Arizona Diamondbacks To Interview Thad Levine For GM Post

Mar 28, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels (left) and assistant general manager Thad Levine (middle) and senior executive vice president Jim Sundberg talk before the game against the Mexico City Red Devils at the Rangers Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

Tony LaRussa has been busy developing a list of qualified general management candidates after releaving Kevin Towers of his duties a week ago. He has added another name to that list today.

According to AZCentral, the Arizona Diamondbacks has asked for permission to interview Thad Levine of the Texas Rangers.  Levine currently serves as the assistant GM under John Daniels in Texas and has long been considered a top General Manager candidate. Levine joined the Rangers in 2005 after working for six years in the Colorado Rockies organization.

Thad Levine is joined on the list of LaRussa’s candidates by Larry Beinfest, Allard Baird, Dave Stewart, Tim Purpura, De Jon Watson, Gary La Rocque, Ray Montgomery, Hal Horris and Billy Eppler.

That is a big list but they all have one thing in common.  All the candidates have a background in scouting and or player development underlining LaRussa’s focus on building a team through the farm system.

The Diamondbacks began the interviews last Friday and hope to fast track the process in order to get the team set-up to compete in the upcoming Hot Stove league. The new general manager will have a number of decision to make before then including the fate of former NL Manager of the Year Kirk Gibson.