As another dismal season winds down for the Miami Marlins, owner Jeffrey Loria has taken over as the decision maker for the majority -- and perhaps all -- of the team's baseball matters, according to the Miami Herald.
That would seem to put the futures of president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest and team president David Samson in jeopardy for next season.
"He has marginalized the front office," a source told the newspaper. "The front office isn't making decisions. Loria makes them all."
The Marlins dropped to 55-95 on the season following Monday night's 12-2 loss to the Phillies.
Efforts by the Herald to reach Loria were unsuccessful, but a team spokesman issued a statement that read: "For over a decade, the Marlins have maintained an official policy of not commenting on personnel during the season."
Neither Beinfest nor Samson were quoted in the report.
Sources told the newspaper that despite Loria having taken the reins of baseball decisions, Samson's job is not in jeopardy even though sources paint a picture of dysfunction in the front office.
Among the examples given in the report, the Marlins brass tried to send scuffling catcher Rob Brantly to the minors in May. But Loria disagreed and Brantly remained in the majors until August, when he was finally demoted.
Also, the front office wanted to call up utility infielder Chris Valaika last month, only to have Loria deny the promotion. The infielder was one of several players who accused former hitting coach Tino Martinez of verbal and physical assault. Martinez was a personal hire by Loria.
"The team is run in this sort of backwards way," a source was quoted in the report.