Byrnes emerges as a GM candidate

The Angels are bucking the trend. They are hiring a general manager, and that is all.

The Philadelphia Phillies just hired a president of baseball operations, who is in the process of hiring a general manager. The Boston Red Sox just hired a president of baseball operations, a general manager, and a senior vice president of baseball operations. The Dodgers implemented that structure last year.

The third man in the Dodgers’ troika, Josh Byrnes, emerged Saturday as a candidate for the Angels’ general manager position.

The Angels have concluded an initial round of interviews and could whittle their candidate list this week, though it is uncertain whether they will conduct a second round of interviews. Billy Eppler, the assistant general manager of the New York Yankees, is the only candidate known to be on the Angels’ short list.

Byrnes, the Dodgers’ senior vice president of baseball operations, formerly served as general manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres. Of the seven known candidates for the Angels’ job, Byrnes is the only one with experience as a general manager.

Neither of the two previous general managers hired by owner Arte Moreno — Jerry Dipoto and Tony Reagins — had held the job elsewhere. However, Dipoto served as an interim general manager in Arizona in 2010, after the Diamondbacks fired Byrnes.

Angels closer Huston Street, who has acted as his own agent, negotiated a contract extension with Byrnes in 2012. Street said the negotiations took 72 hours, including one meeting from which Manager Bud Black had to excuse himself to prepare for the game.

Street said he had no favorite in the Angels’ general manager derby but gave Byrnes high marks for trust and honesty.

“As a player, you shouldn’t expect to be told everything,” Street said. “The bosses have to keep some secrets. At the same time, if you ask a direct question, you hope for a direct answer. I thought Josh was very solid in that regard.”

In eight seasons as a general manager, Byrnes’ teams posted a winning record twice.

The Padres fired Byrnes last year. However, their winning percentage this year is worse than it was last year — and without the prospects developed under Byrnes and traded in all-in deals for Matt Kemp, Craig Kimbrel, Wil Myers, Derek Norris and Justin Upton.

Short hop

When Albert Pujols drives in his next run, he can become the first player to drive in 90 runs in 14 of his first 15 seasons. The other players with at least 14 seasons of at least 90 RBIs: Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth

and Alex Rodriguez. With eight games left this season, Rodriguez has 84 RBIs.