[Teamsets4u]

Every now and then, baseball is gifted with truly intelligent individuals. Among recent ones, Pat Gillick, Billy Beane, Tony LaRusa, Bruce Bochy. Recognition is deservedly given to them, whether it be with Hall of Fame plaques, movie blockbusters, or World Series rings. The General Manager of the Tampa Bay Rays isn’t a household name, but make no mistake, Andrew Friedman is a genius.



Andrew Friedman was named Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations (GM) of the then Tampa Bay Devil Rays following the 2005 season. Since then, the Devil Rays have changed their team name, colors, manager, and every single player in their organization, but Friedman has remained. Joe Maddon was hired two days after Friedman and together the pair have turned the Devil Rays, the joke of the league, to the Rays, a perennial powerhouse and a model major league franchise.


What makes Friedman so good? He doesn’t mess up. Seriously. DRays Bay and Rays Colored Glasses know a lot more about the Rays than I do, and they both published posts about his worst moves as GM, and neither are long lists. When your worst trade is acquiring away Calvin Medlock and Brian Shackelford for Jorge Cantu and Shaun Cumberland. Among the list compiled by DRays Bay, the best players Friedman has given up have combined for one All-Star appearance, with Ty Wigginton picking one up in 2010 in Baltimore. His worst free agent signing? A two-year commitment to Pat Burrell that cost the team $16 million.

On the free agent market, he has crafted shrewd deals like bringing names like Akinori Iwamura Dan Johnson, Joel Peralta, Kyle Farnsworth, Johnny Damon and Jose Molina to town, all of whom were solid at different times. Most recently, he signed Luke Scott and Fernando Rodney, the latter turning in one of the finest season a closer has ever had.

He has also overseen now eight drafts. Among current major league players drafted under the Friedman regime (round- year): Evan Longoria (1st- 2006), Alex Cobb (4th- 2006), Desmond Jennings (10th- 2006), David Price (1st- 2007), Matt Moore (8th- 2007), and Stephen Vogt (12th- 2007).

Where Friedman does his best work is scouring the trade market. Among his solid Major League players that have contributed to the Rays that he acquired include Edwin Jackson (who was later flipped for Matt Joyce), J.P. Howell, Dioner Navarro, Kelly Shoppach and Ryan Roberts. Then come his big deals. He traded Aubrey Huff for Ben Zobrist and Mitch Talbot. He traded Matt Garza for a slew of minor leaguers including Chris Archer and Hak-Ju Lee. He traded Scott Kazmir in a deal that brought over Sean Rodriguez. And he traded away Jesse Chavez for Rafael Soriano.


Pitcher Matt Garza #22 of the Tampa Bay Rays throws against the Texas Rangers during game 3 of the ALDS at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on October 9, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

In his finest hour as GM, prior to the 2008 season he traded Delmon Young in a deal that led to Tampa Bay receiving Garza and Jason Bartlett. Garza won the ALCS MVP that year and Bartlett received MVP votes. That year the Rays not only won the AL East, becoming the first non-Yankees or Red Sox team to do so since 1997, but won the American League pennant.

While a hard list of players may not impress you, consider what Friedman has done with those players: since he took over, the Rays have a winning percentage of .516. Before him it was .447. They did not have a winning season before he arrived. They have not had a losing season since 2007. Keep in mind that Friedman had to rebuild, as they were an an awful franchise when he took control. Since 2008, they have a winning percentage of .565. They have two AL East titles, a Wild-Card berth and an American League pennant under Friedman, all competing in the brutal AL East. His payroll has never exceeded $72 million. The Yankees and Red Sox, since 2008, have not dipped below $122 million.



What Friedman has done with a sorry franchise is incredible. He rebuilt it from the ground up, never made a bad decision. While playing in the toughest division in baseball, he made “Moneyball” proud by winning the division twice while competing with two financial giants. And he continues to win. It used to be that when discussing the AL East it was the Yankees, the Red Sox, and everyone else. Now the Rays are right in the discussion each and every year. They are the model that all small market teams follow. When his players get too expensive, he trades them or lets them leave by free agency and finds a cheaper replacement. How do the Tampa Bay Rays do it? Quite simply Andrew Friedman is the best General Manager in baseball.