One of the benefits (if you choose to see it that way) of the Internet is that seemingly anyone can have an opinion on everyone – even people they don’t know.
However, whenever Sports Illustrated’s name is attached to something, being a former intern, I tend to sit up and listen.
Today, SI.com’s Tim Marchman came out with rankings for the general manager of every Major League Baseball teams. To view Marchman’s full list, just log on to SI.com.
In the press release it notes that while “there is no objective way to rate general managers”, Marchman provides the following criteria he used to create the list:
1) Succeed in achieving an obtainable goal.
2) Don’t do stupid things such as signing costly and terrible free agents.
3) Efficiency, which Marchman defines by marginal dollars per marginal wins.
4) Tenure.
With this criteria, Marchman ranked Cleveland’s current GM (for the remainder of this year at least) Mark Shapiro as the 22nd best GM in all major league baseball.
The following is Marchman’s analysis.
22). Mark Shapiro, Cleveland Indians
Where Shapiro rates is irrelevant, as he’ll be promoted up out of the general manager’s position after this season, but he has to be the most overrated executive of the last few years. His Indians were widely praised as one of the best-run clubs in baseball for years, but despite immense reservoirs of talent, they’ve had two winning seasons in his eight years at the helm, ultimately playing as less than the sum of their parts. No matter how admirable the team’s process and structure are, the results just haven’t been there.
While I have always admired Shapiro over the years, last year’s trades of Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez left me second-guessing Shapiro and the front office staff like no time previous. Sure, I’ve often disagreed with the team’s management over the years, but could usually see their point.
However, as I pointed out in a previous post on a similiar subject, my main anger for the current stat of the Tribe is directed towards ownership, who ultimately pulls Shapiro’s strings.
Tribe fans, what do you think of Marchman’s GM rankings?
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
He’s right about Shapiro, who constantly outsmarts himself by signing vets who’ll do little more than stand in the way of the development of young players.
Why sign Branyan and make either Brantley or LaPorta sit, for example? Branyan may have a good season–after all, he’s had one or maybe two in his decade long career–but my guess is we’ll be back to wondering “what we have” in Brantley and/or LaPorta again next spring.
I thought it was Wedge’s influence, but this signing proves it’s Shapiro.
Hallelujah! Finally someone outside of Cleveland is calling a spade a spade. This guy NAILS it! Overrated is even giving him the benefit of the doubt. Shapiro has nearly trashed this team, from the top to the minors. His slow, deliberate, “well thought-out” press conferences and reasoning aren’t fooling ANYONE anymore…well, except the poor Dolans, who could not be more confused. They claim Mark would be snatched up by another team within moments of being fired…well, let’s put that theory to the test, shall we? He certainly wouldn’t be hired as another GM, that’s for sure!
Stephanie, you need to temper your “anger” at the owners. Remember when they gave Shapiro money to rack up several of the highest payrolls in team history, some approaching $100-million. It got them buppkiss. The problem isn’t the owner or his money, the problem is who they entrusted the money and decisions to. If you feel they’re pulling his strings now, it’s only because he squandered tens of millions (and continues to do so…Hafner, Wood, Westbrook—three suspect guys making more than 1/2 of our payroll!!!!!). SOMEONE had to step in and tell free-spending Mark to get a grip. Perhaps the “promotion” out of the GMs seat is less about “promotion” and more about getting someone with a lick of common sense into the position.
Do ALL former SI interns use the name Sports Illustrated like a personal pronoun, the way you did in the sentence, “However, whenever Sports Illustrated’s name is attached to something, being a former intern, I tend to sit up and listen.”???
“No matter how admirable the team’s process and structure are, the results just haven’t been there.”
Shame that it took someone from the national media to state what most local fans already knew. Mark Shapiro is no John Hart, despite what ownership believes. His shortcomings have been in evidence since Day 1 on the job when he foolishly angered Charlie Manuel, then went nuts with the checkbook in signing Lawton and Gutierrez. It’s been a Decade of Disaster for his decisions, the only thing briefly saving his skin being the sheer talent of a few core players, most of whom are now gone.
Money management and constantly blocking our own farm system players have been his downfall. Thank you, SI, for not drinking this guy’s Kool-Aid anymore. Executive of the Year? Boy, there’s some media folks who’d like to have their votes back, I’m sure.
You could stop reading this article after the part about there being no objective way to analyze a GM. Shapiro, the indians as a whole, and most of the teams in MLB are taking part in an unfair game. There are only 5 or 6 teams in the league that can spend the type of money it takes to be consistently successful. The Indians have superior scouting, management, and coaching to most of the big spenders in the league, but the fact that they can’t sign big name free agents is nobody’s fault other than MLB itself who has allowed this game to grow into a system where the top spender in the league has a payroll which is 50 million dollars higher than #2. It’s the same system where A-Rod makes as much or almost as much as the entire Marlins, Padres, and Pirates team.
Adam, superior scouting??? If the clowns drafting in the offices at the Jake had half a clue how torun a draft the Indians wouldn’t have to trade away players to “stock” the farm system every year.. and they say everyone knows you never go full tard..
Thanks for pointing that out, Jason. So true.