On the DL interviewed ESPN analyst Steve Phillips yesterday for a wide-ranging discussion covering his current work as a broadcaster and former career as a general manager with the New York Mets. Phillips lends some insight into the various duties that come with a front office job, and also talks about how the industry has changed since he was a GM.
When asked if he might be interested in running a team again, however, Phillips cited how fast a bad move can change your fortunes. Who's an example he brings up to support his argument?
Even the best general managers – we see Dave Dombrowski who has won World Series Championships, releasing Gary Sheffield. He’s got Dontrelle Willis hanging around his neck like an albatross right now. I still think Dave Dombrowski is one of the best General Managers out there.
Timo Perez is also mentioned late in the podcast, as he was the butt of an April Fool's joke Phillips helped put together in their Mets days.
The whole interview is definitely worth your time, as Dan Levy always does a nice job of keeping a conversational flow and bringing up many questions on people's minds. (Yes, they do talk about those mock GM press conferences Phillips did back in 2005.) You can download the podcast at the On the DL website or from iTunes.