The 2018 Phillies managerial search

[zambonir]

I think this probably merits its own topic separate from the general off-season news and the original Mackanin firing thread.

Heyman | Former Marlins Manager Mike Redmond Garnering Interest

The Tigers have gotten a quick start, interviewing candidates already, with another former Marlins manager, Fredi Gonzalez, believed high on their list as well. The Phillies situation has been more speculative to this point.

[allentown]

More speculative, as in they haven't a clue who we're going to pick.

[julio]

More speculative, as in they haven't a clue who we're going to pick.

Yeah, "more speculative," as in, the Phillies' front office isn't leaking like a sieve. Which is a good thing.

[flyers19rw]

If the Yankees drop Girardi, should the Phillies take him?

[zambonir]

Once they start conducting interviews I doubt they’ll be able to keep it a secret

[MattsRiff]

Some guy (Nick Cafardo) from the Boston Globe is rumoring Amaro....
Please No.

Phillies Reportedly Considering Ruben Amaro Jr. As Next Manager

[Dirk41]

I audibly groaned when reading about Amaro this morning. I don't know if they could do anything more to deflate the fanbase outside of retiring the Phanatic than to let Ruben anywhere near the team. He just stands for so much of what was wrong before winning and what sank us afterwards.

Hoping we haven't heard much because their top candidate is still playing and is Alex Cora.

[zambonir]

Haha there is just no way this GM is going to bring back the GM he replaced as manager. That is a total circular bit of unfounded gossip based on the fact that Corey Seidman put Amaro on that first list of 10 candidates as a quasi-joke. Cafardo is in Boston and still couldn't even say he had a source (like, if the Phillies had actually reached out to Amaro or the Sox, he'd know).

The article also says Bowa is a candidate.

[California_Dreamin]

I don't believe it, simply refuse to believe it. I think Phils have someone in mind and are trying hard to keep it quiet out of fear that said candidate will begin to get feelers from Mets, Tigers and whoever else is thinking about bringing in a new manager.

[Philsmania]

Carfado always struck me as an Amaro buddy who quoted him often. He's probably just trying to boost RAJ's prospects for any managerial opening. As Zambonir pointed out, no source. But, give Carfado credit, he has Philadelphia all in a tizzy over this and this just might be a bigger story in Philadelphia today than yesterday's Eagles game. Beware of the slow news day! Time for silly season stuff.

While I want to make clear that I would not support Amaro's hiring, having said that, wasn't one of our criticisms of the old Giles and Montgomery regimes that they based too many decisions affecting the on-the-field product upon public relations and marketability?

[zambonir]

In theory it's entirely possible that Ruben, eventually, would be an interesting managerial candidate, and, freed from Monty, his own man. Definitely more possible than it was with Ed Wade. A baseball lifer who's played, been a GM and coached, he's certainly qualified. And the idea of him paying his dues and getting back into the game would be an excellent redemption story. But it would be almost as nuts for him to take his first managerial job in Philly as it would be for the Phillies to hire him, and it's certainly not happening now. Just like Bowa isn't happening (and wouldn't happen even if Bowa was 20 years younger).

I think someone who was connected to Klentak during his time with the Angels is who I'd bet on over any of the names we keep hearing repeatedly, especially experienced managers. It also seems pretty likely they will want to talk to some people who are involved in the playoffs.

[VoteForKalas]

In theory it's entirely possible that Ruben, eventually, would be an interesting managerial candidate, and, freed from Monty, his own man. Definitely more possible than it was with Ed Wade. A baseball lifer who's played, been a GM and coached, he's certainly qualified. And the idea of him paying his dues and getting back into the game would be an excellent redemption story. But it would be almost as nuts for him to take his first managerial job in Philly as it would be for the Phillies to hire him, and it's certainly not happening now. Just like Bowa isn't happening (and wouldn't happen even if Bowa was 20 years younger).

Anyone in a coaching position who:

Believes walks do not matter
Talks down young prospects, loves vets
Is arrogant beyond measure
Does not understand how stats are counted or evaluated (plate app vs at-bats)
Is overly sensitive to any criticism
Blame shifts to an incredible degree whenever possible

is not qualified to manage in today's game and will very likely fail IMO.

Amaro may be a great guy and a victim of unfair treatment, but I do not buy that for one second. He was a mediocre player, GM and coach - if it was not for the Phillies (and his father) he likely would not have been any of them much less all of them.

Please just say no to Amaro. That page has turned and hopefully the corrupt, crony and loyalty-filled "family" atmosphere of the Phillies is dead forever. We know it is not (see Pete Mac being promoted to a symbolic position as latest example), but we can dream it has been sidelined for a more innovative, professional, merit-based and results-driven culture. Still an open question IMO.

[zambonir]

I am not worried about the Phillies hiring Amaro nor do I think he'd be great. But he's not a stupid guy. In theory, he could be humbled, and might embrace change. In practice, I doubt it. It would be a great story - for a fictional TV show.

[allentown]

RAJ will not be considered for the job. To make him manager is a tacit admission that he was made the scapegoat for the bad decisions/demands made by ownership. If Klentak/MacPhail seriously considered RAJ, then the owners would have a few choice words for them.

[tom81]

MacPhail told Klentak that as GM he would have only so many bullets to use hiring a manager. There’s no way he uses the first one to hire someone who will upset so much of the Phan base. A part of me wants him to hire RA just to see the reaction.

[donaldorc]

RAJ will not be considered for the job. To make him manager is a tacit admission that he was made the scapegoat for the bad decisions/demands made by ownership. If Klentak/MacPhail seriously considered RAJ, then the owners would have a few choice words for them.

I hope you are right. This has to be the stupidest idea ever.

[Ryles]

Dusty will be 3B coach to keep the young guys happy. Klentak will take a young analytics guy like McEwing, Ausmus or Bogar.

[zambonir]

I mean, I don't think there is anything, not one tiny grain of reality to this story. It's just one gossip columnist cut and pasting someone who was having a little fun.

But, if there actually was something to it, I would assume it came from the owners - Gillick, Middleton, Buck - rather than it being something Klentak had to sell to the owners.

[fish]

Isn't Cafardo the guy that had some sort of scoop that the Phillies were interested in Stanton and Yelich when no one else could confirm the same rumor? His sources seem about as reliable as mine, and i don't have any.

[Philsmania]

Isn't Cafardo the guy that had some sort of scoop that the Phillies were interested in Stanton and Yelich when no one else could confirm the same rumor? His sources seem about as reliable as mine, and i don't have any.

I thought it was Rosenthal who kept beating the Yelich horse.