This week we got a chance at an interview with both heads of the Orioles front office, George Fitzpatrick and Thomas Sanabria, during their weekend stay in Denver, although no one really could come up with a reason they would spend a 4 days there. The duo claimed they needed some time to rest their heads in a city that was great at soothing the mind, a full no-break year behind the desk in Baltimore had called for a well earned vacation. The Sun got an exclusive sit down with the GMs at their Oxford Hotel suite. When we got into the suite we we're greeted by both GMs, had a couple of good laughs and got down to business.
Peter Schmuck: I guess we'll start with a question for both of you. Many speculated that having 2 general managers at the head of one front office would create a vast amount of dilemmas do to the different philosophies you two possess. How do you feel the job of having an associate at the same level has played out so far for you guys?
George Fitzpatrick: I guess I'll start. First off, it's been great having Tommy around. He's a real intellectual and is also just a great guy to hang out with. His creativity is something that I overlooked while doing a background check on him before I gave him a shot, and I love the way it's turned out for not only him and me, but for the whole organization. I really needed someone I knew could bring great energy to a ball club that was in dire need of a jump start. I, being a bit older than Tom, tend to err on the side of caution when things come up, so it was a real positive feeling to see that here in Baltimore we have two sides of the coin. Not to mention, I also needed his farm system skills. In contrast to all our critics, I believe we've been able to fuse our philosophies to work in a way that pushes this franchise on a full course ahead, talent wise and financially. With that being said, we won't be able to sustain any type of success we gain through our youth without fielding a competitive team now. We need the help of the Oriole faithful to feed the engine we are rolling on right now. Tom understood my point, and I understood the fact that the future of the organization was just as important as fixing the team's major league talent and getting fans to come to the game. It's been a great ride for us so far and I'm glad every day I step into my office that I decided to bring Tommy along for the ride with me.
Schmuck: And what's your take on this Tom?
Thomas Sanabria: To tell you the truth, I was hesitant at first to come and help Baltimore. I had been off of a job for a couple of months and was really ready to just lay back and be a husband and father. Truth is, my kids wanted me back in an office for a team, and when George called all they kept talking about was how fun it was going to be to have a dad working for an MLB club again. So, with the approval of my family, I had no problems coming back to the game I love, especially when I would be working along side a guy I knew had great knowledge of the game. Back in Cincinnati, I had really lost my touch of putting together a team that could win on the field. George's philosophy has been something I've really bought into, the fact that we need money to keep the engine running. We need fans to come to the game and support the Orioles, without that our jobs are pretty much pointless. The only way to get the fans to support us and keep the money rolling in is by putting the best team we can that is capable of winning out onto the field. My main goal was to get this farm system pointing into the right direction, but the main goal of the organization is to win, and keep winning, so I took that in and really went with what George had planned. He's been a great guy to work with, we have a great amount of fun at the office and I think that has corresponded to our teams play on the field. It's just been a fantastic experience so far.
Schmuck: Has there been any disagreements between you guys while making decisions? With how different both of you think, it's hard to believe you have got along about everything.
Sanabria: There hasn't been one disagreement about a decision we have made with this team. Every time something presents itself, we always find a way to make sure each other feel it's the right deal to make. That doesn't mean we get along about everything. There have been times where a decision I have made was not all too well with George, and visa verse. However, deals must be made, and we concentrate on making sure that both of us will be fine when a deal is stamped. We've done a fine job so far and it's been going well.
Schmuck: The Orioles have been the most surprising team in baseball this year, going 54-45 by the trade deadline after losing 114 games last year. What do you both believe has been the key to the rising success of Baltimore?
Fitzpatrick: It clearly has been the deals we have been able to pull off. Tommy has been able to get key players that I had no idea we had a play for. The probable cause for that is because I might not have wanted to go out and get said player, but when I looked deep into it I figured "Hey, this might not be a bad idea, let me go with what he's thinking". Tom's been just as big a part of our major league success as he has the success of the farm system. We went out and didn't shy away from spending money this past off season as well, getting quality players we believed could put up winning numbers. Funny thing about that is, we actually lowered payroll by more than $10 million, while drastically improving the team. I think that's a point that has really put us in a great spot. Our future is looking bright.
Sanabria: We've just been able to find productive players on all sides of the market, whether it be a free agent signing or an acquisition. For the most part we've been able to find cheap production which has been a big plus for us going into the final stretch of the year. We've been able to put a good offensive team out there, as well as a pretty great defense. Our pitching was something we knew would take some time, since pitching is the most valuable asset in baseball in our eyes, so we aren't worried about our pitching struggles this year. I have to say, the way George has been able to set up the different combination of platoons has been incredible. The chemistry between our players are at a level I personally did not expect, and it's been translated into success on the field. Some players that George had suggested gave me second thoughts, like say [Gilbert] De La Vara. But given the time and commitment, Geo was able to get those few players to work out the kinks and start producing consistently. De La Vara has been able to settled in quite well his past couple of starts, and we hope he can keep the work up. It's been the combination of our two philosophies that have been able to get this team rolling.
Schmuck: The Orioles are have been ranked 13th in the latest power ranking list. Do you guys feel your team has over performed to a certain degree this season?
Sanabria: Our team deserves every bit of the success that they have earned. They went out there and had the courage to play for a team that had almost no fan support, a team everyone looked down upon. They knew they had the talent to win, and we're determined to prove they could play alongside the cream of the league's crop and have a great outcome. Nothing should be taken away from these guys. They've worked too hard and have come a long way to be subdued to a group of "overachievers".
Schmuck: (Said with a big grin on my face) Now that leads into my next question. Baltimore sits 3.5 games behind Oakland for the Wild Card lead, with 3 teams in between. Any surprising chance we see the Orioles making a legitimate push for October?
Both GMs gave out a big laugh and smiled at me as well as each other.
Fitzpatrick: Well we're concentrating on building a team that will have ultimate success as soon as a few years pass, however that's a process that takes time and careful surveillance. As far as us making a significant push for the playoffs, that is not our goal and not what we are concentrating on, however anything is possible in baseball, and we'll have to see how everything plays out.
When asked what their off-season plans we're this year, both said simultaneously: "Pitching, pitching, pitching, and more pitching". For associates with very different baseball philosophies, these guys seem to be on the right page with this team, and the Orioles organization, including the fans, are loving every bit of it.
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