Best GMs in Baseball

[Phyrkrakr]

Forbes ranked all of the GMs in sports on some formula they pulled out of their rear, and according to them, Billy Beane is the best, followed by Omar Minaya and Theo Epstein. Jocketty comes in at 8th in baseball.

Forbes.com's first-ever proprietary look at GMs grades each GM on two yardsticks. First, there's the performance (regular season winning percentage and postseason wins) during the GM's tenure versus the performance of his predecessor. Second, there's the GM's relative (to the league median) payroll compared with his predecessor's relative payroll.
*snip*
In terms of enhancing the value of a sports franchise, winning is more important than payroll. So we double-weight winning percentage in our scoring to discount GMs who successfully cut costs but in so doing damaged their franchise.

The entire list is below:

1. Billy Beane, Oakland Athletics
2. Omar Minaya, New York Mets
3. Theo Epstein, Boston Red Sox
4. Brian Sabean, San Francisco Giants
5. Pat Gillick, Philadelphia Phillies
6. John Schuerholz, Atlanta Braves
7. Larry Beinfest, Florida Marlins
8. Walt Jocketty, St. Louis Cardinals
9. Dave Dombrowski, Detroit Tigers
10. Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles
11. Bill Stoneman, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
12. Terry Ryan, Minnesota Twins
13. Kevin Towers, San Diego Padres
14. Jim Hendry, Chicago Cubs
15. Mark Shapiro, Cleveland Indians
16. Brian Cashman, New York Yankees
17. Daniel J. O'Dowd, Colorado Rockies
18. J.P. Ricciardi, Toronto Blue Jays
19. Ken Williams, Chicago White Sox
20. Doug Melvin, Milwaukee Brewers
21. Jim Bowden, Washington Nationals
22. Dave Littlefield, Pittsburgh Pirates

They left out 8 GMs who had less than 3 years experience, including Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Seattle, Texas, Houston, Cincinnati, LA Dodgers, and Arizona.

Here's the link

[ToughGuy_BlueShirt]

Wow, Minaya number two. Just because of that, this entire list is a joke. He's number two because he has a billion dollars to work with and can buy any player he wants for one year? Oh, ok I see what they are looking for.

[Bo Hart]

Wow, Minaya number two. Just because of that, this entire list is a joke. He's number two because he has a billion dollars to work with and can buy any player he wants for one year? Oh, ok I see what they are looking for.

I think the bigger joke is Theo at #3.

I think he's average -- not bad, and certainly not great.

[Dillagii]

The fact that Hendry is at #14 says it all.

[Michael]

Terry Ryan deserves more love.

[vh2k6]

Brian Sabean.

LOL

[G. Keenan]

Epstein I think deserves a top 5, but Minaya, Sabean and Gillick in the top 5? That is ridiculous.

[Balltilyafall4]

Isn't Gillick highly regarded? (I really have no idea, I just remember hearing some decent things about him when he was with the Mariners).

Poor man's top 5

1. Schuerholz
2. Jocketty
3. Ryan
4. Beane
5. Dombrowski

The top 3 I think are all inter-changeable....after the top 3 I think the talent falls off (I really don't think Beane is as great as people make him out to be)

And TGBS....it's gotta be something else with Minaya being that high, because Cashman is 16th and he has the same options as Minaya

[stlmark]

What is Forbes smoking? I can totally understand Billy Beane at #1, but Minaya,Epstein and Gillick ahead of Jocketty? Jocketty is top 3 or 4. If he only had the money to spend like Epstein and Minaya he would be 1 or 2 also...jeez.

[WentCrazy]

Forbes ranked all of the GMs in sports on some formula they pulled out of their rear, and according to them, Billy Beane is the best, followed by Omar Minaya and Theo Epstein. Jocketty comes in at 8th in baseball.

Forbes.com's first-ever proprietary look at GMs grades each GM on two yardsticks. First, there's the performance (regular season winning percentage and postseason wins) during the GM's tenure versus the performance of his predecessor. Second, there's the GM's relative (to the league median) payroll compared with his predecessor's relative payroll.
*snip*
In terms of enhancing the value of a sports franchise, winning is more important than payroll. So we double-weight winning percentage in our scoring to discount GMs who successfully cut costs but in so doing damaged their franchise.

The entire list is below:

1. Billy Beane, Oakland Athletics
2. Omar Minaya, New York Mets
3. Theo Epstein, Boston Red Sox
4. Brian Sabean, San Francisco Giants
5. Pat Gillick, Philadelphia Phillies
6. John Schuerholz, Atlanta Braves
7. Larry Beinfest, Florida Marlins
8. Walt Jocketty, St. Louis Cardinals
9. Dave Dombrowski, Detroit Tigers
10. Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles
11. Bill Stoneman, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
12. Terry Ryan, Minnesota Twins
13. Kevin Towers, San Diego Padres
14. Jim Hendry, Chicago Cubs
15. Mark Shapiro, Cleveland Indians
16. Brian Cashman, New York Yankees
17. Daniel J. O'Dowd, Colorado Rockies
18. J.P. Ricciardi, Toronto Blue Jays
19. Ken Williams, Chicago White Sox
20. Doug Melvin, Milwaukee Brewers
21. Jim Bowden, Washington Nationals
22. Dave Littlefield, Pittsburgh Pirates

They left out 8 GMs who had less than 3 years experience, including Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Seattle, Texas, Houston, Cincinnati, LA Dodgers, and Arizona.

Here's the link

Interesting methodology.

Rough article if you are a Duquette too.