Nationals Farm Authority

Paul White was on WTEM this morning and mentioned the new GM search for the Nationals is already underway (and the current GM is not among the candidates).  One name he mentioned as an early favorite was Tony LaCava, the Director, Player Personnel for the Toronto Blue Jays.  LaCava has a history with this franchise.  He served as the Director of Player Development for the Expos in 2001. 

Google searches on LaCava turned up the following information on LaCava:

• Toronto Globe and Mail:  “has two teenagers in high school in his hometown of Pittsburgh — where he and his five siblings live within eight kilometres of each other and help care for their parents and where his wife’s family also resides”
• Batter’s Box Interactive Magazine Part One & Two: 
• “spent ten years with the Angels as a scout and cross-checker, then worked for the Braves [edit:  ding ding … there’s the connection … he was 1999 national cross-checker], the Expos … and the Indians before coming to the Jays”
• “LaCava grew up in Pittsburgh so football is in his blood” (he played on the same HS baseball team as Dan Marino)
• John Manuel from Baseball America answered a question regarding LaCava in a 2002 chat:  “LaCava has an excellent reputation after stints with the Expos and last year in the Indians’ scouting department. He’s another young, energetic person “