Source: Gwynn candidate for Angels GM job

ANAHEIM -- The Angels were believed to be whittling their list of candidates for their general manager vacancy on Monday, the same day their former GM, Jerry Dipoto, was hired by the division-rival Mariners.

"I figured he was going to get another opportunity," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of Dipoto, named executive vice president and GM of baseball operations. "This is a good opportunity for him."

The Angels have interviewed at least nine internal and external candidates, but indications were that Billy Eppler, the Yankees assistant GM who was a runner-up to Dipoto four years ago, remained the odds-on favorite.

The latest name to surface was Mariners director of player development Chris Gwynn, the younger brother of late Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn and Scioscia's former teammate with the Dodgers, from 1987-91. A source confirmed Gwynn as a GM candidate, with USA Today reporting that he was interviewed by the Angels on Sunday.

Gwynn, 50, joined Eppler, Josh Byrnes (Dodgers senior vice president of baseball operations), Ross Atkins (Indians vice president of player personnel) and Tony LaCava (Blue Jays assistant GM) as known external candidates for the job vacated by Dipoto on July 1. Angels owner Arte Moreno and president John Carpino have also interviewed three internal candidates in assistant GMs Matt Klentak and Scott Servais, and director of pro scouting Hal Morris.

Mike Hazen was also a candidate, until being promoted as Red Sox GM under new president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski

A former outfielder, Gwynn was initially drafted by the Angels in 1982 but chose to attend San Diego State University and ultimately became a first-round pick of the Dodgers three years later. Gwynn served as a scout for the Padres after his 10-year playing career ended, moving up to director of player personnel in 2011, and has spent the last four seasons with the Mariners.