Thom to Jim: Go To Hell

In the Times, Thom Loverro writes about the GM hunt and the lost opportunity it represents.

But the Washington club didn't get a general manager until Tuesday, when it was announced former Cincinnati Reds GM Jim Bowden agreed to take the job. So the Washington franchise, in its infancy, is taking on an identity: Home of Dysfunctional General Managers. Dan Duquette and Bowden — these were the candidates for the Washington job? Heck, why not Syd Thrift?

Please, don't even make Syd Thrift jokes. It's enough to kill me!

Thom stumps for Pat Gillick.

MLB had a chance to hire Pat Gillick as the Expos' general manager. If it did not seriously consider Gillick, as it appears, it is the final insult of a mountain of insults piled on fans here since the expansion Senators left for Arlington, Texas, after the 1971 season.

To have a chance to hire someone like Gillick — arguably the best general manager of his time — for a job as unattractive as this one and to pass it up is unthinkable.

I'd agree that Stand Pat would probably be a more attractive choice, but he's forgetting the temporary nature of the job. Bowden is well aware that this job is not permanent and that he new ownership team, which could be in place within 6-8 months, could ship him back to Bristol.

With Gillick, that wouldn't be as easy. Gillick may be waiting in the wings for the permanent job. If he were in place now, I can't see him going quietly if the new ownership wanted to make a change.