UPDATE: Here's the latest from ESPN Insider Buster Olney and FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal:
Sources: NYY assistant GM Billy Eppler expected to be a strong frontrunner for the Angels GM job, as the process plays out.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) September 4, 2015
#Angels have yet to ask permission to interview #Yankees' Eppler. But rival execs expect him to be leading candidate, as @Buster_ESPN said.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) September 4, 2015
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The Los Angeles Angels had general manager Jerry Dipoto resign in early July due to differences with manager Mike Scioscia. Bill Stoneman has taken over as interim GM, but the team plans to hire somebody else in early October or even before the 2015 MLB season comes to a close.
Do they already have their top candidate in mind?
The latest rumors suggest New York Yankees assistant GM Billy Eppler has been mentioned "frequently" amongst the Angels' inner circles, according to Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com. Earlier this week it was acknowledged the Angels are conducting interviews with internal candidates and also have some interest in former Boston Red Sox GM Ben Cherington, among others outside the organization.
However, Eppler is an intriguing name because he was a finalist for the position during the Angels' hiring process back in 2011 when they took Dipoto on board. Eppler has garnered interest from other MLB clubs in the past and his name has surfaced in rumors regarding the Red Sox GM opening, writes Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com. Yankees GM Brian Cashman has already blocked Boston from speaking with Eppler, so it appears as if the Angels may have to wait until after the season to interview him if they're interested.
While the next Angels' GM remains a big question, another involves manager Mike Scioscia and how he'll influence the hiring process. The resignation of Dipoto fueled speculation that Scioscia is particular with how the front office conducts their business and that he believes the dugout is a completely separate entity. While the front office and dugout being two separate entities is true to some extent, the two sides must share a similar philosophy to ensure good chemistry.
So will Scioscia have a say in who becomes the team's next GM?
"I don't plan on being part of any selection committee," Scioscia told Gonzalez prior to yesterday's game. "I know the role of a manager in an organization, and I love that part of it. It's not to go pick a GM. I just think, just like any team, you have to be philosophically on the same page, all the way down from ownership to the general manager's seat to the manager to the Minor Leagues and scouting director, everything that's important in fueling your Major League roster. You have to be on the same page."
Scioscia said the decision is up to owner Arte Moreno and team president John Carpino. Perhaps he trusts them to hire someone who is in line with his philosophy. Whatever the case, after the falling out between Dipoto and Scioscia, it's clear the next GM will need to share similar views with Scioscia because the manager is under contract through the 2018 season.
