Mariners News: Ben Cherington not interested in Seattle GM job

The Seattle Mariners are currently searching for a new General Manager, but it appears Ben Cherington has removed himself from the running. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe is reporting that the former Red Sox GM has declined an interview with the M’s.

Cherington spent nearly four seasons as the vice-president and GM in Boston, but stepped down in August after Dave Dombrowksi was hired to be the Red Sox’s President.

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The 41-year-old’s refusal to even sit-down with the Mariners feels like a slap in the face. However, it appears his lack of interest may have less to do with Seattle than one would think. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports tweeted out in early September that Cherington is not expected to actively pursue other GM jobs this fall.

Cherington had a very strange tenure in Boston. 2012 was his first year in charge, and it was highlighted by the Bobby Valentine reality show. Valentine was let go after finishing last in the American League East, and John Farrell was hired to lead the Sox on the field. Farrell and Cherington reached the mountain top in 2013, winning the World Series with a very colorful cast of characters. Boston once again fell to last place in the AL East in 2014, and spent the majority of this year in the same spot.

Poor decisions in free agency and trades is what ultimately led to Cherington’s abrupt departure. Signing players like Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval to big money free agent deals has backfired, and trading away Jon Lester really took a bite out of his local fan support.

I’m not sure if I buy the idea that Cherington has no interest in returning to a front office in 2016, but luring him to Seattle was never going to happen. The Mariners’ brass are supportive of keeping Lloyd McClendon as the skipper next season, and that is likely to scare off any veteran GM candidates.

The Mariners are said to seeking an experienced hand to reshape the roster this winter. However, The M’s are unlikely to get their man as long as McClendon’s name is attached to the Manager job. Lloyd is very popular with the players and the fans, but the simple truth is that he has not done a very good job this season. McClendon handled the bullpen very poorly, with the Fernando Rodney situation being the obvious example. He also made odd changes to the lineup on a nightly basis, including hitting Logan Morrison out of the leadoff spot in June and July.

Earlier in the week, we took an in-depth look at the names connected to the Mariners in their search for a new GM. Now that Ben Cherington is no longer an option, I would like to see them take a hard look at Billy Eppler of the New York Yankees. If that doesn’t work out, Jerry Dipoto is a candidate who makes a lot of sense.

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