ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays announced several changes in their baseball operations department on Friday.
Erik Neander has been promoted to senior vice president of baseball operations/general manager, and Chaim Bloom was promoted to senior vice president of baseball operations.
Among Neander's duties, he will focus on the department's player evaluation and procurement processes. Together, Neander and Bloom will directly oversee all functions within baseball operations.
"Erik and Chaim are talented, accomplished baseball executives with longstanding service to our organization," said Matt Silverman, Tampa Bay's president of baseball operations. "These promotions recognize their expanded leadership roles in the department. This evolution is one that we envisioned two years ago. I'm proud to work together with Erik and Chaim and empower them to direct the operations of our department."
Neander, 33, has spent 10 seasons working in the Rays' baseball operations department, including the past two years as vice president. He joined Tampa Bay as an intern in January 2007 and earned a full-time position following that season. Prior to joining the Rays, Neander worked for Baseball Info Solutions. The Oneonta, N.Y., native graduated from Virginia Tech.
Bloom, 33, has spent 12 seasons as part of Tampa Bay's baseball operations staff, including the past two years as vice president of baseball operations. He joined the Rays as an intern in January 2005, following internships with the Padres and Major League Baseball, and he joined the department full-time after the season. A Philadelphia native, Bloom graduated from Yale University.
"Running a baseball operations department is an enormous challenge that requires a wide variety of talents, strong leadership and tight collaboration," said Stuart Sternberg, Tampa Bay's principal owner. "I have great confidence in Erik and Chaim's ability to both lead our operations and to advance our methods and the scope of things we do. That is critical, especially in the face of an increasingly difficult competitive environment."
The Rays also promoted James Click to vice president of baseball operations. He will manage many aspects of the department and continue to provide a key voice within it.