New GM in the Cards: Mozeliak

St. Louis promotes from within after ousting Jocketty; outsiders wanted more control
By Jesse Andrews,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 31, 2007 9:23 PM CDT
New GM in the Cards: Mozeliak
St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa speaks during a news conference announcing he will return as Cardinals manager Monday, Oct. 22, 2007, in St. Louis. La Russa will return for his 13th season as manager of the St. Louis Cardinals with a two-year contract after a difficult year in which his team...   (Associated Press)

After having forced out Walt Jocketty, St. Louis hired his protege, John Mozeliak, as their new general manager, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The move surprised some in the industry who expected 33-year-old Mark Antonetti, assistant general manager with Cleveland, to take the job. Antonetti apparently differed with the Cardinals on issues of control.

White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn dropped out of the race for similar reasons. Indeed, Mozeliak inherits a powerful manager in Tony La Russa and a ready-made front office, including scouting and player development veep Jeff Luhnow; it was Jocketty's icy relationship with Luhnow that spelled the end for Mozeliak's mentor. (More MLB stories.)

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