Nick Piccone
The Phillies have finally decided to move on from Ruben Amaro, Jr. as the team’s general manager, as the team released the following statement moments ago:
“It’s never an easy decision to make a change,” said Andy MacPhail, Phillies incoming president. “Ruben has had a direct impact on some of the best years in the team’s history. He helped to create some great memories for Phillies fans with his accomplishments, but in order to return to a top-contending club, we believe this is the right thing to do as we continue the rebuilding process.”
“The Phillies ownership fully supports Andy’s decision not to extend Ruben Amaro’s contract,” said Partner John Middleton. “As a group, we have tremendous respect for Ruben, who has been a significant contributor to this organization. This decision is about taking the club in a new direction and that will be facilitated by new leadership.”
There were rumors swirling around in not only local circles, but national ones as well, that the Phillies’ ownership, along with MacPhail and Gillick, was impressed with the recent trade returns the team got for Cole Hamels and Chase Utley. Of course, that’s if they didn’t basically make those deals themselves. It’s a far cry from the returns he got on his first major trade of Cliff Lee in 2009, and as recently as Jimmy Rollins last offseason.
What’s puzzling is the timing, as Amaro’s contract apparently has already run out before the end of the season. The team announced Scott Proefrock will take over as interim general manager immediately. So, either whoever signed Amaro’s contract can’t tell time, or Amaro was unceremoniously canned before the season even ended. I’ll choose to believe the latter.