Nice enough guy, but was just overmatched in the analytics-driven world of modern MLB. His roster construction and trades the last few years have been awful.

I really hope the M's can get a great mind to lead their front office. The Bavasi/Zduriencik regimes have been two of the worst in baseball since Gillick left. It is so hard to have guys like John Schneider and Dennis Lindsley running my other two teams (tons of respect for both) and then to contrast that to the Mariners.

FWIW, I don't mind Lloyd McClendon. Not that a manager is that important in baseball though...nowhere near as important as the GM and scouting departments.