The 2020 season was a successful one for the Miami Marlins as they overcame an early coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the organization and low expectations across the league to make the postseason for the first time since 2003.
Miami not only reached the playoffs, but they swept the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card Series. As great as that was for baseball and their fanbase, the Marlins’ biggest impact on the sport in 2020 has come off the field as they made history this week by hiring Kim Ng.
She is believed to be the first female general manager in the major four North American professional sports. Ng is as qualified as anyone to be an MLB general manager after working in the sport for more than 30 years.
She spent time in the front offices of the Chicago White Sox (1990-96), New York Yankees (1998-2001) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2002-11) before joining the league office in 2011, where she remained until joining the Marlins.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who was a player in the organization when Ng was in the front office, expressed gratitude for Marlins owner Derek Jeter for hiring her, via Joel Sherman of the New York Post:
Was chatting with #Dodgers manager Dave Roberts who told me this: “Derek Jeter already was my favorite player. Now, he is my favorite executive. What a great move breaking a glass ceiling and hiring Kim Ng as the #Marlins general manager.”
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) November 14, 2020
The Dodgers first hired Ng in 2001, where she served as vice president and assistant general and was involved in all the inner workings of the front office.
She interviewed for a number of different positions in the Dodgers organization, including GM in 2005 before Ned Colletti landed the job and kept her involved until she joined the commissioner’s office in 2011.
Kingston listed as finalist for Angels GM opening
Ng wasn’t the only general manager hiring across baseball this week as the L.A. Angels announced former Atlanta Braves assistant general manager Perry Minasian would be taking over their front office.
It appears that a current Dodgers front office member, assistant general manager Jeff Kingston, was also a finalist for the job.
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