Miami Marlins executive Michael Hill was promoted Sunday to president of baseball operations, completing owner Jeffrey Loria's latest franchise shakeup.
Another team executive, Dan Jennings, replaced Hill as general manager. The moves were announced before the season finale against Detroit.
Hill replaced Larry Beinfest, fired Friday after 12 years with the team. Hill has been with the Marlins for 11 years and Jennings for 12.
The Marlins finished last in the NL East this season for the third consecutive year, and it has been a decade since their most recent playoff appearance. Their loss total has climbed each of the past four years, and despite the emergence of several young players, they took a 61-100 record into Sunday's finale.
"We need to get better," Hill said. "The future is bright here. We knew this year was a season of transition. People see the young talent we have here, the pitching. But we do have work we need to do. The process starts today to make things better."
Although Loria's budget constraints will continue to limit the front office's options, an upgrade of the offense will be the top priority. This year's team ranks last in the majors in runs, home runs and batting.
Hill became only the third head of Marlins personnel in their 21-year history. Dave Dombrowski was the Marlins' general manager from 1993-01.
"Michael is an amazing guy who has earned this well-deserved recognition," Loria said in a statement. Regarding Jennings he said, "I have tremendous respect for his baseball mind and know he'll make a great addition to Michael's team."
Loria didn't attend the news conference. Neither did David Samson, who remains as team president.
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Hill said he and Jennings haven't been told how much Loria is willing to spend on payroll in 2014.
"We'll get direction from Jeffrey and David as to what we can do, and we'll do the best we can," Hill said.
Loria has been widely criticized for being too involved in baseball decisions, but Hill and Jennings said they had no problem with the owner's hands-on approach.
"I don't think there is a single general manager or president of baseball who has complete autonomy," Jennings said. "Jeffrey is very intelligent. He has been part of every call and the decisions made in my tenure here, and he has done a tremendous job asking very intelligent questions. For me those are things he should ask, and for us — the people he entrusts to make these decisions — it holds us accountable. He has been very fair and forthright in allowing us to make the baseball decisions."
Jennings was promoted from vice president of player personnel and assistant general manager. His background is in scouting, and early in his career he drove 50,000 miles a year to check out talent.
"You're usually never as good as you think you are and you're never as bad as you think you are," he said Sunday.
Hill is a Harvard graduate who speaks Spanish, which comes in handy in Miami. He worked closely with Beinfest and said they had a cordial conversation Sunday.
"He gave me his blessing, and I thanked him," Hill said.
Fans, meanwhile, are hoping the shakeup pays off after an unimpressive season.
"It could have been better," fan Trino Vilalonga said. "Hopefully they'll do better next year and they'll have a better team and we the fans will be rioting as always."
