Yankees Have Large Chance of Losing Oppenheimer to Angels

by Brandon C. on Oct 18, 2011 9:00 AM EDT in New York Yankees News

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are seriously considering Damon Oppenheimer for their GM role, according to Buster Olney.

It's early in GM searches, but hearing Damon Oppenheimer(Yankees' scouting guru)highly regarded by Angels,as is Jerry DiPoto by the Orioles.

Oppenheimer, the Director of Player Personnel for the Yankees since 2001, is mainly known for his work as the Yankees' draft guru, as Jon Heyman notes.

damon oppenheimer, candidate for #LAAngels GM, picked 10 big leaguers in '06 yankees draft, incl. kennedy, joba, robertson

While some aren't fans of Oppenheimer's recent draft strategies, you can't deny that Oppenheimer has helped the Yankees more than he has hurt the Yankees, which is not something you can say about most Yankees executives.

The personal fear here is that Oppenheimer will be hired by the Angels, and the Yankees will hire a puppet for Randy Levine to be the new Director of Player of Personnel.

There are even more factors to this, as well.

The Arizona Diamondbacks considered Oppenheimer for their GM role, but hired Kevin Towers away from the Yankees instead. Towers built the Diamondbacks into the NL West champions in one year. The Yankees lost a smart mind with Towers, and if Oppenheimer leaves, not only could the Yankees lose a smart mind, but the Angels could improve. Imagine the Angels, but instead of trading for Vernon Wells, making wise baseball decisions. The Yankees-Angels "rivalry" may become more tense.

The Los Angeles Angels could become a trade partner, and this is both a good, and a bad thing. Dan Haren and Ervin Santana are both free agents in 2013, if Santana's $13 million club option is declined. Let's say the Angels struggle next year, Oppenheimer could choose to deal with the Yankees, as he would be familiar with the prospects in the Yankees system.

Great, the Yankees have a team they can trade with. The negative to this is the same as the positive.

He would be familiar with the prospects in the Yankees system.

I worry about the Yankees trading with the Diamondbacks, and if Oppenheimer is hired, I'll worry about trading with the Angels. Oppenheimer will know the "unknowns" of the system, and request them in possible trades. The Yankees would have to be very careful in possible deals.

Overall, I'd be sorry to see Oppenheimer go, but I always root for people in the Yankees organization to be promoted. One of my birthday wishes will be to see Oppenheimer to go to a team in the NL, if he has to go somewhere else.

Poll

What are your thoughts on possible executives promotions to other clubs?

Good for them, I root for it

99 votes

Don't want to lose them, I root against it

90 votes

Randy Levine is a dumb person

125 votes

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Comments

This kind of thing happens all of the time.

Unless you pay all of your execs $5 million/ year, successful organizations will have their better people recruited away by others. It happens all of the time in football as well. How many Parcells and Belichick assistants are now coaching in the NFL against their old teams? A bunch.

by designatedquitter on Oct 18, 2011 9:12 AM EDT reply actions

I never said it doesn’t happen!

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by Brandon C. on Oct 18, 2011 9:16 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I do not want to see the Angels become more intelligent

and yes I also worry that the new guy will just be a puppet, or they might not even replace him. Oppenheimer has helped improve the state of our farm system as a whole. I’m curious to know if he is involved with international signing or if that is a completely different person. I hope he stays, but if he goes I really hope we keep the same priorities that we have had in recent years.

by jetanumba2 on Oct 18, 2011 9:34 AM EDT reply actions

It's bittersweet

On the one hand, it is nice to see guys doing well, but on the other hand, it is also nice to have the good people stay and help the Yankees. Plus, you don’t want to see someone like Oppenheimer go to the Angels and turn them into a good team which might actually stand a fighting chance against the Yanks!

by pastor2b on Oct 18, 2011 10:01 AM EDT reply actions

I don't think Randy Levine will have any say in who would replace Oppenheimer.

I think Cashman is a smart man and will hire the right person for the job, either within the organization or outside of the organization. It says a lot about what other organizations think of the Yankees current structure and personnel in important positions. Cashman will make the right decisions.

by E-ROC on Oct 18, 2011 12:02 PM EDT reply actions