From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ned Colletti is the General Manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hired to a four year contract on November 15, 2005, by Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, Colletti, 50, had previously been working as the Assistant GM and Vice President for the arch-rival San Francisco Giants under GM Brian Sabean, since 1994. Prior to his tenure with the Giants, Colletti worked 12 years for the Chicago Cubs, in the media relations and baseball operations departments. There he conducted contract negotiations, helped prepare salary arbitration cases and assisted in player acquisitions.

Beating out rumored candidates such as current Dodgers Assistant GM, Kim Ng, Colletti succeeds controversial former Dodgers GM Paul DePodesta, who, after signing a 5 year contract to become the youngest ever Dodgers General Manager on February 6, 2004, was abruptly dismissed October 29, 2005, after the Dodgers finished with their second worst campaign since moving to Los Angeles, (71-91) in a season marked by clubhouse turmoil and numerous decimating injuries.

Colletti became the 10th General Manager in Los Angeles Dodger history and the 7th General Manager for the team in the past 8 years.

In his first offseason as Dodgers GM, Colletti brought in a number of former Giants he had worked with in the past, adding Brett Tomko, Ramon Martinez, Kenny Lofton, Bill Mueller, and Kurt Ainsworth. These players joined a roster that also included Ricky Ledee, Jeff Kent, and Jose Cruz, all Giants at one point during Colletti's tenure in San Francisco.

On October 16, 2006, local Los Angeles radio stations reported that Colletti was fired by the Dodgers, or so the perpetrator of a hoax on an internet message board would have people believe. Jamcadbury, a respected member of the Simcentral.net message forums, posted in the MLB forum that radio reports said Colletti had been fired. This went unquestioned until the rumor was posted on other message boards by people who had read Jamcadbury's misleading thread. Colletti is the recipient of constant praise from Los Angeles Times sportswriter Bill Plaschke, who regularly criticized DePodesta during his tenure as GM; however, Colletti has endured copious criticism for the acquisition of and long-term (a 5-year, $44 million contract) commitment to centerfielder Juan Pierre, and the signing of an aging Luis Gonzalez to a $7 million contract, both starting in 2007.

Colletti graduated from Northern Illinois University and East Leyden High School in Franklin Park, IL.

This biographical article relating to a baseball player, manager, or other figure is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.