Bear
10-08-2008, 09:28 AM
By Andrew Baggarly
Mercury News
10/07/2008
New Giants managing partner Bill Neukom clutched a top-secret folder containing his broad vision for the franchise — three pages of jottings he crafted over a couple of long-haul flights.
It's the rough draft for what Neukom is calling the "Giants Way," a document outlining a high-achievement corporate culture that would be disseminated to top vice presidents and lowest-level minor league players alike.
"It's not an original idea," said Neukom, acknowledging the Baltimore Orioles once distributed an organizational manual and the Los Angeles Dodgers once were lauded for their comprehensive player development system.
But Neukom said his expectations go beyond hitting the cutoff man or getting down a sacrifice bunt. In his second day as the Giants' top decision maker, the 66-year-old San Mateo native set rigorous standards for every member of the organization, saying he expects them to outwork and outsmart their counterparts.
He is bringing his Microsoft meritocracy to the major leagues.
"It's important that people understand their objectives," said Neukom, "and that they know they will be fairly judged in terms of how they perform against those objectives."
Aside from sharing his corporate vision, the former chief legal counsel for Microsoft was ever the shrewd attorney during his first question-and-answer session with reporters. Bless his bow tie, he couldn't be pinned down.
The payroll? It depends. The future of General Manager Brian Sabean and Manager Bruce Bochy? To be determined, by mutual agreement. Stat-based player evaluation or old-school scouting? It's a blend. A big-time free agent like CC Sabathia or Mark Teixeira? A qualified maybe.
One position he took: Moving in the fences at AT&T Park is "not a concept currently under consideration."
Neukom said he envisions putting together a team that is competitive next season, with an eye toward contending in 2010 and consistently beyond. He is looking for incremental improvement, which will be vital in determining whether he recommits to Sabean and Bochy when their contracts expire after next season.
Neukom didn't seek to shield their lame-duck status.
"Both Brian and Bruce enthusiastically have endorsed the notion that we've got so much work to do that we're not going to worry about what their status is," Neukom said. "Job One is identifying the talent, teaching the talent and playing the game in a winning way. There will be plenty of time for us after the '09 season to evaluate how each of us did and decide where we go from there."
Neukom said the Giants would prioritize scouting and player development but he authorized Sabean to look at all options for improving the club, telling the longtime GM that an $80 million payroll is more of a placeholder than a rigid figure.
Neukom said he's asked Sabean not to "be limited entirely by the notion that you have 'X' amount of dollars to spend for '09." Instead he's encouraged his GM to "think somewhat out of the box and be creative about this. Look more broadly. Don't look for easy answers."
Neukom said he and club president Larry Baer would take part in next week's organizational meetings in Arizona to continue dialogue about broad strategies for player evaluation and instruction.
Sabean, a former scouting director with the New York Yankees, isn't known to squint at a laptop. But Neukom said he sees the value in advanced statistical analysis and wants to integrate certain ideals of the "Moneyball" approach.
"Baseball is a science and an art," he said. "My view is that 'Moneyball' is a very shrewd strategy but it's not the only strategy. You've also got to have a lot of baseball savvy. ... It's important we have better scouts and better statistical analysis."
And, of course, long hours.
"We just have to outwork people," said Neukom, "whether it's in the conditioning room, down the dirt roads in middle America or in front of the (computer) screen."
Lets all hope Neukom put his words into practice. If he does I see good things down the road and they are not too far down that road.:beerbang:
Mercury News
10/07/2008
New Giants managing partner Bill Neukom clutched a top-secret folder containing his broad vision for the franchise — three pages of jottings he crafted over a couple of long-haul flights.
It's the rough draft for what Neukom is calling the "Giants Way," a document outlining a high-achievement corporate culture that would be disseminated to top vice presidents and lowest-level minor league players alike.
"It's not an original idea," said Neukom, acknowledging the Baltimore Orioles once distributed an organizational manual and the Los Angeles Dodgers once were lauded for their comprehensive player development system.
But Neukom said his expectations go beyond hitting the cutoff man or getting down a sacrifice bunt. In his second day as the Giants' top decision maker, the 66-year-old San Mateo native set rigorous standards for every member of the organization, saying he expects them to outwork and outsmart their counterparts.
He is bringing his Microsoft meritocracy to the major leagues.
"It's important that people understand their objectives," said Neukom, "and that they know they will be fairly judged in terms of how they perform against those objectives."
Aside from sharing his corporate vision, the former chief legal counsel for Microsoft was ever the shrewd attorney during his first question-and-answer session with reporters. Bless his bow tie, he couldn't be pinned down.
The payroll? It depends. The future of General Manager Brian Sabean and Manager Bruce Bochy? To be determined, by mutual agreement. Stat-based player evaluation or old-school scouting? It's a blend. A big-time free agent like CC Sabathia or Mark Teixeira? A qualified maybe.
One position he took: Moving in the fences at AT&T Park is "not a concept currently under consideration."
Neukom said he envisions putting together a team that is competitive next season, with an eye toward contending in 2010 and consistently beyond. He is looking for incremental improvement, which will be vital in determining whether he recommits to Sabean and Bochy when their contracts expire after next season.
Neukom didn't seek to shield their lame-duck status.
"Both Brian and Bruce enthusiastically have endorsed the notion that we've got so much work to do that we're not going to worry about what their status is," Neukom said. "Job One is identifying the talent, teaching the talent and playing the game in a winning way. There will be plenty of time for us after the '09 season to evaluate how each of us did and decide where we go from there."
Neukom said the Giants would prioritize scouting and player development but he authorized Sabean to look at all options for improving the club, telling the longtime GM that an $80 million payroll is more of a placeholder than a rigid figure.
Neukom said he's asked Sabean not to "be limited entirely by the notion that you have 'X' amount of dollars to spend for '09." Instead he's encouraged his GM to "think somewhat out of the box and be creative about this. Look more broadly. Don't look for easy answers."
Neukom said he and club president Larry Baer would take part in next week's organizational meetings in Arizona to continue dialogue about broad strategies for player evaluation and instruction.
Sabean, a former scouting director with the New York Yankees, isn't known to squint at a laptop. But Neukom said he sees the value in advanced statistical analysis and wants to integrate certain ideals of the "Moneyball" approach.
"Baseball is a science and an art," he said. "My view is that 'Moneyball' is a very shrewd strategy but it's not the only strategy. You've also got to have a lot of baseball savvy. ... It's important we have better scouts and better statistical analysis."
And, of course, long hours.
"We just have to outwork people," said Neukom, "whether it's in the conditioning room, down the dirt roads in middle America or in front of the (computer) screen."
Lets all hope Neukom put his words into practice. If he does I see good things down the road and they are not too far down that road.:beerbang: