The MLB Network Wrestles Away Barry Larkin From The Nats

Tuesday, December 23, 2008


I honestly have no idea what an "Assistant to the GM" actually does, but apparently the job isn't as glamorous as TV analyst on a newly formed network. The MLB Network's latest hire is a familiar face, and one that could end up being pretty good on set, Barry Larkin....

WASHINGTON -- Barry Larkin said on Monday that he is leaving the Nationals to take a job as an analyst with the MLB Network, which launches on Jan. 1, 2009.

Larkin, 44, spent the past four seasons as a special assistant to Nationals general manager Jim Bowden. He worked with Minor League players on hitting, baserunning and fielding, and sometimes helped Bowden make personnel decisions.

During the final weeks of the 2008 season, however, Larkin was in talks with Bowden about his future with the club. Bowden offered Larkin the first-base coaching job, but Larkin turned it down because of family commitments and business interests outside of baseball. The position eventually went to Marquis Grissom.
Well I guess that explains my question of what he did above. Seems like a pretty sweet gig, and one that's less of a burden than the one he took. Either way though, it's yet another good hire by the MLB Network. At this pace they should fill out their 42-man roster by the middle of January.

(Via MLB PR)

Posted by Awful Announcing- at 9:41 AM

4 Comments:

Is he the person responsible for switching the players' uniforms to all cotton?

Gulag said...
Dec 23, 2008, 10:45:00 AM  

He left because Bowden's kickbacks from skimming Dominicans were getting smaller and smaller.

GMoney said...
Dec 23, 2008, 10:48:00 AM  

Assistant to the GM = glad-hander at corporate get-togethers.

Anonymous said...
Dec 23, 2008, 11:53:00 AM  

@ haljordan:

No, that would be the assistant to the traveling secretary.

"Oh my God, Mattingly just split his pants!"

Anonymous said...
Dec 23, 2008, 5:20:00 PM  

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