The Orioles will begin interviewing candidates this week to replace vice president of baseball operations Syd Thrift, high-ranking team sources confirmed yesterday.
Tomorrow, they will interview Detroit Tigers assistant general manager Al Avila. On Tuesday, they will interview former Montreal Expos GM Jim Beattie, and Arizona Diamondbacks assistant GM Sandy Johnson will follow later in the week.
Mike Flanagan, one of the leading candidates to replace Thrift, is interviewing with the Boston Red Sox tomorrow. Other candidates on the Orioles' list include former star Cal Ripken, former Anaheim Angels GM Bill Bavasi, former Chicago White Sox GM Ron Schueler, New York Mets senior assistant GM Jim Duquette, and Oakland Athletics assistant GM Paul DePodesta.
Thrift will remain in his current role through baseball's general managers meetings in Tucson, Ariz., which run Nov. 10-14. The Orioles will likely name his replacement a short time later.
A source in the Major League Baseball office said the Orioles are adhering to the rules and following commissioner Bud Selig's edict by exploring minority candidates.
Avila was born in Cuba and is the son of longtime Los Angeles Dodgers executive Ralph Avila, who was pivotal in helping the Dodgers originally sign Pedro Martinez, Ramon Martinez, Pedro Astacio and Raul Mondesi.
Al Avila spent nine years working under Dave Dombrowski with the Florida Marlins. After starting this past season as a special assistant to the GM for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Avila rejoined Dombrowski in Detroit.
Orioles owner Peter Angelos has told people he has heard good things about Avila. After receiving permission from the Tigers, Angelos decided to give Avila the first official interview for this position.
Beattie spent six years as the Expos' general manager and then resigned after the 2001 season. He came back this spring as a special assistant under Omar Minaya. Beattie's contract expired on Oct. 31, so the Orioles didn't need permission from the Expos to interview him.
"He's welcome back with the Expos," Minaya said yesterday. "We were going to discuss [a new contract] at the GM meetings."
Johnson has been the Diamondbacks' assistant GM the past three seasons. He was one of the original major-league scouts who helped shape Arizona's first roster in 1998.
Johnson has roots on the East Coast and knows Thrift from their time together in the Pirates' organization.
The Orioles already have permission from the Diamondbacks to speak with Johnson.