Proefrock interviews Thursday; more GM stuff: Radcliff, the other Duquette?
The Orioles will interview a fifth candidate for their vacant top executive position, and it’s a name familiar to the organization.
Scott Proefrock, who was the Orioles’ director of baseball administration from 2006 to 2008, will meet with the Orioles’ search committee Thursday.
Proefrock, 51, was one of the more well-respected front office lieutenants during his time with the Orioles, but he left after the 2008 season to become the assistant general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Known as a contracts and rules expert, Proefrock also worked in scouting and development for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves. Before joining the Orioles, he was an assistant general manager for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
He and his family still live in Phoenix, Md.
The Orioles have also asked permission to interview Minnesota Twins vice president Mike Radcliff, who has spent 24 years with that organization and is in charge of their player-evaluation process at the major and minor league levels.
There have been no other interviews scheduled, but it’s likely the Orioles will talk to a few more candidates besides Proefrock.
The Orioles were intrigued by White Sox vice president Rick Hahn, but an industry source said Hahn is expected to stay with Chicago for the foreseeable future.
The Orioles could continue to expand their search, and potential candidates include New York Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer and former Boston Red Sox GM Dan Duquette.
No one in the front office of the Texas Rangers, including Northern Virginia native Thad Levine, has been contacted by the Orioles for a potential interview, an industry source said.
The Orioles have interviewed four candidates: Jerry Dipoto, who took the Los Angeles Angels’ GM job; the Toronto Blue Jays' Tony LaCava, who turned down the Orioles' position; Los Angeles Dodgers assistant GM De Jon Watson; and Orioles player-development director John Stockstill.
Watson and Stockstill have not been ruled out, but there is no plan to re-interview either.
A Baltimore native, 
Comments
The Orioles might do well to hire Watson as GM.The Dodgers seem to have a pretty good minor league system and Watson might be more attractive to free agents who are wary of Angelos' long term intentions.
Posted by: John K | November 2, 2011 10:01 PM
Dan,
No one in the industry believes that LaCava turned the job for anything other than he wasn't happy with the control and compensation he'd receive. This was hammered home by Keith Law, who said this was a disaster caused by Angelos, and I trust Law since he worked with LaCava in Toronto.
My question is won't Proefock and Watson have the same exact issues that LaCava did? It seems to me either the organization is going to have to change its stance or they're going to have to settle for a low tier candidate like Stockstill who would just take whatever offer given.
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I will tell you this. Compensation was not an issue. That is 100 percent false. Were there other things besides Blue Jays love that made LaCava walk away, most likely. This organization is not in a good place. But the compensation thing is 100 percent incorrect. The bottom line is if you don't REALLY desire to be a GM, then you won't take this job due to the problems surrounding it. But if your life goal is to be one, then you will take it, and you will deal with the obstacles.
Posted by: Pat | November 2, 2011 10:23 PM
Who wants to work for Peter Angelos? He's ruined the team. No manager that's worked for him was able to "work for him."
including the best manager we had during his uh reign. Davy Johnson. Now he's over at DC. Thanks a lot PA. Sell the team for pete's sake!! Get out of baseball. You don't know what you're doing. Sell the team to Cal!
Posted by: Charlotte Lawrence (nee Cohen) | November 3, 2011 8:30 AM
Angelos must go he is a disaster
Posted by: ed mcquigg | November 3, 2011 3:10 PM