Padres’ Interview Montgomery For Open GM Postion

The Padres’ still appear to be in no rush to find the right person to take over the vacant General Managers position held previously by Josh Byrnes. The search is approaching its second week and executive chairman Ron Fowler and team president Mike Dee are still conducting interviews.

It is being reported that the team interviewed Arizona Diamondbacks’ Director of Scouting Ray Montgomery. The 44-year Montgomery played three seasons as an outfielder with the Houston Astros, ironically, hitting his first home run against the Padres’ in 1996.

Prior to his current role with the Diamondbacks, Montgomery spent eight seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers working as an area scout throughout Texas and Louisiana before being promoted to Midwest supervisor. He continued to advance within the Brewers organization as assistant scouting director and national supervisor until he took his current job with the Diamondbacks.

Montgomery has had some notable players make it to the Major League level. While area scout, the Brewers selected second baseman Rickie Weeks out of his region, but despite Weeks ups and downs at the big league level, he has shown potential, at times, to be one of the league’s better second baseman combining speed and power. 

He is the third candidate whose interviewed for the vacant GM position following former GM Larry Beinfest and the Dodgers’ Logan White. According to Jeff Sanders of UT San Diego, the Padres’ are looking at Red Sox assistant GM Mike Hazen, Yankees assistant GM Billy Eppler, Rangers assistant GM A.J. Preller, Braves assistant GM John Coppolella, A’s assistant GM Farhan Zaidi and Cardinals assistant GM Michael Girsch.

However, the Padres’ are still considering interviews to internal candidates such as AJ Hinch who has been currently working alongside Omar Minaya and Fred Ulhman Jr.

With the trading deadline ending on July 31, it would seem, most likely, the Padres’ will make a final decision afterwards, but at the same time, it would make more sense to have the new GM input on the players they will get back when Headley and Quentin are dealt some time in the month.