UPDATE: The Brewers have asked permission to interview a few other candidates.
Sources: #Brewers receive permission to interview #Athletics asst GM Dan Kantrovitz for their GM opening, sources tell me and @jonmorosi.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) September 9, 2015
Sources: #Brewers expected to ask permission to interview #Rays VP of baseball operations Chaim Bloom for GM vacancy.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) September 9, 2015
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The Milwaukee Brewers are still in need of a general manager for the 2016 season and it appears as if the team is making their first definitive step to fill the vacancy. According to the latest rumors, they're targeting an executive from the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.
On Tuesday night Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reported the Brewers will interview Pirates' director of player personnel Tyrone Brooks this weekend for the GM position. Nightengale also reported Milwaukee's potential interest in Brooks last week.
"The Brewers want a young analytical mind to be the GM, and also plan to hire a president of baseball operations to guide him. The leading candidates are Braves assistant GM John Coppolella, Pirates assistant Tyrone Brooks, Oakland A's assistant Dan Kantrovitz and Angels assistant Matt Klentak."
There have been a number of others rumored to be in the running for the Brewers' GM job, including former Red Sox GM Ben Cherington, former Angels' GM Jerry Dipoto and Rays' director of player personnel Matt Arnold. However, Brooks is the first reported candidate to have been granted an interview, as owner Mark Attanasio said the club would take their time finding a candidate of their liking.
Brooks spoke with Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com back in 2011 and detailed his rise in the baseball world. The 37-year-old began his career with the Atlanta Braves and learned from some of the best executives in the MLB, including John Schuerholz, Dayton Moore, Frank Wren and Paul Snyder. He also worked for the Cleveland Indians as a professional scout before arriving in Pittsburgh, which was when he caught the eye of Pirates' GM Neal Huntington.
"Certainly the time in Cleveland helped solidify what I had heard about him," Huntington said in Langosch's piece. "He has a tremendous variety of experiences. He's been around -- in my mind -- one of the best GMs in the history of the game in John Schuerholz. We all are a product of our life experiences, and Ty has had some strong ones. He's a good evaluator and a great person. He has brought a wealth of knowledge to our front office."
Brooks' ultimate goal is to become a general manager in Major League Baseball, and his dream may come true if the Brewers choose him to move the franchise in a new direction.
