Will New General Manager Billy Eppler Be The Angel’s Savior??

No Comments October 9, 2015 Angels By John Stellman

The last day of the Angels 2015 season was coincidentally the first day of the Billy Eppler Era. The club confirmed the hiring of their fourth general manager since they named Mike Scioscia field boss on November 18, 1999.

Eppler, 40, has worked in the Yankee front office since 2004. He most recently was the assistant GM under Brian Cashman. And he thinks the chaotic working environment surrounding unpredictable former owner George Steinbrenner will help his transition to Anaheim. “I believe it can,” Eppler told the Orange County Register.

It was an alleged power struggle with Scioscia and owner Arte Moreno that led to Jerry Dipoto’s resignation July 1.

Perhaps the most publicized disagreement was the Angels signing of Josh Hamilton. When asked by SB Nation Halo Heaven why he couldn’t persuade Moreno not to sign Hamilton, Dipoto answered,

As Arte told me at the time, it was his decision to make…Obviously Arte and upper Angel management was heavily involved in what we were doing, and rightfully so. He’s the owner of the club. It’s his decision to make…

Moreno however, disagrees. He acknowledged on the day Eppler was introduced to the media that the decision to sign Hamilton wasn’t his alone. He also emphasized that if Dipoto and his staff had nixed the signing, it would never have happened.

“It really is a collaborative effort,” the Angel owner continued, “these are things we talk about as a group and make a collective decision.” The Angels still owe Hamilton $60M over the next three seasons.

Eppler called whatever problems Dipoto had in the past with Moreno and Scioscia a, “non-issue.”

“It was evident they wanted to have somebody lead baseball operations,” the new GM explained. “How I go about that role is collective opinions from everybody. Take those recommendations up to the ownership group, and say ‘We can do this or that or the third option.'” Eppler made it clear that the final decisions will be made by the owner.

As far as his relationship with Scioscia, whom he has known since 2011, Eppler called him a “phenomenal manager. I can’t wait to hear his outlook on everything Angel baseball.”

Replied Scioscia, “I’m excited. I think we’re going to mesh well…we’re on the same page philosophically. I think there’s going to be a collaboration that will make us better.”

That’s the bottom line!

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John Stellman

I was born with sports in my blood. I began coaching little league baseball at 15. I was the sports editor of my high school newspaper. I did football play by play for the college radio station. I broadcast high school basketball for a local commercial station. But baseball was always my passion. During the 1970's I covered the Angels for the Orange County Register. And now I am back where I belong...