Mike Elias Opens Up on Changes Coming to Orioles' Front Office

Mike Elias believes the front office of the Baltimore Orioles is one of the smallest in baseball, and he wants to change that this winter.

At the team's end-of-season press conference on Monday, Sept. 28, the president of baseball operations estimated that Baltimore's front office ranks 29th out of 30 teams in size, according to The Baltimore Banner, and he said the club will go through a full organizational review after a season that left everyone tired of losing.

Sig Mejdal is no longer overseeing the analytics department, and Matt Blood, the vice president of player and staff development, has left the organization.

The Orioles are also restarting their search for a general manager who would work under Elias, and a source told the Banner that Baltimore would like to find someone with a player development background to go along with Elias' history in scouting.

Elias said the club's ownership group gives the Orioles a chance to take part in that growth more than they have been, and he added that some parts of the baseball operation could use different voices and ideas more than others, though he did not name those areas.

"I don't know that I want to get into it here on the stage, but you'll probably be able to see as these hires come in where we're looking for some impact," Elias said at the press conference.

Baltimore finished 79-82 and fourth in the American League East, 18.5 games behind first place, and the season ended when the final game against the Yankees was canceled.

The Orioles also led the majors with 88 unearned runs, according to the Banner, which is a lot of games given away.

Manager Craig Albernaz said execution came up in his one-on-one meetings with players, and he plans to have the team drill it hard this offseason and in spring training.

A bigger front office will not fix those mistakes on its own, but adding fresh ideas makes sense for a group that has fallen short of what Elias and the fans expected.

Elias has already talked about reopening the contention window, and a deeper staff in player development could help the young core take the next step.

Elias also defended analytics, saying it is an enormous part of success in the sport today, while pointing out that his own roots are in scouting.

A new general manager with a player development background would balance that out well.

The front office will have plenty of work to do once the new hires arrive.

First baseman Pete Alonso, who signed a five-year, $155 million deal, made history in his first season with 43 home runs and 113 RBIs, and Elias said ownership has shown it can chase big free agents when it makes sense.

There is also the question of whether left-hander Trevor Rogers returns as he heads to free agency.

The sooner Elias fills out his staff, the better shape Baltimore will be in when those big decisions arrive.