Bavasi Glad to Be a Dodger

A familiar name in Dodger history reappeared Tuesday when Bill Bavasi was hired as director of player development, joining the franchise his father guided during its most successful era.

Bavasi, whose father, Buzzie, served as general manager of the Dodgers from 1950-68, returns to the major leagues after having resigned as general manager of the Angels in 1999.

The Dodgers won eight National League pennants and four World Series titles under the elder Bavasi, who left the club to become president of the San Diego Padres. He also was the Angel general manager from 1977-84.

In another front-office move, the Dodgers hired former Florida Marlin manager John Boles as a senior advisor to General Manager Dan Evans. Boles, 53, had held several positions with the Marlins, including having managed in parts of four seasons. He was fired May 28.

Bill Bavasi said he’s finally home.

“It is kind of a homecoming for me,” he said. “I was here as a kid, and to see the stadium again, looking out at the field from [the executive offices], is a lot of fun for me. I had a great time here as a kid, but I was not part of the organization. I was a good fan and really loved coming out and sitting in this ballpark; loved the fact that my dad was working for this ballclub.

“I liked it when he was with the Padres and the Angels too, but there’s something special here. It really doesn’t matter when you walk into the stadium; it just has a feel to it. And I know it’s not just me, because a lot of other people say the same thing. But for me, it has been a little bit emotional and a lot of fun.”

Bavasi, 43, co-chaired the committee that selected the 2000 gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic baseball team, managed by Dodger Hall of Famer Tom Lasorda, and has been a scouting consultant since resigning from the Angels on Oct. 1, 1999. He left the Angels after 19 years because he and President Tony Tavares disagreed on the franchise’s course.

“We just differed on how the club should be run,” Bavasi said. “I don’t think that’s a crime. That’s part of life.”

The youngest general manager in baseball when he succeeded Whitey Herzog on Jan. 12, 1994, Bavasi helped draft and develop Jim Edmonds, Garret Anderson and Chuck Finley, among others, while serving as the club’s minor league director.

Bavasi, who had recently interviewed to become athletic director at Cal State Fullerton, said he had been reluctant to accept another player-development position. However, the lure of the Dodgers was powerful.

“When Dan called the first time, I was waiting for that second call,” he said. “When he called the second time, I was waiting for that third call.”

The Dodger farm system provided a steady flow of talent to the big league club when Bavasi’s father was the top baseball official, but things have changed after many poor drafts in the 1990s. Although the Dodgers have some promising lower-level prospects, the system is still weak overall, officials in other organizationssaid.

Bavasi expects to be busy.

“Right now, I would say it’s not as in a good a shape as it’s going to be,” he said. “I know that Danny has got his work cut out for him to find some flexibility within his roster at the major league level, and that day is going to come. I’m going to be real embarrassed if we don’t have players for him to come and get, and provide even more flexibility for him.

“That’s our charge right now; to take the players that scouting signs, and they’ll sign good ones, and we have to convert ‘em. This has always been an organization that really signs a broad base of players from all over the world.”

Buzzie said his son’s new role should suit him well.

“I think he’ll do a great job, because the one thing Billy has is a great ability to judge talent,” he said. “He’s especially good at judging young talent, and that’s what this game is still all about. That hasn’t changed.”

Is Bavasi eager to sit in the general manager’s chair again?

“Right now, this is perfect for me,” he said. “The goal of a farm director, and of a scouting director, is supposed to be to make sure that the GM becomes famous because he wins.

“If we don’t do that here, then that’s a real poor reflection on me and on the rest of the guys. I’m going to concentrate on that.”