John Mozeliak – Is He Batman or Harvey Dent??? Part 2

On Monday I explored why John Mozeliak could be Batman (or mild mannered Bruce Wayne). I laid out three examples of how his leadership style and player moves could lead one to believe that he is Batman. Today I will delve into the other side. Could he actually be Harvey “Two Face” Dent. I am not insinuating that Mr. Mozeliak is two faced, far from it actually. I sometimes feel that he is making some decisions haphazardly and along the lines of this particular Batman villain he is possibly just letting fate decide by flipping a coin.

Two Face Example 1:
With the loss of Luhnow and LaRussa Mozeliak has definitely made some moves that have staked his claim to power. The first evidence of this is the signing of Mike Matheny. I have believed from the moment that Matheny entered the discussion as a potential replacement for LaRussa that this was all about power. Matheny is Mozeliak’s boy. He brought him into the fold. Mozeliak had to make a move to replace a Hall of Fame manager. By picking Matheny he solidified his authority and power. He also gained someone he can manipulate. More on that later…

Two Face Example 2:
What deals are in store now? With the recent acquisition of Carlos Beltran, rumors swirling around Cardinal interest in Prince Fielder, and the ever present grumblings that Lohse and Westbrook are on the trading block what is he thinking? I’m still on the fence about Beltran. If he returns to form it is a brilliant move. If he becomes his injury prone self we may be in trouble and on the hook for too much money. This could have been a flip of old Harvey’s coin. Are we interested in Prince? I’m sure we would be at the right price. I feel it’s highly unlikely due to a price tag similar to what we would have paid that guy that went to the left coast. Are Lohse and Westbrook on the block? Is this part of Mo’s plan to get Shelby Miller to “The Show” sooner rather than later? These are things that make me wonder sometimes. Since he has accumulated some capital with savvy moves and a World Championship he has garnered some freedom and latitude that he wouldn’t have had before.

Two Face Example 3:
This is his Mozeliak’s organization now. His stamp is all over it! If I was going to be in his position and have to take all of the heat I would probably pick someone I can mold and maybe browbeat into doing things my way. I don’t think he could have done that with Francona or Oquendo. They don’t “owe” him like Matheny does. Mozeliak’s past roles in player development and scouting were prevalent in this decision. He has a vested interest in making sure that his prior draftees and players acquired through trades make an impact. He can make sure Matheny brings up who he wants and when. While this is not necessarily bad or evil it is quite the opposite of the situation he had with Tony. He has firmly taken the reigns of this organization. He is calling the shots and making the decisions.

Tie Breaker:
The loss of Albert Pujol$. Was this a calculated Batman move or a Two Face decision made by flipping that coin? I would like to think that everything Mozeliak did put the team in a situation to sustain the loss of a future Hall of Fame first baseman. I can’t settle myself with that completely though. A part of me believes that he lost the game of poker. While I am glad he didn’t mortgage the future of the franchise to pay a ridiculous amount of money to a player in his declining years, there is a part of me that wonders how this actually went down. I don’t think we will ever know the true story. I never thought he would be the one to let that superstar leave town. I sure didn’t think that he would have made it through the media and fan reaction unscathed as he appears to so far. Only time will tell.

If the Birds win and make a run he’s a hero (Batman). If not, he may be the biggest villain the organization has ever seen. If that’s the case he may be considered to be Two Face, The Joker, and The Penguin all rolled into one. Only time will tell.

Let me know your thoughts. I would love to hear what you think. You can reach me using the info below or by commenting.

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