Hall: La Russa told GM candidates he would have ‘no baseball decisions’
Oct 17, 2016, 3:54 PM | Updated: Oct 18, 2016, 9:35 am
Tony La Russa, newly hired as chief baseball officer for the Arizona Diamondbacks, speaks to reporters after being introduced Saturday, May 17, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
(AP Photo/Matt York)
For as much buzz there was surrounding the open general manager and manager positions for the Arizona Diamondbacks, there might have been more about the future of the team’s chief baseball officer Tony La Russa, whose contract expired at the end of the 2016 season.
The man who hired the now fired Dave Stewart and Chip Hale, La Russa was one of the most scrutinized figures in baseball this past season.
His involvement in the team’s front office moving forward was unknown beyond reports, but the team confirmed Monday that La Russa will stay on in an advisory role.
When asked about La Russa’s spot in the front office, D-backs president and CEO Derrick Hall told Burns & Gambo on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM it was a priority to address it during GM interviews.
“It was important to make sure he was a part of this process so the candidates could look him in the eye and ask the same question of, ‘what is your involvement now? Is it really my job or is it yours?'” Hall said.
“And for Tony to look at all these candidates in the eyes and say ‘I’m gonna be an advisor. I’m gonna work closely with people in uniform as much as the manager and or you as the general manager want me to, but I will have no baseball decisions, no say-so when it comes to the roster construction or baseball operations and I’m fine with that. I think I can have the most impact now with players and with manager and coaches in uniform and help out with the scheduling, the spring training.'”
New general manager Mike Hazen was not troubled by La Russa’s presence.
“Not uncomfortable at all, Tony’s an easy conversation and a great baseball mind,” Hazen said to Burns & Gambo on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.
“Ultimately, though, the decisions that get made are going to be my responsibility and I embrace that.”
While his decision-making power is diminished, Hall still believes La Russa is positive about being an advisor.
“He’s excited about that and I think it was important for him to continue being here because he doesn’t like the way things finished last year, and I think it was very important to have him in that room so that the candidates could see how much he embraced that concept and that new role now, and that it was truly gonna be theirs to run.”
