Gerry Hunsicker joins Dodgers as senior advisor of baseball operations

The Dodgers on Thursday flexed their financial muscle, and plucked a member of the Rays' front office. No, not Andrew Friedman. The Dodgers have hired longtime baseball executive Gerry Hunsicker as a senior advisor of baseball operations.

Hunsicker will assist both general manager Ned Colletti and CEO Stan Kasten with the big league club, and also provide input to international scouting and development, pro scouting and minor league development.

"Gerry brings a wealth of senior level experience and knowledge that will assist baseball operations at all levels," said Colletti in a statement.

Hunsicker was with the Rays since November 2005 as a senior vice president of baseball operations, and helped Tampa Bay ramp up their international efforts in Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Brazil, as well as Asia and Europe.

Hunsicker has been in baseball since 1978. He served as general manager for the Astros from 1996 to 2004, during which time Houston was 793-665 (.544), the sixth best record during the majors in that span.

It's worth noting that Bobby Abreu, one of seven Dodgers free agents, was a minor leaguer left unprotected by Hunsicker and the Astros in 1997 and was lost to Tampa Bay in the expansion draft.