For as much attention and notoriety the Los Angeles Dodgers’ ownership group has received since purchasing the team from Frank McCourt, they’ve largely remained in the background as it pertains to baseball operations.
Last offseason the Dodgers’ front office expanded, led by the addition of Andrew Friedman as president of baseball operations.
When the Dodgers were eliminated from the postseason by the New York Mets, controlling owner Mark Walter said Friedman had full authority to decide Don Mattingly’s fate.
Prior to news of the Dodgers reportedly trimming their list of managerial candidates, general manager Farhan Zaidi detailed the search process as one he and Friedman have led with ownership in the background, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
“These guys are all guys we, as a front office, vetted, we talked to people about, we developed the candidate list,” Zaidi said. “[CEO] Stan [Kasten] and ownership have been very supportive of the process and interested in how things are going, but we’ve certainly been the drivers.”
Zaidi added ownership may get more involved with the finalists the Dodgers select:
“[Ownership is] being kept aware of the candidates and generally how things are going, and our hope is when we bring some guys back, we’ll bring them in front of some owners for a little face time.”
Dodgers director of player development Gabe Kapler and San Diego Padres bench coach Dave Roberts are currently viewed as the favorites. Former Padres manager Bud Black and University of Nebraska head coach Darin Erstad are also believed to have made the cut.
Holding that to be true, a surprising omission was Chiacgo Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez, who interviewed with the Dodgers at the general manager meetings this week.
