RINGOLSBY: New Mariners GM Zduriencik rewarded for keen eye

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 23, 2008 at 4:44 p.m.

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Zduriencik helped build Brewers into a contender.

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When Doug Melvin took over as general manager of the Milwaukee Brewers in September 2002 and began rebuilding the franchise, he retained one department head, scouting director Jack Zduriencik.

Melvin had learned the hard way - when he got his first GM gig in Texas and pushed out talent finder Sandy Johnson - to avoid the temptation of cleaning house simply to clean house.

Melvin was rewarded for his decision to stick with Zduriencik by the emergence of the Brewers as a contender in the National League Central thanks, in large part, to the homegrown nucleus of players drafted and signed by Zduriencik's scouting department.

And now Zduriencik is being rewarded for a job well done, having been hired as GM of the Seattle Mariners, who went into last season with contending ambitions but finished with 101 losses.

Revamping the Mariners will be a challenge, but it's nothing compared to the mess that was the Brewers, where the financial resources are nowhere close to what Mariners ownership has committed.

The Brewers farm system was ranked 30th by Baseball America in 2000 and 2001 but, by 2004, had risen to No. 1. The Brewers ended a 12-year losing streak in 2005, then, this season, made their first postseason appearance since 1982.

A year ago, Zduriencik was bypassed for the GM job in his native Pittsburgh but became the first nongeneral manager to be voted Executive of the Year by Baseball America.

Now Zduriencik will get his chance in Seattle, where those who have worked with him are convinced he will be a success.

"I'm confident in Jack Zduriencik," then-Brewers manager Ned Yost said when asked about the 2007 first-round selection of Matt LaPorta. "If Jack drafted Pee-wee Herman, I'd be feeling pretty good about it."

Infield chatter

* Ken Macha, who six years ago turned down an offer to manage the Brewers, has joined former Mets manager Willie Randolph and former Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly on the list of candidates who have interviewed for the Brewers managerial job. Macha was holding out for the Cubs job in fall 2002, but it went to Dusty Baker and Macha wound up in Oakland.

* Ruben Amaro appears to have the edge over Mike Arbuckle to replace Pat Gillick as general manager of the Phillies. Gillick has announced plans to retire once the World Series concludes.

* Left-handed pitcher Adam Loewen's long-running battle with elbow problems led to plans for a career change. He wants to pull a Rick Ankiel and make a comeback as a hitter. Baltimore released Loewen with the idea he will be re-signed to a minor league contract and spend a full year in the minors working on hitting.

Out in left field

Seems like the Rays surprised even the folks in Tampa Bay. If upper management really believed the team was capable of winning the World Series, why would the Rays have refused to make an in-season addition of a quality late-inning closer?

The farm system is deep enough that the loss of a couple of prospects wouldn't have caused even a ripple.

One veteran scout said in early June, "If the Rays are serious, they need to give up the prospect or two that the Rockies want and add Brian Fuentes. Tampa doesn't have a legit closer."

And the Rays still don't. It's a tribute to manager Joe Maddon that he has been able to manipulate his bullpen into the World Series, but it didn't have to be so challenging.

Closing statement

Forget about the pity party for Jose Canseco. His feelings hurt because he is now being snubbed after naming names in accusations of former steroids users, Canseco said he is sorry he was so honest. "I never knew it was going to blow up and hurt so many people," he now says.

Yeah, right. That's why, after his first book created so much controversy, he came out with a second book and named names of players who weren't mentioned in the first book.

Could it be that Canseco had slipped out of the public limelight, needs a few bucks and is now trying to get people to notice him again?

MILE HIGH WATCH

* The loss of reliever Casey Weathers for a year because of reconstructive elbow surgery is a setback for the Rockies, but it does not impact the status of closer Brian Fuentes, who is headed to free agency.

The Rockies had hoped Weathers could fill a spot in the bullpen at some point in the coming season, but he never was expected to be a candidate to replace Fuentes in the ninth-inning role.

Weathers, the Rockies' first-round draft choice in 2007, was in the Futures Game and on the U.S. Olympic team, but he has not been a closer above the Double-A level.

The Rockies would like to find a way to retain Fuentes, but growing indications are Fuentes is going to command a major contract on the free-agent market.

* Philadelphia will check out the asking price for left fielder Matt Holliday and third baseman Garrett Atkins, both potential trade candidates.

Boston also has talked internally about Holliday, and the Angels remain a solid possibility for Atkins.

If the Angels were to acquire 2007 National League Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy from San Diego, it could work in favor of an Atkins deal because the Angels then could feel they have enough depth to move left-hander Joe Saunders to the Rockies.

* A year ago, Jayson Nix was preparing for a chance to claim a big-league job. Now he's looking for work.

The Rockies' Opening Day second baseman this season, Nix never established himself, hitting .125 in 56 at-bats. After spending the past three years with Triple-A Colorado Springs, Nix was given his release by the Rockies.

His brother, Laynce Nix, an outfielder, also was let go since season's end by Milwaukee. He spent the bulk of last season with Triple-A Nashville (Tenn.).

* Rookie Casper pitching coach Eduardo Villacis, 29, has been let go. Originally a pitcher in the Rockies' system, Villacis, who is from Venezuela, spent the past two years with Casper.

The rotation

Game 1 of the World Series featured three first-round selections from the 2002 draft - B.J. Upton, Scott Kazmir and Cole Hamels. It is arguably the most successful first round in draft history. Twenty-two of the first 25 picks in that draft have made it to the big leagues, including Jeff Francis, Joe Saunders, James Loney, Matt Cain and Prince Fielder. The success rate of recent drafts:

Year Made it to majors

2003 19 of top 25

2002 22 of top 25

2001 17 of top 25

2000 14 of top 25

1999 14 of top 25

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