a historic collapse because everyone in the media told me it was. And then they followed that up blowing a 3.5 game lead with 17 left the following season. It's nice to know that that stuff happens all the time and that everyone was just overreacting because it was a NY area team.

Seven with seventeen to go was bad. 2008 wasn't unique in the slightest.

 

Edit: And just for fun, since we're talking about collapses. Can anyone name the GMs of the '78 Red Sox, '64 Phillies, '51 Dodgers or '95 Angels? How much of the blame did the GMs take for those failures?

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

Indeed. And considering that Carlos Delgado played extremely well down the stretch, he's hardly responsible either. What really gets me about the Mets' wailing is that the Phillies lost the playoff chase in the last two weeks of the season every year from 2003-06. What the Mets have done is not unique in the slightest. And to say that they should have won because hell, it's only the Phillies is insulting.

 

The Mets on paper should have been a 95 win team, in 2006 they lost to a team with one of the worst records of all time to win a championship, and the 2008 Phillies won 92 games, after winning 89 a year ago. THAT is insulting actually. Like I said, it isn't like a Battle of The Titans where the second place team wound up with 95 wins or something, it is a battle of two lousy teams, one of which got lucky late.

 

Then again, thank Bud Selig for that, with the NFL style of forced parity, getting cities amped up because their team that is barely over .500 has a chance to win the World Series.

 

The Mets finished below .500 every year from 2002-04. Since they hired Minaya, they have averaged 89 wins a year. In the three years Minaya was GM of the Montreal Expos, they finished above .500 twice. And that was a team with NO ownership support whatsoever. And the Mets' minor league system is starting to show the fruits of Minaya's labor. Even if the oh my god championships aren't there, Minaya has made the Mets better.

 

Stop with the "prospects." The Mets have been over hyping prospects since the days of Don Bosch. And the latest crown jewel, Fernando Martinez, seems to be heading towards an oft-injured career.

 

And just once, JUST once I'd like the Mets to have a Cole Hammels or a Nelson Liriano. Essentially a pitching "prospect" that doesn't wet the bed the first season he takes the major league mound.

[Guest Czech please!]

Tell me, who doesn't overhype their prospects? "Well, we have this kid--really not even a kid, per se, I mean he's already 20, pitched in college--who has about...yeah, about 86 on his best days, I guess you'd call him a finesse pitcher if you had to call him something. But you wouldn't be interested. Sure, he's a cornerstone of our farm system, but really, what does that say about us, right?"

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

And just once, JUST once I'd like the Mets to have a Cole Hammels or a Nelson Liriano. Essentially a pitching "prospect" that doesn't wet the bed the first season he takes the major league mound.

 

Like Scott Kazmir?

 

And enough with this crap that the Phillies were a lousy team. The Phils have finished above the Mets in the standings seven of the last eight seasons. And they were defending division champions. 95 wins on paper? Who assembled that team on paper?

 

As for 2006, that was a team with a 91 win pythag., facing a team who had won 100+ games the previous two seasons with much the same core.

[garfieldsnose 0]

I know Mets fans are douches, but seriously... come on. I can't add onto everything alkeiper said, but seriously, you fans need to quit whining. Placing blame on Minaya is as idiotic as you can get, especially when he was able to fix YOUR TEAM'S BIGGEST WEAKNESS.