The D-Backs’ GM search is going to be something

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The Diamondbacks need a new ... well, everything. On Monday, they fired general manager Dave Stewart, manager Chip Hale, and vice president of baseball operations De Jon Watson, and removed Tony La Russa from power in baseball ops while letting him keep his role as chief baseball officer. They’re starting with a new GM, and the pool of candidates is a little odd. It’s not necessarily bad, as there are intriguing names here, but it’s definitely odd.

The D-Backs are considering three internal candidates for GM despite their dumpster fire of a season: director of player development Mike Bell, assistant GM Bryan Minniti, and VP and assistant GM Peter Woodfork. Now, this group shouldn’t necessarily be blamed for the failings of Stewart and La Russa, as we don’t know exactly how much input they had under them, but that’s still a lot of internal looks for a club trying to erase recent history. Luckily, they’re also looking at a few external candidates, as well: former D-Backs scouting director and current Brewers scouting director Ray Montgomery, MLB executive Kim Ng, and former Dodgers GM (and current special adviser) Ned Colletti.

Ng and Colletti competed for the Dodgers GM job over a decade ago, and Colletti was eventually replaced by Farhan Zaidi when Andrew Friedman took over the Dodgers. Ng has interviewed for multiple GM jobs and never come away with one, but she’s recognized as a sharp baseball mind and is the senior vice president of baseball operations for MLB. Colletti’s failings are generally overstated, but he would be more of a lateral move from Stewart than an upgrade. It’s just a strange mix, and feels like it’s missing a few names.

If they’re so interested in scouting and player development, where’s the Cubs’ Jason McLeod? Why weren’t the D-Backs moving quicker to entice someone like Ben Cherington before he took a VP role with the Blue Jays? There’s probably a good answer for the next GM of the D-Backs in this group regardless, but as usual, they’re going about this a little funny.

• There are four — four! — playoff games on Friday. Turn on your television or MLB app radio at 1:08 p.m. ET and keep it on until midnight, because this is the busiest day of the postseason schedule.


• No wonder the Indians haven’t won a World Series since 1948.


• Cleveland took down the Red Sox, 5-4, in Game 1 of their ALDS, in large part thanks to a stellar effort from Roberto Perez both at the plate and behind it.


• It also helped that Terry Francona did a little experimenting by bringing Andrew Miller into the game in the fifth inning. It was a reminder of what makes the playoffs so fun.



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• Speaking of finding new roles for pitchers, Drew Pomeranz should be a weapon in the Red Sox bullpen now that he’s been temporarily bumped from the rotation due to his workload.


• The Blue Jays took the first game of the ALDS from the Rangers, and did so in a real hurry by knocking Cole Hamels out early. Hamels’ change-up was nowhere to be found on Thursday, and he’ll need to find it again before his next start if things are going to be different.


• The Blue Jays thrive on the long ball, and it just might get them deep into October.


• Which postseason team gets to complain about injuries the most? Spoiler: not the Giants.


• Let’s imagine a position-less baseball with some prodding from Emma Baccellieri.


• Madison Bumgarner is absurd, but you already knew that.


• Dusty Baker is tied to his NL postseason opponents: he used to play for the Dodgers, the team his Nationals will begin facing Friday, and he used to manage both the Cubs and the Giants.