Best all-time general managers: #13, Gene Michael

Our #13 in our countdown of the best all-time general managers helped to build the most impressive dynasty of the last 25 years.

New York Yankees, 1980-81, 1991-95

For about 15 years, Gene Michael was more or less an executive flunky for George Steinbrenner. Whatever George needed to have done, Gene was there to do it. He was, however, superb at his job, earning his spot among the best all-time general managers.

A light-hitting shortstop who somehow managed to survive on active rosters for nearly a decade, Michael signed on as a coach with the Yanks for the 1976 season. When general manager Cedric Tallis became club president late in 1979, Michael succeeded him, serving for most of two seasons. He became field manager in 1981, but was removed late that same season in favor of Bob Lemon, then rehired when Steinbrenner and Lemon had a falling out early in 1982 only to be ousted again that same summer as the Yanks fell out of contention.

Yet he continued to work, both as a coach and in the front office, through most of the rest of the decade, leaving only in 1986 to manage the Chicago Cubs. That stint lasted into September of 1987. Again he returned to the Yankees front office, and when Steinbrenner was suspended from involvement in the team he named Michael general manager.

By then the Yankees had become something of an afterthought in the pennant race, having failed to win the AL East title since 1981. Turbulence in the front office may have had a lot to do with that, Steinbrenner having run through a half dozen GMs – including Michael – since Tallis. But with Steinbrenner distanced from the immediate vicinity, Michael began the process of stabilizing the Yankee organization in a way that bore fruit just as he was leaving in 1996, his legacy solidfying him as one of the best all-time general managers.

He did so by relying on a cadre of proven veterans and a strong infusion of young talent. Of 39 players Michael inherited, only three – Don Mattingly, Jim Leyritz, and Randy Velarde – outlasted him. The arrivals included such future heroes as Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada.

Michael did not hang around long enough to see that talent blossom. Differences over the handling of the 1994 strike prompted his reassignment yet again at the end of the 1995 season, this time to the scouting bureau.

His relationship with the domineering Steinbrenner contributes to the impression of Michael as a lightweight. Yet Michael could easily have been named Executive Of The Year in both 1980 and 1981, earning his recognition as one of the best all-time general managers. Michael improved the Yankees by 9.8 games the first year, and by 10.5 games the second. By the way, New York reached post-season play by margins of three and two games respectively those two seasons. As it was, the awards went instead to Houston’s Tal Smith in 1980 and to Montreal’s John McHale in 1981.

As one would expect of somebody who worked for Steinbrenner, Michael was almost a knee-jerk short-termer. But while it’s fair to ask how much responsibility Michael actually wielded working for Steinbrenner, his finest work occurred in the early 1990s, when Steinbrenner was on an enforced absence. In 1995, Michael’s decisions – including the promotions of Pettitte and Williams — for the third time provided the margin by which the Yankees reached post-season play.

His +5.83 average short-term impact is the highest of all time, 2.53 standard deviations above the field average.

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Michael continued to handle assignments for the Yankees on a senior basis until shortly before his death in 2017.

Gene Michael

In the first six categories, values reflect the standard deviation of the GM’s performance above or below the historical mean for that category. Category 7 awards or deducts points for seasons in which the GM’s short-term impact exceeded the margin by which his team either reached post-season or failed to do so. Category 8 represents post-season appearances; in categories 7 and 8 indicated points are based on numbers of teams and post-season berths.

1 Short-term average: +2.53

2 Short-term total: +1.39

3 Long-term average: +1.38

4 Long-term total: -0.01

5 Residual average: +0.88

6 Residual total: +0.91

7 GM’s post-season shares:

• 1980 award +0.88. Michael aided the Yankees by +9.8 games; they  qualified for post-season by 3 games. Key moves: Acquired Rick Cerone, +2.4; signed Rudy May, +3.1; re-signed Bucky Dent, +2.2.
• 1981 award +0.35. Michael aided the Yankees by +10.5 games; they qualified for post-season by 2 games. Key moves: Promoted Dave Righetti, +2.5; signed Dave Winfield, +2.6; acquired Jerry Mumphrey, +3.2.
• 1995 award +0.44. Michael aided the Yankees by +8.9 games; they qualified for post-season by one and one-half games. Key moves: Promoted Andy Pettitte, +1.3; promoted Bernie Williams, +1.4; acquired Jack McDowell, +2.0.

Category 7 total: +1.67

8 Credit for post-season appearances (1980, +0.88; 1981, +0.35; 1995, +0.44) Total +1.67

Grand total: +10.43

Michael built the New York Yankees into a dynasty to earn his spot among the best all-time general managers. Is he too high? Too low? Comment below!