The Tampa Bay Rays announced a number of staff changes Thursday, which included the promotion of one of their top executives in the baseball operations department, as Peter Bendix was named Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations and added the title of General Manager.
Bendix joined the Rays in January 2009 as an intern, and worked his way up through the organization, getting to the position of Vice President for baseball development in January of 2019.
“Pete has grown up in this organization,” president of baseball operations Erik Neander said. “And I look forward to having him develop into an interchangeable partner, most notably with our major league club.”
Also being promoted to Vice President roles in the baseball operations department are Will Cousins, who will move into Bendix’s old role as Vice President of Baseball Development, overseeing the organization’s R&D processes, and Chanda Lawdermilk, who has been promoted to Vice President of Baseball Operations, with a focus on recruitment and talent development.
”We’re equally as excited to have Chanda and Will join Carlos Rodriguez as VPs,” Neander said, “providing an ideal mix of skills, backgrounds and interests to serve our constantly evolving needs.”
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
