Colletti Is Giant Step for Dodgers

It’s not yet a pipeline on par with the California Aqueduct, but the Dodgers have again tapped into the Bay Area for a general manager.

Ned Colletti, assistant general manager of the San Francisco Giants, will be named today to fill a Dodger position vacant since the Oct. 29 firing of Paul DePodesta, who was a product of the Oakland front office.

Colletti was chosen over Kim Ng, the Dodger assistant general manager of four years and one of two women in the major leagues to hold a high-level baseball operations position.

A previous address in Northern California, however, might be the only similarity between Colletti and DePodesta.

Colletti, 50, has a reputation of being an old-school executive, having learned the trade under hard-bitten Giant General Manager Brian Sabean. DePodesta, 32, represented the trend of young Ivy League-educated executives who are making their way into front offices.

Although DePodesta tried to dispel the notion that he relied on complicated statistical analysis in evaluating players, his perceived poor leadership and communication skills led to Dodger owner Frank McCourt’s abruptly moving in a different direction 20 months after hiring him. The Dodgers won the West Division title in 2004 but after a roster overhaul finished 71-91 last season amid numerous injuries to key players.

The search for a new general manager took 18 days and included several misfires, including a rebuff from the first choice, veteran GM Pat Gillick, who instead filled a vacancy in Philadelphia. Several other experienced general managers, including Gerry Hunsicker, John Hart, Kevin Towers and Theo Epstein, also declined overtures from the Dodgers.

The selection of Colletti, whose deal is for at least three years, is likely to be applauded by many in the baseball industry. He is known as a shrewd contract negotiator and an excellent communicator.

In recent years Colletti put together several deals that allowed the Giants to add top-quality free agents despite a limited budget. Last off-season he negotiated back-loaded contracts for shortstop Omar Vizquel, catcher Mike Matheny and closer Armando Benitez. He also brokered trades and was the driving force behind the deal that brought outfielder Randy Winn to the Giants before the trading deadline in July.

Colletti interviewed for the vacancy in Cincinnati in 2003 and was a candidate when the Pittsburgh Pirates had an opening in 2001. He has never been a scout, leading some to question his skill at evaluating talent.

However, the Dodgers have a highly regarded scouting director in Logan White, whose influence could grow. Colletti has told associates that he has great respect for White, who was asked by McCourt to travel from his home in Arizona and meet with Colletti at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday.

“[Colletti] knows enough to know it’s not a one-person job,� said an executive with knowledge of the Giant front office. “He’ll take advice. He’ll delegate.�

It is unclear whether Colletti plans to retain Ng or vice president of player development Roy Smith, who have been running the Dodger front office since DePodesta was fired.

Ng survived the transition between former general manager Dan Evans and DePodesta and knows the intricacies of Dodger baseball operations as well as anyone. Ng and Smith, who was hired by DePodesta, have three years left on their contracts.

Another potential addition to the front office is Orel Hershiser, the former Dodger pitcher who has been the Texas Rangers’ pitching coach and an advisor to the general manager since 2002. Colletti and Hershiser became acquainted in 1998 when Hershiser pitched for the Giants.

Hershiser said Tuesday that he has not been contacted by the Dodgers in more than a week. McCourt interviewed him to become field manager a few days before firing DePodesta and said Hershiser “obviously keenly understands what it means to be a Dodger.�

Since joining the Giants in 1995, Colletti has been an archrival of the Dodgers. And in Colletti’s nine seasons as assistant GM, the Giants have finished ahead of the Dodgers eight times. Only Atlanta and the New York Yankees have won more games during that span.

“There were all sorts of messes in San Francisco, and not all of them became public,� said an agent who has had several clients play for the Giants. “Ned dealt with all of them.�

Colletti began his career in the early 1980s as a public relations executive with the Chicago Cubs and has written several sports-related nonfiction books. He soon moved into baseball operations and negotiated the contracts of Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson and Greg Maddux, among others.

Colletti’s first order of business will be to hire a manager. Jim Tracy parted ways with the Dodgers the day after the season ended and is now manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

DePodesta had narrowed his search to Terry Collins, the Dodger director of player development and former Angel manager, and Alan Trammell, the former Detroit manager. Among the candidates was Ron Wotus, the Giant bench coach who has a good relationship with Colletti.

However, Colletti might be more comfortable with an experienced hand who possesses the characteristics of the managers he was close to in Chicago and San Francisco -- Don Zimmer, Dusty Baker and Felipe Alou.

Baker, who led the Giants to the 2002 World Series, has one year left on his contract with the Cubs.

Atlanta special advisor Jim Fregosi has expressed interest in the job and knows Colletti. Fregosi was a special assistant to Sabean in 1999 and has managed four teams, including the Angels.