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Angels' Next General Manager: Day 4: Semifinals!

This is the match to determine who faces off against current Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto. Two minds of almost-equivalent proportions clash: one who learned how to utilize formerly peripheral statistics, the other who learned how to work with baseball's tightest budget.

By Of Maicer and Men
"Joe, do you think I'm getting fired if a new GM comes in?"
"Joe, do you think I'm getting fired if a new GM comes in?"
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

It's drawing nearer.

Tuesday afternoon/Wednesday morning saw the conclusion of the quarterfinals. And, just as he did in the wild card round, Andrew Friedman absolutely stomped the competition, this time in the person of Angels assistant GM Scott Servais, by a vote of 108-42 (72%-28%).

Before I get to the semifinals match, I'd like to inform you all that there is a minor shift in plans with this tournament and the forthcoming managerial tournament: Instead of an arbitrary afternoon time, all articles/matches will be posted at 9:00 AM PDT (starting with today) with their respective polls closing at 9:00 PM PDT that same day, as opposed to 12 noon.

Now, moving on, two of baseball's brightest general managers clash. Which one do you as an Angels fan want to see face Jerry Dipoto? If Dipoto's job is truly on the line, which one of the following do YOU want to see replace him?

ANDREW FRIEDMAN vs. BILLY BEANE

Andrew Friedman has done something ridiculous in making Tampa Bay's once-minute payroll stretch into a perennial contending team. At one point, the entire 25-man roster of the Rays made less combined than Alex Rodriguez's average annual value. Players such as Cliff Floyd, Dan Johnson and Jose Molina have served as scrap-heap veteran adds on the cheap, which have reaped immense benefits on Tampa Bay's typically-young clubs. Friedman has never been able to work with a big budget--what do you think he could do with that of the Angels?

Billy Beane is the brainchild poster boy of the sabermetric movement within baseball. As his techniques become more and more mainstream (even the Angels, one of baseball's most resistant, "good-ol-boy" type teams, have purchased an analytics system), the demand of people like him grows higher. A candidate of Make-A-Wish Foundation proportions for the Angels' GM job in 2011, one has to wonder if Arte Moreno would shoot high and attempt to snatch him from Oakland in the event of Dipoto's firing. What could he do with one of baseball's most expensive teams? With veterans like Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols?

Pick your choice in the poll below, discuss if you feel like doing so, and let's see who gets to make Jerry Dipoto sweat tomorrow.

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