(I realize that headline makes no sense.)
There’s a post other at the MLB Fanhouse speculating that the real reason the Mariners didn’t announce their new General Manager this week is because they are waiting for Pat Gillick.
The reason for this is because they’re waiting for Pat Gillick. Gillick is a former Mariners GM, and he’s currently the Phillies general manager. He has made it clear, though, that he’d like to retire at the end of the year. I have no doubt that Seattle’s plan is to wait out the Series and then gauge Gillick’s interest in returning to Seattle as head of baseball operations, and then having him choose the new general manager.
It’s an interesting theory and not without merit, it’s completely obvious that Armstrong and Lincoln look at Pat Gillick as the best thing that ever happened to baseball in Seattle (besides Ichiro, of course) and desperately want him back. His success with the Phillies is not exactly helping matters.
The question is, if this is true, would Gillick choose from the finalists already selected? Or would he bring in his own guy? I have no problem with Pat Gillick being President of Baseball Operations or a similiar title. He’s better than anyone currently in the organization and if he trusts whoever the new GM is to do their thing and leave him alone, it could work out fantastically. It’s better to have a baseball guy behind a baseball guy, than a business guy who thinks he knows baseball behind a baseball guy. That being said, the next Mariners GM needs to be one of these finalists and if Pat Gillick comes in and screws that up we’re in trouble. I don’t want Jamie Moyer back.
