The Seattle Mariners finally dropped the ax on General Manager Jack Zduriencik after another disappointing season.
After finishing eight games over .500 in 2014 and then adding some important pieces during the winter, the Seattle Mariners came into 2015 with heavy expectations. Unfortunately, they failed to meet those expectations and as such the blame had to fall somewhere. The Mariners fired General Manager Jack Zduriencik on Friday according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
#Mariners announce that they have fired Jack Zduriencik as GM. Assistant GM Jeff Kingston takes over for rest of season.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 28, 2015
Zduriencik garnered a ton of praise while serving as the Director of Scouting with the Milwaukee Brewers. That reputation carried with him when he was hired away from Milwaukee to become the GM in Seattle in 2008. Unfortunately in the years since taking the helm, the Mariners have been unable to get over the hump, posting a winning record only twice during Zduriencik’s reign and stumbling out of the gate to a 59-69 record, good enough for 4th place in the American League West.
During his six-plus years on the job, Zduriencik watched the Mariners teams he assembled post a 505-595 record. Additionally, he garnered a reputation of being difficult to work with by other general managers around the league, especially during trade talks, where he was said to be erratic and indecisive. The combination of results and direction spelled the end of his time in Seattle, something that rang clearly in the statement released by Mariners’ president Kevin Mather.
Here's a statement from Mariners president Kevin Mather pic.twitter.com/4xIZ5M1Zki
— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) August 28, 2015
For the time being, the Mariners will turn to Assistant General Manager Jeff Kingston to finish out the season. However, they will look in earnest to find a different voice to lead their front office. One name that could intrigue them could be Toronto Blue Jays General Manager Alex Anthopoulos, whose contract expires at the end of the season and is seen positively in GM circles, both for his negotiation skills and his eye for talent in the draft.
Regardless of who they choose, the expectation will be changing up a norm that hasn’t worked for Seattle over the last several years. The mega contract handed out to Robinson Cano may handcuff the team in that regard, especially when it comes to luring high-priced starting pitching to the Northwest. However, the Mariners will need to find a way to work around that if they want to keep up with the upstart Astros and the rising powers in Anaheim and Texas.
Next: The Top Hitter For Each MLB Franchise
More from MLB
- Braves-Red Sox start time: Braves rain delay in Boston on July 25
- Yankees: Aaron Boone gives optimistic return date for Aaron Judge
- MLB Rumors: Yankees-Phillies trade showdown, Mariners swoop, India goes to Seattle
- MLB Rumors: Insider names Braves’ most likely player to be traded
- MLB Trade Grades: Dodgers reunite with familiar face in Red Sox deal