The Los Angeles Angels on Saturday introduced Jerry Dipoto as their new general manager. The former head of scouting and player development for the Arizona Diamondbacks is the 11th GM in Angels franchise history.
"We'll be accountable as an organization, we'll be accountable to one another, and maybe most of all we're going to have passion about what we do, and you'll see that every day," Dipoto said in his opening remarks. Here's a recap of Saturday's press conference:
On His Philosophy
"I like to be diverse and balanced what I do in life as a general rule," Dipoto said. "I try to turn over every stone. Be open minded to the way you see players, because every player is a little bit different, every situation is a little bit different, and every organization is a little bit different."
The Haren Trade
When Dipoto was interim GM of the Arizona Diamondbacks, he traded Dan Haren to the Angels for Joe Saunders and minor leaguers Tyler Skaggs, Patrick Corbin, and Rafael Rodriguez. "That was a very important trade in the history of the Arizona Diamondbacks. We were in a very difficult position at the time. We took a close look at the various systems around Major League Baseball, none closer than the Angels," Dipoto said. "I look forward to becoming more versed in the [Angels'] system in terms of what we have and how we can develop it."
Dipoto's Shift From Player To General Manager
As his mentors, Dipoto cited Bob Gebhard, whom he worked with in Colorado; Jon Hart, whom Dipoto played for in Cleveland; Kevin Towers, whom Dipoto worked with in Arizona and helped "put the finishing touches" on his skill set.
Injuries limited Dipoto to 17 games pitched in 2000, his final year of pitching in the big leagues. He spent a majority of the year on the disabled list, and used that time to become familiar with the front office. Dipoto sat in on the Rockies' draft preparation, asked questions, and became interested in a potential career in the front office.
On Mike Scioscia's Influence
Mike Scioscia dismissed any notion of the manager calling the shots. "It's two different positions," Scioscia said, differentiating between the manager and general manager. "I'm the manager of the club. That's where all my effort and focus is and where all my effort an focus will continue to be. Jerry is going to get opinions from myself, sometimes strong opinions, sometimes he'll act on them, sometimes he's not going to act on them. Our staff is going to give opinions. That's the way we've worked for 12 years, and that's the way we'll continue to work."
"The way a manager and general manager should work together is a collaborative effort. It's the most important relationship that exists in an organization. I don't know of any other sport where the on-field manager or coach doesn't have a significant degree of input as to what's happening on the field or in the organization," Dipoto said.
When asked whether the thought of Scioscia wielding too much power weighted into his decision to come to Anaheim, Dipoto joked, "I didn't wake up in the middle of the night wondering if I was going to get steamrolled by Mike."
On The Angels Current Roster
"I don't think there is anything in the way of wholesale moves that need to be made. this is a team that won 86 games," Dipoto said. "You also have a number of high-end all-star type performers in their prime years who are lining it up every day. Guys like Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, and Ervin Santana; I don't know if you're going to find too many teams that have that."
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