Angels get Kurt Suzuki endorsement from John Mozeliak that already feels strangely hollow

Interim Los Angeles Angels general manager John Mozeliak made some positive comments about Kurt Suzuki recently that were tough to parse. Did he really mean them? Was he just trying to help Suzuki out so he can get a job somewhere else?

Well, those questions have only intensified after Mozeliak’s latest remarks. As noted by Sam Blum of The Athletic, Mozeliak wants to retain Suzuki, but says that it’s ultimately not up to him and will be up to the new ownership group.

What are we supposed to make of this? Does Mozeliak actually want him around or does he just not want it to seem like he’s getting rid of Suzuki since he was put into a pretty rough situation with a one-year contract by Perry Minasian, who was a lame duck and an owner in Arte Moreno who was probably already thinking about selling the team.

Either way, Mozeliak's words ring hollow because if he actually wanted Suzuki around, he has the reputation that would allow him to go to Stan Kroenke and the new ownership group and make the case to retain Suzuki. Mozeliak’s track record of success with the St. Louis Cardinals gives him the legitimacy to do something like that, so he’s not entirely at the mercy of the new ownership group.

There’s even an argument to be made that Suzuki wouldn’t be a terrible option as manager going forward. The Angels are a rebuilding team that just lost 100 games for the first time in franchise history, why not stick with Suzuki for a little bit longer, considering the next season or two will be viewed as bridge years.

Suzuki was already fine with Mozeliak firing Mike Maddux and plugging in his own guy as pitching coach. At the time it seemed like foreshadowing of Suzuki's eventual dismissal, but maybe that's not the case. In fact, Suzuki seemed opened to change within his staff.

Kurt Suzuki will be easier for Mozeliak to control compared to bigger names

That’s a key difference with managers of today compared to 30 years ago. Many of them don’t have as much power as they used to, and Mozeliak probably wants to be the one running the show without any pushback from a manager with a big ego so if he feels Suzuki is on board with that then why wouldn’t he want him back?

Still, the whole “it’s not my decision” thing isn’t going to convince anyone. Either move on from Suzuki if you feel he’s not the right guy or go to bat for him and make the case for why he’s the right manager. He obviously can’t say publicly, “I want him because he will do what I tell him to do” but he can spin some yarn about how the players like him and how he will provide continuity with the younger players or something like that. 

If Mozeliak is being honest and he wants him back, it is up to him more than it is ownership even if ownership ultimately gets the final say. 

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow