After seven seasons at the helm and no playoff appearances to show for it, longtime Seattle Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik was fired Friday.
Bob Dutton of the News Tribune was among the first to report Zduriencik’s dismissal. According to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com, assistant general manager Jeff Kingston will serve as the interim GM for the remainder of the 2015 campaign.
Per Steve Adams of MLBTradeRumors.com, M’s president Kevin Mather released a statement regarding the decision to part ways with Zduriencik:
We have reached the point when change of leadership of our baseball operations is needed for the Seattle Mariners to reach our goal of winning championships. We are very disappointed with the results this season, and are not satisfied with the current operation. The search for a permanent general manager will begin immediately, and while there is no deadline, we expect to have a new GM in place as soon as practical. We have great respect for Jack and his work ethic. He was an excellent representative of the Mariners both within the game of baseball and in the community. On behalf of the entire organization, I wish him and (his wife) Debbie all the best, and thank him for all his efforts.
According to Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller, Mather also provided some information with regard to the organization’s search for a permanent general manager:
After Seattle posted an 87-75 record last season, which was its best mark since 2007, many expected it to be a top contender in the AL West in 2015.
The Mariners bolstered those expectations with the offseason signing of slugging outfielder Nelson Cruz one year after inking six-time All-Star second baseman Robinson Cano.
Unfortunately for Zduriencik, those moves didn’t pay off in the manner he hoped, as the Mariners entered play Friday with a disappointing 59-69 record.
Per Jon Morosi of FoxSports.com, the 2015 season is essentially a microcosm of Zduriencik’s entire tenure with the Mariners:
Doug Farrar of Sports Illustrated is among those who believe the M’s waited far too long to move on from the much-maligned GM:
The 64-year-old Zduriencik gained a reputation as a great baseball mind during his nine years with the Milwaukee Brewers as a scout and assistant general manager. Many credited him with helping build the teams that made the playoffs in both 2008 and 2011.
That same magic was never present in Seattle, and even though he received every opportunity to turn things around, he was never able to build a winning program.
Zduriencik figures to catch on somewhere in a front-office role due to his experience and past success in Milwaukee, but he may never receive another shot at being a GM.
As for the Mariners, they haven’t made the postseason since 2001, which means the fanbase is starved for a contender.
Because of that, ownership cannot afford to swing and miss when it comes to making its next GM choice.
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