Montgomery, Manuel meet prior to game
Today was one of those days where you walked through the clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park and felt the effects of a disappointing season settling in. Particularly noteworthy was the door to to Charlie Manuel's office, which was closed for nearly an hour as the manager met with club president David Montgomery to discuss a variety of issues about the team.
Montgomery, Manuel meet prior to game
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Today was one of those days where you walked through the clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park and felt the effects of a disappointing season settling in. Particularly noteworthy was the door to to Charlie Manuel's office, which was closed for nearly an hour as the manager met with club president David Montgomery to discuss a variety of issues about the team.
The Phillies are well aware that they are fast approaching the point where their focus will need to shift toward 2013 and beyond. I spoke with Montgomery for 20 minutes prior to Sunday's game, during which time he offered his perspective on the team's disappointing first half. You can read his complete comments in Monday's Daily News. Long story short, Montgomery says he feels like the club owes it to injured or recently injured veterans like Ryan Howard and Roy Halladay to give them a chance to get the club turned around during the first couple weeks after the All-Star Break. But he acknowledged that the team needs to plan for the future in an attempt to ensure that 2012 does not repeat itself next season. Shane Victorino, a free agent at the end of the season, could be on the trading block. Young players like Jake Diekman and Domonic Brown could find themselves with extended opportunities. The Phillies could look to make a deal for a third baseman or outfielder who is under contract through next season or beyond.
I asked Montgomery about the potential dichotomy on the baseball operations side of things if the focus does shift so that 2013 is emphasized over 2012. I pointed out that Manuel is a guy who says all the time, "I come to the park to win every day."
The ensuing exchange. . .
Montgomery: But I don't necessarily see them as in conflict as much as you might think. If we are going to prepare for the future, winning every day is a part of that too. We have 39 or 38 opportunities to at least have a winning record at home. We've been pretty good at Citizens Bank Park since we moved here. So let's get back to having that occasion for Phillies fans.
Daily News: I'll give you a for-instance. Completely hypothetical. At some point you are going to get to a point where a guy like Domonic Brown could maybe use a shot at the major leagues, but at this point in time, a guy like Juan Pierre gives you a better chance to win on a nightly basis. He's a guy who's contract is going to be up at the end of the year and obviously isn't a long-term future guy. If you do get to a point where the playoffs are unlikely, at least you would have a half season to find out about Diekman and Brown and guys like that. But if a guy like Manuel is thinking, 'Well, I've got to win to save my job. . .'
Montgomery: I would be surprised if Charlie would think that.
Daily News: You would?
Montgomery: Yeah, I would.
Daily News: Have you told him that?
Montgomery: I'm just saying, I talk to Charlie frequently. His focus isn't about his job, his focus is about winning a game. You may say, well that's the correlation. My point is, if we're all doing our job, that stuff literally takes care of itself. This is a different challenge than Charlie has had, there's no question about that, and we've talked about that. We've been a good second-half club, and it's because we've pretty much been a together clubhouse. So hopefully in addition to providing a little help on the field, some of the key elements of that clubhouse returning are helpful from that standpoint.
Daily News: Is a managerial change something that you can definitively rule out?
Montgomery: That's certainly not anything we're focusing on. Our focus is of much more immediate concerns as to as how do we play better baseball and who are the best components to have on the field.
Montgomery also said he still hopes to keep Cole Hamels in a Phillies uniform. I asked if there would come a point where the Phillies make their best and final offer to the lefthander. Montgomery smiled and said, "As Ruben would say, stay tuned."
For much more, check out our package in the Daily News tomorrow.
Phils are just a munch of 2012 losers. Its sad you fans still watch such a poor team. First to Last! Headlines for Sports Illistrated!— MRD- We are a munch of 2012 losers? Headlines for Sports Illistrated? Are you an illiterate MRD? I think the loser here is you who can't spell to save his life. Sad! — Bob H
- In the post steroid era its a young mans game and the Phils look very very old.
Despite all the Phillies injuries, the NL is so watered down it is mindblowing that the Phillies are 16 games out. This team has just not been ready to play and that should fall on the manager.— joe smith - I just hope this is corporate babble. Ax Amaro and Manuel immediately. I would also try to unload Howard and his albatross of a contract on LA who is so desperate for hitting they might take on the contract and give us something as well. Frankly the 25 million is more useful than Howard at this point. 30/110 is a lot less impressive at Citizens Bank when you consider Wigginton is on pace for 18/70 in only 460 abs and he costs 21 million less (or will next year anyway). If he got 550 like Howard would in a full season that would project to 23/88. Point is for 25 million we should be doing a lot better. And that is the problem with most of the team, a bunch of overpaid guys that limits what we can do to fix the team.— lazyboy
- There were 2 people in the meeting. And now all the reporters will let you know what happened behind closed doors. When no one has a clue. But that wont stop them from reporting on something they have no idea of what was said.— Pat c
- If that's the case with Montgomerey about CM; then that is a sad state of affairs...— M60tanker
- Read the article from June 2008 Philly Magazine "Philadelphia Phillies owners: The Phantom Five." It still holds true and explains what we are seeing now and why you shouldn't expect anyone to be held accountable. The Phillies aren't run like a business, they are run like a social club with gentleman Dave the master of ceremonies. — jtj06
- Here is the key quote: "In the Phillies' boardroom, the mantra isn't 'You're fired'-- it's 'We'll get 'em next year fellas'...The Phillies' front office is a place where jobs last forever, everyone is chummy, and no one is held accountable."--- Philadelphia Magazine, June 2008 "Philadelphia Phillies owners: The Phantom Five."
— jtj06 - How much more evidence does the front office need that this team is not playing for Charlie Manuel? The manager's job is to motivate the players to play better than nine random guys who show up on the field together: it's called "leadership". Manuel has this bunch playing worse than the sum of their individual talents: there is no way that this team should look this bad on the field. Not only have they played without passion or focus for most of the year, but now the return of Utley and Howard have failed to correct the condition that many were blaming on a lack of talent on the field. The players are not playing up to their potential and that shortfall of effort needs to be laid squarely at Charlie Manuel's feet.— Steve Landis
- Sure they're disappointing but guess what ? They just gave us the best 5 year run in the history of the franchise. Commenters should relax, the world won't come to an end due to a terrible season. Management has every reason to try to right this ship asap. Born in 1952, life long Phila. resident, I've seen a "few" terrible seasons.— Mousps
- I just think Montgomery, Amaro and Manuel are aligning their ducks for possible trades during the ALL Star break.
They may just have an opportunity at that time to get maximum value for your players that other teams covet.
Waiting for the deadline may be a riskier strategy as some of your potential condenders may be out of the race by then.
Looks like Victorino is gone. Hamels will be signed very shortly -if not, he has to be traded.
Dream Trade for the Phillies - Hamels and Rollins to Dodgers for Dee Gordon. Phillies can wait for Gordon to recover from his injury - Dodgers may not.— candidly - "Video" Dan Stephenson is already putting together clips for this years DVD release entitled "From First to Worst: The Story of the 2012 Fightin' Phils"— BobbyD
Comment removed.- I'd like to think Montgomery is a results oriented person but a fair person as well. The team has become successful under his watch and he was the person who started the wheels in motion to get rid of Ed Wade and bring in Pat Gillick. I still have some faith that he wants to have a winning team and sell outs every night.— AvoidSundanceVacations
- Halladay can't throw over 90 anymore; Howard and Utley have been rapidly declining and below avg players at 1st and 2nd past couple of years even before their latest injuries..Papelbon is one of the least reliable closers in baseball and simply pads his stats with the 3-run save (only 3 of his saves are 1-run saves and in 9 games he has been awful)... Rollins is below avg offensive shortstop who should never bat higher than 8th --what's the solution? there is none as Amaro has irreparably destroyed this franchise with long term contracts to declining over-the-hill players and gutting the farm system— warbiscuit
