August 24, 2014

The Buffer

Tony La Russa may be acting as a buffer between a micro-managing owner and the Diamondbacks front office:

But since La Russa’s hiring in May, we haven’t heard much from owner Ken Kendricks. And maybe that’s the takeaway: La Russa has served as the bridge between Kendrick and Towers, presumably working with Kevin to make smart baseball decisions while assuring ownership of the work that’s being done. There’s no doubt that Kendrick respects and values La Russa’s knowledge and experience, likely more so than Towers’. The hands-on management hasn’t done the Diamondbacks any favors, and if La Russa can insulate the baseball operations from ownership, the organization might prove to be moving in a better, more level-headed direction.

Joe Torre served a similar role between the George Steinbrenner and the Yankees players. It certainly worked for that team.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *