Mariners met with Jeopardy champ James Holzhauer — is a job next?
Jul 18, 2019, 11:54 PM
Jeopordy champion James Holzhauer wants a job in baseball. (Jeopardy Productions, Inc. via AP)
(Jeopardy Productions, Inc. via AP)
You’ve probably heard of James Holzhauer, the 35-year-old professional sports gambler who won nearly $2.4 million on Jeopardy. But have you heard that he’d like to work for a Major League Baseball team and has had discussions about a position in the front office with the Mariners?
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That’s probably putting it too strongly, but there at least appears to be some mutual interest based on comments from Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto and Holzhauer, who were both interviewed Thursday on Danny, Dave and Moore (find links to the interviews at the bottom of this story).
Dipoto mentioned that the Mariners have met with Holzhauer and admitted that he is “fascinated with how his mind works.” Dipoto appreciates unique thinkers and said “it would be irresponsible if we didn’t talk to him.”
A longtime baseball fan, Holzhauer feels like he could be an asset to an MLB team by, in part, challenging conventional thinking. He thinks there are some things he could see that no one else would.
Holzhauer has also talked to Cubs GM Jed Hoyer about a position in Chicago, but there’s a connection to Seattle because it’s his wife’s hometown.
At this point, it ranks as a what-have-we-got-to-lose move by the Mariners. Why not check it out and see if Jeopardy James Holzhauer could give an unforeseen lift to a rebuilding team?
"Whatever improves our odds of improving as a team – & right now, as you're watching, the bar is pretty low.
We can be open minded to the different ways that type of mind can push us."
– @Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto on the team meeting w/ @James_Holzhauer – now on @710ESPNSeattle
— Jessamyn McIntyre (@JessamynMcIntyr) July 18, 2019
And if it doesn’t work out during a step-back season, they could part ways soon enough. But instead of keeping a bat on their shoulder, I’d like to see the Mariners swing for the fences by hiring Holzhauer.
Full interviews from Danny, Dave and Moore: Dipoto | Holzhauer
