SEATTLE — Pat Gillick traded away Ken Griffey Jr. , then built a team that came within two victories of reaching the World Series. He let Alex Rodriguez get the Texas Rangers’ millions through free agency, then orchestrated tweaks to the roster that resulted in a 116-victory season.
The Seattle Mariners lost two of their biggest stars under Gillick, but they experienced unprecedented success with him as their general manager since the 2000 season.
The Mariners never achieved the one thing Gillick was aiming for, a championship, and after four years he decided not to try anymore.
Gillick announced Tuesday that he won’t return.
"I had four kicks at the cat and couldn’t get over the hump here, so I thought it might be a better situation if somebody else took a shot at it," he said. "We had four good seasons here and we didn’t get where we wanted to be."
Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln said he made it clear to Gillick he wanted him back and tried the last two days to change his mind.
"I’ve been thinking about it for a couple of weeks," Gillick said. "But I kind of decided on Sunday."
Gillick, 66, will work as the GM until his replacement is hired, then serve the Mariners in a consulting role.
Mariners president Chuck Armstrong said the team hopes to have a new general manager hired by the end of this month. Major League Baseball discourages major announcements during postseason play.
The Mariners immediately began compiling a list of replacement candidates, including two longtime members of the current staff, assistant GM Lee Pelekoudas and player development director Benny Looper.
"That’s what my goal has been," Looper said. "I’ve got a good background in the baseball side, in scouting and player development, and it’s something I’m ready to try."
Roger Jongewaard, the team’s highly respected scouting director who interviewed for the GM job four years ago, said he’s not interested this time.
"It’s what I’ve always worked for, but the timing just isn’t right," said Jongewaard, 66. "It just kind of passed me by. I’m getting too old for that job. My life is changing and I’m doing what I’m interested in. I’m not quite ready to hang them up, but I’m getting close."
Gillick said he isn’t immediately interested in becoming a GM for another club. He’s under contract to the Mariners as a consultant for the next three years and, if he takes another job during that time, the M’s would be entitled to compensation.
The Mariners won 393 games under Gillick, more than any other major league team the last four years. But the late-season failures the last two years, and the fact Gillick didn’t make an impact move before the trade deadline, added a black mark to his legacy.
Gillick wasn’t specific in his reason for leaving, although there has been a tug in Toronto since the day he took the Seattle job on Oct. 25, 1999. His wife, Doris, remained at their home there and he spent considerable time in Toronto, including the days before this year’s trade deadline in Toronto.
Gillick also refused to say he was inhibited by Mariners management in his efforts to improve the club during the season.
"I was able to wheel and deal enough," Gillick said. "Sometimes you want to be as free-wheeling as possible and for one reason or another you can’t be that way. As far as any restrictions that prevented us from carrying out our jobs, I can’t see anything."
The new general manager won’t have quite the challenge Gillick did when he took over for Woody Woodward. Griffey had demanded to be traded, and Gillick swung a deal with the Reds that brought center fielder Mike Cameron, infielder Antonio Perez and pitchers Brett Tomko and Jake Meyer.
The Mariners also added first baseman John Olerud, relief pitchers Arthur Rhodes and Kazuhiro Sasaki, and utility player Mark McLemore and won the American League wild-card playoff berth in 2000, then took the Yankees to a sixth game before losing in the AL Championship Series.
The following offseason, the Mariners lost Rodriguez to free agency but Gillick signed Japanese star outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, relief pitcher Jeff Nelson and second baseman Bret Boone, a free agent after a sub-par year with the Padres. In 2001, Boone had one of the best offensive years by a second baseman in baseball history and the Mariners won 116 games in easily winning the AL West title. Suzuki was named AL MVP and Rookie of the Year.
The Mariners’ next general manager must find the answer to the team’s late-season swoon the last two years. Among the issues:
The Mariners had hoped Gillick would stay to handle those challenges.
"I was very surprised," Armstrong said. "I spent a lot of time with Pat this summer. We talked about this subject several times, and my own gut feeling was that he would be back.
"We haven’t gone to the playoffs the last two years, but you can’t deny it’s been a good run."
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