Randy Smith (baseball)

Randall Edward Smith (born June 15, 1963) is an American professional baseball executive. He has served as general manager of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres (1993–95) and Detroit Tigers (1996–2002), and as assistant general manager for the Colorado Rockies (1991–93). He works in the front office of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball.

Smith is the son of baseball executive Tal Smith. Smith became the GM of the Padres midseason in 1993 at age 29. At the time, he was the youngest general manager in baseball history. In his time as Padres GM, he acquired future MVP Ken Caminiti and eventual all-stars Trevor Hoffman, Andy Ashby, Steve Finley and Brad Ausmus. In a highly criticized trade at the time, Smith traded star Gary Sheffield to the Florida Marlins for Trevor Hoffman. Although Hoffman went on to set the major league record for saves with 601 (552 with the Padres) and his number is retired in San Diego, Sheffield was twice as productive after the trade, generating 53.1 wins above replacement compared to only 27.2 for Hoffman.

Smith spent six years as the vice president of baseball operations and general manager for Detroit Tigers, in which the team received Organization of the Year Honors from Baseball America and Howe Sportdata in 1997. He was also named Baseball America's American League Executive of the Year in 1997. Smith inherited a Tigers roster that was in flux with the retirements of former all-stars Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker, as well as longtime manager Sparky Anderson. In an effort to obtain young and inexpensive talent, Smith traded away highly paid all-stars Travis Fryman and Cecil Fielder. Smith was known for several trades involving the Tigers and his former team, the San Diego Padres, and for several trades with the Houston Astros, where his father Tal Smith was president of baseball operations.

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