Expos Name Mariners' Jim Beattie As New GM

The Seattle Mariners experienced the first impact of their baseball success - the loss of farm director Jim Beattie.

The Montreal Expos named Beattie general manager and vice president today at a press conference.

Beattie replaces Kevin Malone, who resigned Oct. 2, citing difficulty working under the club's tight payroll policy.

"It's a young organization that does exciting things and I feel lucky to be part of it," Beattie said in a statement.

Organizations that breed winners traditionally produce an exodus of not only players, but managers, coaches and team officials to other clubs.

Beattie, 41, a former Seattle pitcher and director of player development since 1990, was one of four candidates considered by Montreal.

The Expos asked first for permission to talk with Bill Beane, assistant general manager for the Oakland A's. They interviewed Randy Smith, former San Diego GM, and Mike Jorgensen, former St. Louis manager and farm director.

According to Montreal sources, the Expos may have offered the job first to Jorgensen, who turned it down to keep his high-school age children in school in the U.S.

The Expos have a history of developing both players and general managers. Beattie is the first Montreal GM in a decade from outside the organization.

And each of his three predecessors was Montreal farm director before becoming the Expos' general manager. In 1985, Dave Dombrowski succeeded Bill Stoneman as GM, and was replaced as minor-league director by Dan Duquette.

Dombrowski went to the Florida Marlins in 1991 and was replaced by Duquette, who was replaced as farm director by Malone.

Duquette left to become GM of the Boston Red Sox in 1993 and was replaced by Malone.

For Beattie and his wife, Martha, it is a move closer to home. Both are New England natives.

Beattie played seven of his major-league seasons in Seattle and compiled a 52-87 career record.