The Toronto Blue Jays are getting closer and closer to earning their first AL East division title and postseason appearance since the 1993 season. However, as they approach that goal, they're also in danger of losing two instrumental people in their organization.
Those men are assistant general manager Tony LaCava and bench coach DeMarlo Hale. The latest rumors indicate these two are garnering interest from other MLB teams - LaCava for general manager positions and Hale for manager positions.
LaCava is also the vice president of baseball operations for Toronto after working his way up in the organization ever since being named assistant to the general manager back in 2002. He was a candidate to become general manager of the Baltimore Orioles back in 2011, but he turned down the offer, which eventually was accepted by Dan Duquette.
But now with the immense turnover in GMs this season, LaCava is expected to be a prime candidate across the MLB because of his work with the Blue Jays. The Los Angeles Angels are believed to be the frontrunner for his services, but the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies also in the market for a GM.
Here's the latest from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe:
"[LaCava] interviewed for the Angels' GM job. That could be a good fit with manager Mike Scioscia as LaCava is more of a traditional executive. He uses analytics, as all Blue Jays executives do, but his personality would definitely mesh with Scioscia's. LaCava has taken every road trip with the Jays the past few years and has certainly been part of building the franchise."
Rumors have also suggested fellow front office executive Dana Brown plans to interview with the Seattle Mariners.
And that outside demand also extends to the Blue Jays' dugout.
DeMarlo Hale, who is respected across the MLB, became the Jays' bench coach after the 2012 season. He previously worked under Terry Francona in Boston (also as bench coach) as well as under Buck Showalter in Baltimore (as third-base coach).
Similarly, with the large manager turnover this year, Hale's candidacy could begin to take shape.
"For years he has been used by teams to satisfy a rule of interviewing a minority candidate," Cafardo adds. "Hale may finally get a legitimate shot at a manager's job given his work with John Gibbons. He is respected by the players, with a strong work ethic and coaching acumen. We'll see if a team finally gets real with Hale."
The Twins interviewed him this past offseason before giving the job to Paul Molitor and the Nationals interviewed him the offseason prior before hiring Matt Williams.
By the end of the season the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals could be looking for a new manager.
That's a big potential market for Hale, who first hopes to take the Blue Jays as far as possible in 2015.
