AP Source: Royals promote Moore to president, Picollo to GM

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals are promoting general manager Dayton Moore to club president and elevating longtime assistant GM J.J. Picollo to fill his role, a person familiar with the front-office movements told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the club had not announced the moves.

The 54-year-old Moore presided over one of the most remarkable turnarounds in baseball history, leading the long-suffering Royals from a team that regularly lost 100 games upon his 2006 arrival to one that reached consecutive World Series. And in 2015, they beat the New York Mets in five games for their first championship in 30 years.

The Royals have been on another major rebuilding effort after the small-market club was unable to keep some of the big names that ushered in their winning era. But there have been signs that another breakthrough is on the horizon as a wave of talented young pitchers continues to help Kansas City win games down the stretch this season.

Picollo, who has interviewed for several GM jobs, has long been considered Moore's heir apparent. They worked together in Atlanta before coming to Kansas City, where Picollo rose to assistant GM in charge of player personnel.

The moves in the front office ensure a certain amount of continuity within the organization, which is something owner John Sherman and his partners have made a priority since purchasing the club three years ago.

At that point, Sherman decided to keep Moore on as the general manager and Picollo in charge of player development.

Moore, who grew up a Royals fan in Wichita, began his career as a scout with the Braves juggernaut of the 1990s. He steadily climbed the ranks to director of international scouting and director of player personnel...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/AP-Source-Royals-promote-Moore-to-president-16458054.php