Latest Update: Dbacks Expected To Name New G.M. Thursday

Tony La Russa is expected to name the new Diamondbacks G.M. by Thursday. Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

According to USA Today MLB Writer Bob Nightengale, the Arizona Diamondbacks plan to name their next General Manager on Thursday.

After Chief Baseball Officer Tony La Russa removed Kevin Towers of his duties as the G.M., the search began immediately to find his replacement. The Dbacks were hoping to name the new G.M. by the end of the regular season and that appears to be what the team will do.

The Dbacks have concluded the second interview process that included Team President Derrick Hall, and La Russa. The team has narrowed down the list of 6 candidates down to two. The original list of candidates was 10.

Earlier in the day Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch reported that Cardinals farm director Gary LaRocque has decided to stay with the Cardinals organization. Read an article by my colleague Tom Lynch about that here.

The two finalists according to Nightengale are player agent and former assistant G.M. Dave Stewart, and Dodgers executive DeJon Watson. Stewart is considered to be the favorite. Red Sox executive Allan Baird might also be in the running still, but his chances to get the job are slim.

Stewart has a great relationship with La Russa. Stewart was the ace for the Athletics when La Russa was manager, and helped lead them to the 1989 World Series title. He was named the MVP of that series. Stewart also has the most varied background of the two finalists. He is currently a player agent, and before that he was the Blue Jays assistant G.M.

Watson has served many different roles in the Dodgers front office. He gets alot of the credit for the Dodgers great minor league system that has produced the likes of Clayton Kershaw, and Matt Kemp.

The Diamondbacks also plan to promote scouting director Ray Montgomery according to Nightengale. Montgomery made a great impression on La Russa during last June’s first year player draft and was a candidate for the G.M. job.

Nightengale also said that it wouldn’t be surprising if Stewart, Watson, and Montgomery are all involved in the front office next season:

Towers is expected to remain in the organization in some capacity. Meanwhile, the status of Manager Kirk Gibson will be decided when a new G.M. is hired. Its becoming more and more likely given the Dbacks collapse, that he will fired. There are reports out there that Gibson has lost the clubhouse.