Dayton Moore

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Moore was born on February 17, 1967, in Wichita Falls, Texas. He played American Legion Baseball in Moline, Illinois, and was part of the Moline team that was runner-up in the Illinois state American Legion tournament. A childhood Royals fan, he claims to have watched the 1985 World Series in Kansas City from Interstate 70. He played baseball at Garden City Community College before graduating from George Mason University in 1989 with a degree in Physical Education and Health. He received a master's degree in Athletic Administration from George Mason in 1992 and served as an assistant baseball coach at the university from 1990 to 1994. He also managed the Winchester Royals of the Valley Baseball League during the summers of 1992 and 1993. Moore entered MLB in 1994 as a scout for the Atlanta Braves. He held roles including assistant director of scouting, assistant director of player development, director of international scouting, and director of player personnel development before becoming assistant general manager in August 2005. In 2005 he interviewed with the Boston Red Sox for GM but did not get the job. The Kansas City Royals hired him as general manager on June 8, 2006, replacing Allard Baird. On August 31, 2009, his contract was extended through 2014. In December 2010, he traded Zack Greinke and Yuniesky Betancourt to the Milwaukee Brewers for a group including Alcides Escobar and Lorenzo Cain. After the 2013 season, his contract was extended through 2016. The Royals reached the World Series in 2014 and 2015, winning in 2015. He was awarded the league Best Executive Award after the 2015 season. After the World Series win, he signed another contract extension. In June 2018, he generated backlash for comments about convicted child molester and Oregon State pitching prospect Luke Heimlich. In late 2019, owner David Glass sold the team to John Sherman, who retained Moore as GM. In September 2021, Moore was promoted to president of baseball operations, with J. J. Picollo named GM. In September 2022, Moore was dismissed by Sherman, as the Royals were 59-89 and had not had a winning season since 2015. On November 23, 2022, he was appointed senior advisor of baseball operations by the Texas Rangers. Moore is a Christian and has taken a hard stance against pornography, holding an anti-porn seminar for the Royals in 2018. He and his wife and three children live

In Their Own Story

The atmosphere shifted dramatically on August 31, 2009, when Moore made the bold decision to trade Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke. While controversial at the time, this move was viewed as essential for acquiring young talent like Escobar and Cain. By late 2013, the Royals had their best record since 1994, setting the stage for a historic run. In June 2018, Moore faced significant backlash for his comments regarding Oregon State University pitching prospect Luke Heimlich, stating, "I think the player has earned the opportunity to play professional baseball." The narrative of his leadership took another turn in September 2021 when he was promoted to president of baseball operations, with J. J. Picollo named general manager. However, as the team faltered to a 59-89 record by September 2022, owner John Sherman dismissed Moore, ending an era that began in 2006.

Reader's Guide

Dayton Moore was the Kansas City Royals' general manager from 2006 until the end of the 2021 season. He was promoted to president of baseball operations in 2022 and was fired later that season. He is currently senior advisor of baseball operations for the Texas Rangers.

Did You Know?

• Moore was a childhood Royals fan and claims to have watched the 1985 World Series from Interstate 70.
• He traded Zack Greinke in 2010, a deal considered the foundation of the Royals' 2014 and 2015 World Series runs.
• Moore was awarded the league Best Executive Award after the 2015 season.
• He was fired by the Royals in September 2022 with a 59-89 record.