Sources: Angels to interview at least 7 for GM job

The Los Angeles Angels have interviewed or will interview at least seven executives for their open general manager role.

Sources told ESPN the list includes Athletics assistant general manager/director of player personnel Billy Owens, Padres senior advisor/director of player personnel Logan White, Nationals special assistant to the general manager Dan Jennings, Cubs senior VP for player personnel Jason McLeod, former Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill and two Diamondbacks executives with the title senior vice president and assistant GM: Amiel Sawdaye and Jared Porter.

This list is notable because all of the candidates have backgrounds in scouting more so than administration. Most of these candidates are seen as more traditional (leaning more toward scouting in player evaluation) than progressive (leaning more toward analytics). Going back to the early Athletics clubs run by Billy Beane as portrayed in “Moneyball” and to the more recent Astros clubs run by Jeff Luhnow, baseball has been trending toward executives with a more analytical, increasingly corporate approaches, rather than executives with a background in scouting.

In 2013 and 2014, Hill was the Marlins’ president of baseball operations while Jennings was the general manager, before Jennings moved into the dugout as interim manager. Hill left the Marlins earlier this month when his contract expired; he spent 18 years with the club in various roles. Three candidates are from the Theo Epstein tree: Porter and McLeod (Red Sox and Cubs) and Sawdaye (Red Sox). Owens and White are both longtime top scouts with input across multiple departments at the highest levels.

The Angels’ interview process is still in the first phase, held at least in part over video conference. The Angels’ GM job came open when Billy Eppler was fired last month after the club finished 26-34.