Sorry Kim 😞
Everyone digs [Ng], except the only guy who counts…Bruce Sherman.
The latest Miami Marlins news is a bit of a stunner as general manager Kim Ng was elbowed out of the front office after the Marlins made a playoff appearance this season and was reportedly well-respected by her peers.
Ng Is a Badass
Kim Ng is the first female general manager of a major men’s North American professional sports team and now she’s not. Look, I’m here to tell you I don’t give a damn that she’s female because getting shafted blows regardless of gender.
And shafted she did get after swinging deals that brought batting champion Luis Arraez to the sun-splashed climes of South Florida as well as shoring up her depth with trade deadline acquisitions Jake Burger and Josh Bell this season.
Oh, and she made major MLB news by overseeing the first Marlins’ team to enter the postseason in 20 years—excluding that bullsh*t 2020 COVID season that saw them get in with a 31-29 record.
News at ESPN: Marlins GM Kim Ng left the organization after it tried to hire someone over her in the baseballl-operations department, a move that stunned the industry after she built Miami’s first full-season playoff team since 2003. Free and unlocked: https://t.co/NAgVGNP6SX
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 16, 2023
Ng also made sure that Skip Schumaker, a Manager of the Year candidate, was hired as head coach despite the objections of many in the front office who were hoping to sign Matt Quatro, a man who guided the Kansas City Royals to a 56-106 record in his inaugural managerial season of 2023. Sometimes the good ones get away.
Bruce Sherman, WTF?!
Okay, so now that you know Ng’s bona fides, what the hell happened? Well, Bruce Sherman is the Marlins’ owner and reports are that he wanted to hire a president of baseball operations who would essentially usurp Ng’s authority and relegate her to a mere figurehead.
Kim Ng was a reluctant trailblazer. Now, she’s a certified badass, writes @Britt_Ghiroli.
It’s important to know your worth. Ng knows hers. It’s why she left the Marlins.
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 17, 2023
Naturally, that didn’t sit well with Ng, especially considering her achievements this season and the fact that she was well-regarded by everyone in the organization except some of the analytic nerds who saw things differently.
I’m going to try and break this down as best i can. The perception is that Kim Ng does not like or care for analytics, that’s not true.
She didn’t agree with the way the Marlins personnel was set up to use analytics. She wanted to change that. Marlins owner said no. https://t.co/n9tYlJ27q3 pic.twitter.com/AV54WNdV9X
— Justin𐕣 (@JustinMLB) October 20, 2023
Well, the only guy that counts is the dude signing the paychecks and for some reason, he decided to force her out by informing her she was now going to have a boss in a position that didn’t even exist last season. Ng’s contract option was hers to sign because Sherman agreed to it but he knew she’d walk rather than accept an unjustified demotion.
My Conspiracy Theory
Sherman was right, Ng did decline the option, which meant he didn’t have to fire her and look like a total jackass. But it still begs the question, why? MLB rumors have run the gamut but I’m not buying she got the boot because she’s a chick. After all, Sherman was the owner when she was hired in the first place and he got all the social media applause because of it.
Her gender hasn’t changed in the three years she’s been there so, again, I ask you, what was it? She did a helluva job and everyone digs her, except the only guy who counts…Bruce Sherman.
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) October 16, 2023
Here’s my take. Derek Jeter was a minority investor and assumed the role of CEO of the Marlins when Sherman’s group bought the team in 2017. Jeter was the one who actually hired Ng and things did not end amicably between the former Yankees captain and Sherman.
So, now with Jeter out of the picture and Ng’s option year for next season, Sherman might have just decided to divorce himself from any of Jeter’s decisions. Kim Ng happened to be one of those decisions and became a casualty because of it.
Life’s not fair, kids. And if you don’t believe me, just ask Kim Ng.
Q’s From Our Readers
How do you pronounce Kim Ng?
Kim Ng’s last name is pronounced I-N-G.
When was Kim Ng hired as GM?
Kim Ng was hired by the Marlins in 2020.
Who is the first MLB woman GM?
Kim Ng is the first female MLB general manager.
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