 On June 16, 2008, then-general manager Bill Bavasi was dismissed after a disappointing 24–46 start, with vice president-assistant GM Lee Pelekoudas selected as his interim replacement.During the off-season, the Mariners began their search for a new general manager with several candidates to be interviewed including Pelekoudas himself.After an extensive search, the Mariners selected Milwaukee Brewers executive Jack Zduriencik, who was most notable for his drafting skills and credited with turning the Brewers into a playoff team, as their new general manager on October 22, 2008.