Monday, October 26, 2015
[size=150] PHILLIES NAME MATT KLENTAK GENERAL MANAGER [/size]
The Phillies have hired major league executive Matt Klentak as the club's vice president & general manager, President Andy MacPhail announced today. Klentak is the 11th general manager in Phillies history and, at age 35, the youngest.
Klentak joins the Phillies after four years (2012-15) as assistant general manager for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and four years (2008-11) as director of baseball operations for the Baltimore Orioles. During his time with the Angels, the club won the American League West Division title in 2014 and averaged 87 wins per season. With Baltimore, he worked under MacPhail as the two acquired players that would have significant roles in winning the 2014 AL East Division title.
"In Matt we found an executive with the keen ability to understand cutting-edge baseball analytics, coupled with superior scouting, player development and leadership skills," said MacPhail. "Additionally, his commitment and resolve to build the foundation for a championship-caliber team was evident every step of the way through the process. I trust Matt to lead the Phillies as we all rededicate ourselves to return championship baseball to Philadelphia."
"Observing Andy execute his strategy to hire a new general manager in a relatively short period of time was very impressive," said Phillies Partner John Middleton. "He quickly identified a pool of excellent candidates and executed a rigorous process to winnow down the field decisively, thoughtfully and objectively. This is the type of leadership essential to returning the Phillies to greatness. I have no doubt that the collaborative effort of Andy and Matt will restore the Phillies to the glory years our fans deserve."
"I am honored to be named general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies," said Klentak. "This franchise has a rich history, owners who are committed to winning every single day, and passionate and knowledgeable fans who support the team. They should know that they have my tireless commitment to winning a championship."
Prior to his time with the Orioles, Klentak spent four years working in Major League Baseball's Labor Relations Department, where he served as a primary contact for club personnel with respect to the interpretation of the major league rules, the collective bargaining agreement and other contractual and financial industry practices. In 2006, he was a key member of the MLB collective bargaining team that successfully negotiated a second consecutive CBA without a work stoppage.
Before joining the Commissioner's Office, Klentak worked in the Baseball Operations Department of the Colorado Rockies. While there, he gained experience in video and advance scouting, coordinated all of the amateur scouting reports and authored several baseball and financial analyses.
Klentak is a 2002 graduate of Dartmouth College with a degree in economics. He was a four-year baseball letterman, three-year starting shortstop and team captain his senior year. Originally from Medfield, Mass., Klentak and his wife Lauren currently reside in Newport Beach, Calif., with their two daughters.
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Press Releases provided courtesy of the Phillies, Media Relations. Thanks, guys!
