Angels GM Candidate: Dan Evans

In our search to find somebody to repair the mess our former front office created and return the Angels to the postseason let's take some time to learn about the candidates. First up is former Dodger GM and current player agent Dan Evans. Why Evans?

1. Evans has been a Baseball Man his entire professional career. He began his career as intern for the Chicago White Sox whilst in college and served the organization for nearly 20 years until he resigned as assistant general manager in 2000. After working a few months for the Chicago Cubs Evans joined the Dodgers as a senior advisor. Evans was soon promoted to executive vice president and general manager (GM).

2. Accomplishments as GM (Oct. 2001-Feb. 2004). Dodger record of 270-216 (.555).

• Completely rebuilt the front office, bringing in Logan White as assistant GM of scouting and Kim Ng as vice president and assistant GM.
• After inheriting one of the worst farm systems in baseball he left an organization with a top 10 system. Players drafted include Kemp (6th round), Loney, Russell Martin, Billingsley, Edwin Jackson, Andy LaRoche, Luke Hochevar (out of HS as a late round flyer; he didn't sign) and Jonathan Broxton.
• Players signed in the amateur market: Joel Guzman (Baseball America #5 prospect in 2005), Joakim Soria, Ramon Troncosco.
• Notable transactions:
  1. Two nobodies for Cesar Izturis (less than a year service time) and Paul Quantrill. Dec. 2001
  2. Two nobodies for Dave Roberts.
  3. Gary Sheffield for Brian Jordan, Odalis Perez (3 years service time I think; WARs of 4.2, .4, 3.4 & .5 before he left) & Andrew Brown. Sheffield demanded a trade after being disgusted by the prior FO in January, 2002.
  4. 2 nobodies for Guillermo Mota and a nobody.  March 2002
  5. Dumped Kevin Brown and $30 million left on his deal to the Yankees for Jeff Weaver and Yhency Brazoban. Dec. 2003
• He was fired by Frank McCourt.

3. After serving the Seattle Mariners as a scout he left the organizational side of the game and became an agent.

4. While I have no information on this I presume he has known Mike Scioscia for a long time and is able to work within the existing limitations our new GM inherits. Evans has been based out of Southern California for the past five years.

5. He is on Twitter! Recent tweets have included a dig on the Dodgers for the Halos passing them on season attendance and Mike Trout being listed on a Baseball America's Texas League list.

6. Was a panelist at this year's SABR conference. Topic? General Managers. Listen to the audio here

Why Not Evans?

1. The manager he hired was Jim Tracy, one of the worst game tacticians and managers in baseball.

2. Questionable trade for Todd Hundley.

3. No playoff appearances.

Here is a very, VERY special bonus:

I really like Dan Evans and would be absolutely thrilled if he were to be our next GM. He is the anti-Tony Reagins: he traded away bad contracts instead of for them, understands the importance of sabermetrics, knows how to develop an elite farm system and is a trusted, knowledgeable and veteran member of the baseball community.

I highly recommend you listen to a recent interview with him on the Baseball Prospectus podcast (episode 60). He sounds like an intelligent and wise baseball man.

Lastly, he is the current agent for Hank Conger. If ANYBODY is wondering what in the world the Halos are doing with Jeff Mathis it simply has to be Evans. Right? Right?!

Who else wants aboard the Dan Evans for GM bandwagon?

NOTE: WAR pitching totals using Baseball-Reference.com