Elias digs deeper into managerial hiring process

We may never know with pinpoint accuracy when Brandon Hyde received his offer from the Orioles to become the 20th manager in club history, when he accepted it, when it was safe to stitch his name across the back of a jersey.

It really doesn't matter as we move forward, but someone in the organization insisted yesterday that, as reports surfaced at the Winter Meetings that Hyde would become the next manager, the Orioles hadn't started the process of negotiating a deal with him. We can argue whether a decision had been made while the media descended upon executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias in his suite at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, but again, it feels like wasted energy.

They got their man in the end. And everywhere else.

"They were premature," Elias said. "At the time I said they were premature, the reports were premature. I mean, look, obviously everything worked out here. The reports were directional correct because of that. But in my position, just because the ball might be about to roll in a certain direction, I can't start announcing things. But it all worked out. I'm glad he's here and things went smoothly."

In other words, nothing that transpired in Las Vegas influenced the hiring. No harm, no foul.

Elias had six candidates to choose from and he never reached into the franchise's past to grab Buck Showalter's replacement.

"In terms of our interview list, we did not interview anyone amongst our finalists who is currently in the Orioles organization," Elias said. "I don't know that that was intentional, but we're doing some new things here. I view outside perspective and outside experience as a plus. He's going to be able to bring practices and ideas to this organization that aren't here now. That I'm not aware of, that I'm not bringing with me. So, there's some attraction in that."

Managers from other clubs reached out to Elias to promote members of their coaching staff. He had no shortage of feedback.

"Absolutely," he said. "I mean, there was just a great outpouring of people with recommendations. I can't say enough how kind everyone around the league was in helping me with this process and also being patient and understanding with us, the Cubs in particular."

Elias and Hyde talked about the benefits of having "healthy disagreements" as part of the rapport between the front office, manager and various department heads. No one should be fooled into thinking that they're going to be in a constant state of agreement and reacting as if operating with the same brain, even while mostly on the same page.

Just don't make it personal. That's always the key.

"It's great and that's how it is," Elias said. "Baseball is tough. I come from a scouting background and I've been in a lot of draft rooms and we air it out, so to speak, in the draft room and we don't always agree on everything, but you end up with a decision that represents the organizational decision and everyone is on board with that once the decision is made. And that's part of the fun of baseball, having those types of conversations. And we want to have a very open back-and-forth about those things because it leads to a better outcome and decision at the end of the day."

Hyde spoke yesterday of his respect for Showalter, how he looked up to the veteran manager while coaching. Elias said he didn't take into account how his choice for Showalter's replacement would be able to handle the pressure of taking over for someone who attained such a high level of popularity over 8 1/2 seasons.

"The past era here was hugely successful," he said. "It was done against a lot of odds and a lot of expectations. I'm incredibly impressed with what the last group did here. It came to an end the last year and this is a new era. I'm new, he's new. It wasn't part of my thought process. It was just getting the right person for this next era.

"What team we have now, how we're going to approach things, what we're going through, that's was really what was on my mind."

The rebuild and lingering stench from a 115-loss season didn't dissuade Elias from wanting to run the operation or keep people from coveting the manager's job.

"There was a tremendous amount of interest," Elias said. "I think part of it is everyone knows what a cool place this is and it's part of what attracted me to this job. Everybody knows the potential that's here, the potential that's here in this city. It's a tough division, but it's an exhilarating division to play in, so I think that made everything attractive.

"People also know that we're going to do this the right way and we don't have shortcuts, but the approach that we will take to building up the talent base in this organization will have long-term dividends that they will be a part of.

"There was some attraction I think from the candidates to embark on a course like that and having a clear goal."

Elias isn't sure whether anyone else who interviewed could join the coaching staff - I heard rumblings about Mike Bell at the Winter Meetings - and he intends to discuss it with Hyde, who posed for photos yesterday with his family and Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson, now a special advisor for the Orioles, before leaving the auxiliary clubhouse.

"I don't know the answer to that," Elias said. "I need to sit down with Brandon and discuss names. We really haven't had a chance to have very organized, in-depth discussions on that. He has a large contact list. I have contacts, as well, in mind, but there may be positions where we simply interview a group of people that neither one of us is familiar with, so we'll see."

Note: Tickets for the annual FanFest event on Jan. 26 at the Baltimore Convention Center went on sale yesterday.

The event runs from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., with early entry at 10 a.m. for Birdland Members, and features appearances by current and former Orioles players and coaches, clinics, exhibits and interactive games.

Activities include question-and-answer forums with players and front office staff, including Elias and Hyde, clinics for children on a youth-sized baseball field featuring various player appearances, main stage events such as game shows and kids press conferences (where young fans can ask questions to players), official Orioles merchandise and memorabilia available for purchase, photo opportunities with the Orioles 1983 and 1970 World Series trophies, a spring training in Sarasota exhibit featuring steel drum performances and a tour of the Orioles clubhouse.

It's the same autograph policy designed to support youth charitable endeavors through OriolesREACH and provide shortened wait times. Children 4-14 will have a specially designated kids-only player autograph station, which is free of charge and will operate continuously throughout the day. All other autograph stations at FanFest will require the advance purchase of autograph vouchers.

The on-sale date for autograph vouchers will be announced at a later time.

Complimentary parking will be available in lots B/C.

Tickets are available online at www.orioles.com/fanfest, via phone at 1-888-848-BIRD and at the Camden Yards box office lobby. Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for children 14 and under and seniors 60 and over. Tickets will be also be sold at the Convention Center and the Camden Yards box office on the day of the event. Birdland Members will receive an offer for complimentary FanFest tickets via email, which can be redeemed through their online Orioles Account Manager.