Dodgers Rumors: Farhan Zaidi Contacted For Front Office Job
With plenty of attention being placed on Monday’s deadlines that pertain to free agency, the Los Angeles Dodgers face questions regarding their front office.
Andrew Friedman’s hiring as president of baseball operations coincided with Ned Colletti getting reassigned to a role as special advisor, which has left a vacancy at general manager.
Friedman said in his introductory press conference the team was holding conversations with several candidates, but nothing has come of it aside from speculation. On Monday, Oakland Athletics assistant general manager Farhan Zaidi was tied to a potential role in the Dodgers front office, via FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal:
Sources: #Dodgers have talked to #Athletics assistant GM Farhan Zaidi about a front-office position.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 3, 2014
Rosenthal adds one rival executive believes prying Zaidi away from Oakland may prove a difficult task given their culture:
On Zaidi: It is NOT a given that he would leave #Athletics for #Dodgers. One rival official says, ‘Oakland is a tough shop to crack…”
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 3, 2014
“…small circle of people, loyal and trusting in each other.” Same is true of #Rays. But remember, Friedman turned down others before LAD.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 3, 2014
While they may face an uphill battle if they attempt to hire Zaidi, the Dodgers succeeded in luring Friedman out of Tampa Bay and they previously looked north when they plucked Paul DePodesta from the A’s.
Zaidi has been with the A’s for 10 years with 2014 being his first as their assistant GM. He joins Josh Byrnes and Chad MacDonald as executives who have been linked to Dodgers’ front office rumors.
Byrnes has experience as a GM with the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres, and he has ties to MacDonald as they worked together in Arizona and San Diego. Friedman has yet to give any indication when the vacant front office positions will be filled.
General manager meetings will be held Nov. 10-13 in Phoenix, Ariz.
