Best all-time general managers: No. 8, Pat Gillick

The #8 GM in our countdown of the best all-time general managers spent three decades in the role and continues to influence the game a decade after leaving the GM seat

Toronto Blue Jays, 1978-1994; Baltimore Orioles, 1996-1998; Seattle Mariners, 2000-2003; Philadelphia Phillies 2006-2008

Pat Gillick is the only man in major league history to have headed four franchises that made it into the post-season. His World Series championships with the Blue Jays (1992-93) and Phillies (2008) also made him only the second GM* to lead two teams to the ultimate prize. No wonder his more than a quarter-century career eventually took him to Cooperstown as one of the best all-time general managers.

The irony is that for many years, Gillick was criticized for a perceived reticence to make key moves. He was called “Stand Pat”; at least he was until a December week in 1990 when he acquired Joe Carter, Roberto Alomar and Devon White – in other words, the core of the 1992-93 Toronto World Series winners — in a pair of deals.

A pitcher on USC’s 1958 national championship team, Gillick signed with the Orioles and played for five years in the minor leagues. When the dream of playing in the majors died, he joined the Astros organization as an assistant farm director in 1963. He went to the Yankees as coordinator of player development in 1974, and when the Toronto Blue Jays were created they hired him as vice president of player personnel. One year into that job he became GM.

From 53 victories in 1979, the Jays improved steadily under Gillick – to 67 in 1980, then 78 in 1982, then 89 in both 1983 and 1984. They won 99 games and their first divisional title in 1985, and never again under Gillick failed to win fewer than 86 games.

He retired during the 1994 strike, but only for a respite. Orioles owner Peter Angelos lured him back to run the Orioles at the conclusion of the 1995 season; the Orioles won the wild card in 1996 and the AL East in 1997. Late in 1999, Mariners ownership siphoned Gillick away from Baltimore, and he led Seattle to three consecutive post-season appearances, including a record-equaling 116 victory season in 2001.

By then 66, Gillick retired again following the 2003 season, and for a time insiders assumed he meant it. Not so; he returned in October 2005 to take over operations of the Phillies, and again the improvement was immediate. The Phillies won the NL East in 2007 and 2008, claiming the World Series in 2008 over Tampa Bay. Gillick retired a third time at the conclusion of the 2008 post-season, and this time he meant it (so far, at least).

Given his penchant for turn-arounds, one might assume that Gillick’s forte was short-term improvement. That is partially true. Gillick does rank first in the total short-term value of his free agent signings. But some of his short-term numbers are actually pedestrian. He ranks just 82nd in the average impact of all his short-term moves and 107th in their total impact.

His long-term impact was more consistent and more substantial. The best Gillick pickups – Carter, Alomar, Ichiro Suzuki and Felix Hernandez– remained closely identified with the teams he brought them to. His +7.84 average long-term impact ranks 32nd all-time, and his +180.40 game long-term impact is exceeded only by seven men in history: Barney Dreyfuss, John McGraw, Ed Barrow, John Schuerholz, Branch Rickey, Connie Mack and Brian Cashman.

Gillick was justifiably named Sporting News Executive of the Year in 2001, when his Mariners won 116 games and the AL West. He improved the Mariners’ short-term fortunes by +17.8 games that season.

Pat Gillick

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: +0.24

2 Short-term total: +0.04

3 Long-term average: +1.01

4 Long-term total: +2.10

5 Residual average: -0.11

6 Residual total: +0.71

7 GM’s post-season shares:

• 1988 penalty: -0.88. Gillick hurt the Blue Jays by -3.0 games; they failed to qualify for post-season by 2 games. Key moves: Re-signed George Bell, -1.3, promoted Todd Stottlemyre, -2.4.
• 1991 award: +0.88. Gillick aided the Blue Jays by +12.2 games; they qualified for post-season by 7 games. Key moves: Acquired Roberto Alomar, +2.2; acquired Joe Carter, +2.3; acquired Devon White, +4.1; acquired Tom Candiotti, +2.3; signed Jimmy Key, +2.4; re-signed Duane Ward, +1.5; promoted Juan Guzman, +2.0.
• 2006 penalty -0.50. Gillick hurt the Phillies by -5.8 games; they failed to qualify for post-season by 3 games. Key moves: Signed Abraham Nunez, -2.8; promoted Gavin Floyd, -1.3; promoted Scott Mathieson, -1.2.
• 2007 award +0.50. Gillick aided the Phillies by +2.8 games; they qualified for post-season by 1 game. Key moves: Re-signed Chase Utley, +6.1; signed Jayson Werth, +2.1.

Category 7 total: 0.00

8 Credit for post-season appearances (1985, +0.88; 1989, +0.88; 1991, +0.88; 1992, +0.88; 1993, +0.88; 1996, +0.88; 1997, +0.88; 2000, +0.44; 2001, +0.44; 2007, +0.50; 2008, +0.50): +8.04

Grand total: +12.03

*John Schuerholz, of the Royals and Braves, is the other. Theo Epstein, president of the 2016 World Series champion Cubs, would be a third if you consider him as the team’s general manager. For the record, Jed Hoyer held that title.

Gillick left a mold for the future members of our list of the best all-time general managers for how to transition into a role within the team and then into the overall game.