Arizona Diamondbacks Finish GM Interviews

Tony LaRussa and company are close to making a decision on the D’backs next GM. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Diamondbacks have concluded their round of interviews for the team’s vacant general manager position.  Team President Derrick Hall and Chief Baseball Officer Tony LaRussa spoke with a total of seven candidates: D’backs’ Scouting Director Ray Montgomery, Cardinals’ director of player development Gary LaRocque, LaRussa’s old ace Dave Stewart, former GM’s Allard Baird, Larry Beinfest and Tim Purpura and current Dodgers’ assistant GM De Jon Watson. According to Jack Magruder at Fox Sports Arizona, Hall and LaRussa would like to make a decision by the end of the season so they could discuss the status of manager Kirk Gibson.

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Stewart and LaRocque are perceived as the top two candidates with Stewart being touted as the favorite. In fact, Magruder states that a source believes that if offered the job, Stewart would take it. There is also this in the same article:

"La Russa has talked about parceling out responsibilities in the D-backs’ front office moving forward, indicating he is not wed to the idea of hiring one person to handle all aspects of the general manager position. La Russa said he would like an increased emphasis on analytics, but he added that another person could be hired to handle that part of the job."

It also appears likely that former GM Kevin Towers will remain in the organization. Stewart and Towers have a history that goes back to the Padres when Towers was the GM and Stewart was an assistant as well as the team’s pitching coach. In addition, Towers has a year left on his contract so it would make sense to have him stay on rather pay him for not doing anything.