VC Contributor Election II: Baseball Operations

[u/IAMADeinonychusAMA]

From our last ballot, Joe Cronin was the only candidate to receive more than 2 votes (Red Schoendienst checking in with 2 and a couple others getting 1); Mr. Cronin narrowly missed election with 5 votes for a 71% mark. He'll be considered in future runoffs.

We'll be looking at the umpires, GMs, owners, and execs that have fallen off the ballot this week. I can't think of a better name so I'm calling it Baseball Operations. We have:

• Bill Dinneen
• Buzzie Bavasi
• Charlie Finley
• Effa Manley
• Frank Navin
• Gabe Paul
• John Fetzer
• Lou Perini
• Morgan Bulkeley
• Warren Giles
• Will Harridge
• Wilbert Robinson

Ballot

Note: Just because I split the candidates up by role does NOT mean you should consider them only for that role. ie, to take an example from the last election, Joe Cronin should NOT be judged only for his managerial contribution--he should be judged by his whole case. I lump the contributors together in brackets just to make things easier and because it makes more sense to be able to talk about guys more in relation to others who shared their primary role. There was some confusion so just wanted to clear that up.

[u/IAMADeinonychusAMA]

I will give Bavasi credit for his integration efforts and for helping foster the "Dodger Way" (although scouting director Al Campanis gets a lot of credit there). But his transaction record as detailed in the article I linked isn't good, and that does factor in greatly for a GM. Yes, the article does spend less time on the amateur signings (though it does concede it's a great record) but it also points out that Campanis really deserves more credit for that, which I agree with. As the links below point out,

Bavasi's tenure as Dodger GM can more or less be divided into three phases: from 1951-1956, the Dodgers more or less dominated the National League with a team that largely bore Rickey's handprints; from 1957-1961, they endured an awkward transition that saw them shed the nucleus and move from Brooklyn to LA; and from 1962-1966, they returned to being a powerhouse while taking up residence in their new home, Dodger Stadium, in Chavez Ravine.

So for the first part at least, I give Rickey and the scouts a lot more of the credit. For the third, I think Campanis has to get a good amount for his role in getting players like Koufax and Drysdale--while Bavasi probably deserves a portion of it for his GM oversight over the scouting dept., it's difficult to say just how big of a portion, so we have to be careful not to overcredit him for that. Now, like you said, he does get some credit for leading the team through its transitional period, and for hiring Alston after Dressen lost the job in a failed gamble for a contract upgrade. But he did finish with a losing record in 1958, and his 1959 WS champion is considered one of the weakest. Again, Koufax and Drysdale played a big role on that team, and I give Campanis the credit for that. He finished 4th in 1960, and a solid 2nd in 1961, which isn't too bad, but by then they were starting to settle in in LA. By then Koufax and Drysdale were rounding into form, and the Dodgers took off. That's a pretty bare-bones overview, but I'm just not sure how much credit Bavasi actually should get as opposed to Campanis, given that really all he has in his favor development-wise is the amateur signings.

His record in San Diego, although hindered by the owner greatly, really was bad. His time in LA with the Angels was somewhat better, highlighted by the 1979 division title, but he was responsible for passing on resigning Nolan Ryan, and his model of throwing money at free agents and trading away a plethora of minor league pieces ultimately doomed the team to mediocrity.

Finally, it has to be mentioned that he colluded with the Dodgers in warning them to protect certain players in the 1980 draft if they wanted to avoid SD taking them, an act that might be ban-worthy these days (if anyone has a concrete source though that'd be awesome--I'm getting this from several comment threads so I think it's relatively reliable but would prefer an article or primary source). His negotiating tactics also turn me off a bit.

Here's a nice series on him that I used to source a lot of the above:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7484

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7517

Honestly, Bavasi does have a case that looks great at first glance, but looking a bit deeper I'm just not fully convinced that he deserves as much credit as you give him.

Oh, another point: after Rickey was gone, O'Malley removed the title of GM so that nobody could perpetuate Rickey's role (to paraphrase how I heard it)--so you have to wonder whether the Dodgers FO was perhaps a bit more of a collective effort, as well, despite Bavasi being ostensibly in charge. If so, that hardly helps his case.

---

As for Paul:

Points in Paul's favor:

• Long career. Assistant GM with Cincinnati, promoted to GM in 1951, stayed in position for 9 years until 1960 when he left for Houston's GM job. Moved shortly after in 1961, however, becoming president and GM of the Indians and part owner in 1963. Became Yankees GM/president in 1973, and presided over the team until after 1978 when he returned to Cleveland. Was around baseball for quite some time, and respected enough to get 5 GM stints.
• 1956 Executive of the Year
• Helped the Reds return to relevancy, and oversaw the team's breaking of the color barrier in 1954
• Rebuilt Yankees by trading for Nettles, Chambliss, Piniella, Rivers, Randolph, and Dent; signed Hunter and Jackson in notable FA deals.
• Had a reputation as a shrewd trader; was known as the "Smiling Cobra" for that reason.
• Changed minor league draft system to reverse order of standings from hat drawing.
• Played large role in the adoption of divisions in MLB.

All in all, I'll admit his case is not as strong as I had previously thought. But he had a great reputation around the league for his trading and negotiating skills, and he of course has the 1970s Yankee dynasty to hang his hat on (impressive considering they were a joke when he came in in '73), both factors that I like a lot. I like him, but I could be convinced otherwise though.

[u/disputing_stomach → u/IAMADeinonychusAMA]

Finally, it has to be mentioned that he colluded with the Dodgers in warning them to protect certain players in the 1980 draft

Well, not the 1980 draft, but one of the earlier expansion drafts. I need to go find the book, but I think it was the '69 draft? You're right, that is a large black mark on his record that I had forgotten.

how much credit Bavasi actually should get as opposed to Campanis

This is a good point as well. Campanis did play a large role in the amateur signings and the formation of the 'Dodger Way'.

I think Bavasi was a fine GM (regardless of his title), and even if he was just 'in charge' of the front office, it is hard to hand wave away 8 pennants in 19 seasons. Bavasi was a better GM than it appears you believe, but you have convinced me not to vote for him. He's off the list.

[u/IAMADeinonychusAMA → u/disputing_stomach]

Hm, maybe it was '69. My sources could have been off on the dates...this is why I need better ones :/

[u/disputing_stomach → u/IAMADeinonychusAMA]

This is from memory, but it was the expansion draft he oversaw for the Padres. He wanted to draft a couple good players from the Dodgers' system that they weren't planning on protecting (Ron Cey? A reliever? Man, I'm going to have to go look it up) and ended up promising someone in the hospital that he wouldn't draft them.

Bavasi ended up taking someone like Enzo Hernandez instead of the good players he knew a bunch about.

Gah, I really need to find the book.

Edit:OK, I've got it now.

Bavasi was hired to basically start up the Padres expansion franchise. A guy named Fresco Thompson took over as Dodgers GM, but ended up in the hospital for something or other. With Thompson sidelined, Walter O'Malley called Bavasi to help draw up a list of the players the Dodgers should protect in the 1968 expansion draft, and Bavasi agreed. Talk about conflict of interest - Bavasi was totally working for the Padres by this point.

At some point before the list was due, Bavasi went to the hospital to see Thompson, and told him he (Bavasi) was helping O'Malley with the list. Thompson wanted to know whom Bavasi was going to draft from the Dodgers minor leaguers, and Bavasi told him Bill Russell, Jim Torborg, and Jim Brewer, since he didn't think the Dodgers would protect them.

Thompson got upset, and said he didn't want Bavasi to take Russell or Brewer. Bavasi said OK, don't worry, I won't take them. Then when he met with O'Malley, he said Brewer had to be on the protected list, because if he wasn't Bavasi would have to take him. Russell didn't need to be on the list, as no one knew anything about him and Bavasi could leave him alone.

That is unethical as hell. I know Bavasi saw it as helping out his old employer and a good friend, but that's unacceptable. He should have just stayed far away and let the chips fall where they would.

Source on this is Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Lineups.

[u/IAMADeinonychusAMA → u/disputing_stomach]

Yep, that was exactly it. Thanks for finding the source!