After Over A Month Of Searching, The Orioles FINALLY Have Their Top Front Office Guy.
https://twitter.com/BNightengale/status/1062569981269938176
https://twitter.com/danconnolly2016/status/1062705375147945984
https://twitter.com/mlbtraderumors/status/1062729551439110144
According to alllll the reports out there, barring any last minute Josh McDaniels situation, Astros' assistant GM, Mike Elias will be named as the top executive in the Orioles front office. It's a bit confusing, but regardless of his title, if it's GM or head of baseball ops, he's the top guy. No one will be above Elias, and this will be his full rebuild, about a month too late, but lets get rocking. This is what the Orioles needed, a young, up and coming guy who has been successful in the past and and has a clear image of what he wants to do with a team. Elias checks all those boxes. He's only 36 and was promoted to assistant GM of the Astros in 2016.
Elias was heavily involved in the draft process for the Astros, and was the driving force in drafting shortstop, Carlos Correra. He also headed up the other 6 drafts since the 2012 draft, and was a prominent figure in helping the Astros turn their franchise around after the 3 consecutive 100 loss seasons. Since he became involved in the draft process, no team has drafted more players than the Astros. If the Orioles are going to complete this rebuild, that is how they are going to have to bounce back, the draft. Baltimore having the #1 overall pick this season has to have Elias drooling.
https://twitter.com/Feinsand/status/1062727929870868481
Here is where things could start to move for the Birds, as Mark Feinsand said above, Elias could bring over Joe Espada for an interview with the Orioles. Espada is the Astros bench coach and has served as a coach for several other teams and has interviewed with four other teams this offseason. I haven't seen Espada's name mentioned for the Os before, but now this thing has legs. I'm sure Elias would love to bring in a guy he is comfortable with and knows.
https://twitter.com/danconnolly2016/status/1062734946719162368
It's also being reported that a former Astros analytics employee, Sig Mejdal has been rumored to want to join Elias with the Orioles. That is what I'm talking about. This is what the Orioles need. People actually wanting to work on this rebuild! They are excited about it! That gets me going. Mejdal was with the Astros since 2012, like Elias, where he was named the Director of Decision Sciences. I'm not sure if that is a codeword for analytics or something, but whatever he did, it obviously worked with Houston.
I'm a fan of this move if and when it happens, and this is a step in the right direction for this rebuilding ball club. When you win 47 games in a season, you need a total overhaul with a new philosophy, that is what the Orioles are getting into right now. What gets me giddy is all the people outside of Baltimore saying what a good hire Elias is and that they are impressed with it. Who better to take over a ball club than a guy who has already completed a similar rebuild? I'm not saying they'll win the World Series in 2020, but in 2023 there will for sure be a parade in Baltimore.