D-backs were ‘blown away’ by new GM Hazen

PHOENIX — Mike Hazen was the last of nine general manager candidates interviewed by the D-backs, and it didn’t take long for the club to realized he was the one they wanted.

“I already knew the credentials, so in talking to him the first thing that jumped out to me was extreme intellect,” D-backs team president/CEO Derrick Hall said. “I was blown away with how his mind works.”

Hall initially talked with Hazen by phone for an hour last Wednesday and they set up an interview for Friday morning in Phoenix.

Outside of Hazen and the two internal candidates– assistant GM Bryan Minniti and farm director Mike Bell — all others were interviewed in Chicago because it was more centrally located for the candidates.

Hazen’s interview ran for much of the day and then into dinner before he and his wife, Nicole, took a red-eye flight back to Boston so they could be home for their four children’s activities Saturday.

The deal, which the D-backs did not disclose but is believed to be four years, was finalized Sunday morning.

“This is an enormous challenge that I’m fired up about,” Hazen said.

The D-backs also interviewed Kim Ng and Peter Woodfork from Major League Baseball, Dodgers executive Alex Anthopoulos, Royals assistant GM J.J. Picollo and Jason McLeod from the Cubs.

Hazen is a Massachusetts native and leaving his post as Red Sox GM was not something that was easy for him. But whereas in Boston he had president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski above him as the ultimate decision maker, he will have the final say over baseball matters in Arizona and report to Hall.

“Clearly in the case of Mike everybody agrees he’s the …

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