Baseball - 2014

Encino-born/Chatsworth-raised Larry Beinfest was President of Baseball Operations for Major League Baseball’s Florida Marlins from 2007 to 2013.

Chatsworth High’s All-Los Angeles shortstop shared 1982 West Valley League MVP honors with future two-time MLB Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen.

Although he played several strong seasons of Division 1 baseball at Nevada-Reno, including the receipt of “Rookie of the Year” honors, a severe leg injury interrupted his on-field career path. Larry transferred to Cal-Berkeley and graduated in 1986 with a degree in international business and finance. Soon after, he was offered a position in the Seattle Mariners front office.

Moving up the Mariners’ executive ladder, by 1998 Larry was Vice-president of Baseball Operations. Two years later, he was named Assistant General Manager of the Montreal Expos, and after a two more seasons, the Expos’ Interim GM.

In 2002, the Florida Marlins made Beinfest its GM and Senior VP. At the close of the 2003 season, via key trades and wise young player development, the Marlins defeated New York’s Yankees to win the World Series. Baseball America named Beinfest’s Marlins the MLB Organization of the Year.

In 2007, the Marlins promoted Larry Beinfest to President, Baseball Operations. He is widely regarded as one of the best executives in Major League Baseball, because he consistently works with one of the League’s lowest player payrolls, yet has had five winning seasons in seven years, including a World Series title.