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Los Angeles Angels GM Dipoto resigns, Stoneman takes over

By Joe Haakenson, The Sports Xchange
Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia, right, and General Manager Jerry Dipoto, left, walk off the field after batting practice before the home opener against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California on March 31, 2014. UPI/Lori Shepler.
Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia, right, and General Manager Jerry Dipoto, left, walk off the field after batting practice before the home opener against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California on March 31, 2014. UPI/Lori Shepler. | License Photo

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Angels announced Wednesday that Jerry Dipoto has resigned as the club's general manager.

Dipoto reportedly cleaned out his office Tuesday, just two days after news of a team meeting that became "heated" was leaked to FoxSports.com. According to the report, the meeting centered on Dipoto's displeasure with the way the coaching staff was conveying to the players the scouting reports put together by Dipoto and his scouting staff.

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As a result of the meeting, it was decided that Dipoto and his scouting staff would send their information directly to players.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia and Dipoto have been reported to butt heads but had seemed to resolve their differences. The problems initially stemmed from Dipoto's firing of hitting coach Mickey Hatcher, a close friend of Scioscia's, in 2012.

Asked if he thought his relationship with Dipoto was working, Scioscia said: "Yes, but I can't speak for Jerry. I can only speak for myself."

Scioscia also denied he was resistant to the new-age statistical analytics used by many of baseball's younger executives.

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"It's made us better," Scioscia said. "We've applied things here on the field, not only through defensive positioning, but through roles with pitchers and game prep that's made us better. We've applied it. It's a part of what we do."

Angels president John Carpino said during a news conference that he didn't see any significant problem between his manager and general manager.

"I thought it was a normal relationship," Carpino said. "You have two really smart, strong baseball minds. Philosophically Jerry and Mike always lined up, on the field and everywhere else."

Scioscia concurred, saying disagreements between the manager and general manager are not uncommon.

"I felt very comfortable dealing with Jerry," Scioscia said. "We had a very honest and frank relationship as far as how we felt. We didn't always agree so, speaking from my end of it, it wasn't a comfort level problem at all.

"You know how many times I was told 'no' over the course of 16 years? From the general manager? A lot more than you're told 'yes.' That's how much you talk and you discuss things. That's it, that's just the nature of it. You just keep moving on. I'm not saying that in a negative light, I'm just saying that's the reality of it."

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Dipoto, who was named general manager October 28, 2011, will be replaced on an interim basis by Bill Stoneman. Stoneman was the general manager of the 2002 World Series championship team and has been serving as a senior advisor.

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