Nick Piccone
I’m beginning to think Ruben Amaro should carry around a public relations expert that specializes in foot-in-mouth disease. I think that’s the only way that will allow him to refrain from saying something ridiculously stupid.
A few days ago, Amaro said that Chase Utley is basically finished, and Cesar Hernandez is the starting second baseman – for him. Here’s a snippet of Ryan Lawrence’s article on Philly.com from the other day.
Amaro was asked, point-blank, if he considered Utley the Phillies’ primary second baseman upon his return from the DL.
“Not for me, he’s not,” Amaro said. “Cesar Hernandez is our best second baseman.”
Amaro didn’t drop the mic. He kept answering questions for another 15 minutes.
So, uh, what happens when Utley returns?
“I would assume that Cesar will be our second baseman,” Amaro said.
And has that unofficial, franchise-shifting decision been communicated to Utley, who has been mired in a seasonlong offensive funk, but also is considered a Phillies icon?
“I don’t know if it has to be,” Amaro said. “Chase’s situation will kind of dictate itself, how he feels. There’ll be time for him to play, I think. He could play some first base. He could play some second.
“But as far as I’m concerned, just like what our plan has been for a long, long time, and that’s to give opportunities to young men who could be part of our future. Cesar Hernandez has been one of our best players on the field right now in a variety of ways – running the bases, playing defense, playing with energy. He can switch-hit. He can run. He’s doing a lot of the things that we want to see out of our young players.”
Let’s not get too crazy here – Amaro’s absolutely right. But for a general manager, there’s a fine line of telling the truth and protecting what’s left if the investment you’ve made into a Phillies icon. If Lee Thomas basically called Mike Schmidt worthless before he retired in 1989, I’m not sure he would ever step foot in the city again.
Of course, general managers don’t aren’t supposed to fill out the lineup cards. A lot of rumors have been floating around the last few seasons that Amaro has urged Phillies managers Charlie Manuel and Ryne Sandberg to play specific players. While he’s denied that claim, he sure as hell has rubbed some people in the industry the wrong way. FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal basically demanded an Amaro apology about his remarks on Utley, and he didn’t stop short at all.
“… it is not fair to speak so disrespectfully or dismissively about Utley, one of the pillars of the franchise.
Utley, who has spent his whole career with the organization. Utley, who has always given the team 100 percent. Utley, who had played with an injured ankle all season before finally going on the DL.
Amaro is going to get fired, the entire industry knows that. But he figured to last the entire season as the Phillies transition from Pat Gillick to Andy MacPhail as club president. The question now is whether ownership will simply decide that Amaro is embarrassing the franchise, and that enough is enough.
Heck, it’s already fair to ask why the team is allowing an embattled lame duck to retain full authority as GM — Gillick, on the day the Phillies hired MacPhail, told ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick that Amaro was still in charge.
Frankly, it’s difficult to believe that actually is the case, but Amaro’s public remarks are a separate issue. If he has a filter, he sure does a good job of disguising it. And again, this was not Jeff Francoeur that Amaro was talking about replacing Tuesday. It was Chase Freakin’ Utley.”
World Chase F$@#%ing Champions Utley.
Utley didn’t offer much after being told of Amaro’s comments, simply saying he thinks Cesar has done a good job. And he really should take the high road and not respond to any negativity because it would reflect poorly on the end of his reign as one of Philly’s top sports athletes ever. It’s just weird to see Amaro going down in a blaze of glory – and it all started with his comments about the team being better off without Ryan Howard, and subsequent apology, last year.
And either he’s lost all power and has no ability to make trades, or he’s sabotaging the future of the Phillies.
Amaro’s anthem for the rest of the season: