Moore withdraws from Sox GM hunt

11/15/2005
BOSTON -- Just when it seemed Dayton Moore was emerging as perhaps the leading candidate to become the next general manager of the Red Sox, he decided to withdraw himself from the running.
The 38-year-old Moore, one of baseball's rising executives, met with Braves general manager John Schuerholz on Tuesday morning and ultimately decided he didn't want to leave, thus foregoing a second interview with the Red Sox that was in the process of being scheduled.
"I've got three young children and they're all in their innocent years," Moore said Tuesday evening. "I don't want to miss one second of seeing them grow. Going into a different environment, I don't know if that would be possible."
Though Moore didn't receive any direct assurances that he would become the Atlanta GM once the 65-year-old Schuerholz retires, he decided that the time wasn't right to leave a franchise that he's played a vital role for the last several years. In particular, Moore has been instrumental in the development of Atlanta's farm system.
He informed Red Sox president/CEO Larry Lucchino of the decision later in the day on Tuesday. Moore is the assistant general manager/baseball operations for the Braves, and has been in their front office since 1996. He has a rich background in scouting and player development, which is something that appealed to Lucchino.
As for the Red Sox, they've interviewed four candidates thus far, including Moore. According to The Boston Globe, Twins executive Wayne Krivsky, who interviewed with Lucchino and club chairman Tom Werner last week, was informed by the Red Sox that he was out of the running.
The other two interviewees -- Nationals general manager Jim Bowden and former Expos general manager Jim Beattie -- are still believed to be in the mix.
Indians' assistant GM Chris Antonetti and Blue Jays director of player personnel Tony LaCava both informed the Red Sox last week that they weren't interested in interviewing for the position. Veteran execs Pat Gillick and Gerry Hunsicker recently landed new jobs, erasing two additional candidates.
One name that has yet to surface as a candidate is Paul DePodesta, who was recently dismissed from his post as GM by the Dodgers.
The Red Sox are reportedly in the process of trying to arrange interviews with additional candidates, but there haven't been any updates on that front this week.
"The owners meetings in Milwaukee ... will preclude further interviews for the next two days," said Lucchino. "Wayne has been removed from the list, and expressed graciously his appreciation for the opportunity to be interviewed. There is no current examination of internal candidates. Also, Dayton Moore was given a great new opportunity to stay in Atlanta; for that reason and for family considerations he has withdrawn from consideration."
Theo Epstein's Oct. 31 decision not to sign an extension to remain in his position as GM has left the Red Sox' front office in a state of flux this offseason.
Currently, four baseball operations executives -- Jed Hoyer, Peter Woodfork, Craig Shipley and Ben Cherington -- have been collaborating in orchestrating Boston's offseason business until a replacement for Epstein is lined up.
Bill Lajoie, the widely respected baseball executive who constructed the World Series champion 1984 Tigers, is also helping out in an advisory capacity.
The Red Sox have several key decisions in front of them this winter. Manny Ramirez and David Wells have both asked to be traded. Johnny Damon and Bill Mueller are both free agents. The Red Sox also have holes to fill at first base and second base.
According to a report in Tuesday's Boston Herald, the Red Sox are in the process of formalizing an offer to Damon, their center fielder the last four seasons. At last week's general managers meetings in Indian Wells, Calif., Boston's GM-by-committee quartet met with Damon's agent, Scott Boras.
While there's always a chance that the Red Sox and Epstein could reconcile their differences, Lucchino was seemingly trying to close the book on that chapter last week when he issued a detailed statement about Epstein's departure.
However, the speculation -- at least to some degree -- will be almost unavoidable until Epstein lands a new job or the Red Sox line up his successor.
As of Tuesday evening, neither thing appeared all that close to happening.
Lucchino did say last week he'd like to have a new GM in place by the Winter Meetings, which begin on Dec. 5 in Dallas.

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/