Phillies fire three coaches
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Phillies fire three coaches
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
WASHINGTON — Moments after Game 162 ended, the Phillies commenced what could be a winter of change. First-base coach Sam Perlozzo will not be retained, GM Ruben Amaro Jr. announced at Nationals Park.
An hour later, the team revealed bench coach Pete Mackanin and hitting coach Greg Gross were not returning.
The three moves ostensibly create a chance for Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg to join the staff in 2013.
Coincidentally, team president David Montgomery traveled from Philadelphia and spent time meeting with Amaro and Manuel on Wednesday.
Perlozzo was a member of Manuel's staff for four seasons.
"It's definitely not what he did," Manuel said. "I look at him as a great teacher and tremendous coach. When you want to do some things, people on your staff, they're the ones who have to be let go or moved. That's the position it's in. It's something the organization felt we're going to go that way."
Manuel and Amaro were not available for comment following the announcement of Mackanin's and Gross' fates. Mackanin was bench coach for four years. Gross was hitting coach for two and a half seasons.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
DUBEE DO should be next. If he's not the worst pitching coach in MLB, he's close to the bottom. Even when we had a decent bullpen last year, he would let our ACES wear themselves down by going deep into the game with a 4 or 5 run lead. And now we're paying the price.— misterhman- Can Wheeler please be next? The biggest Bust of them all!— bk3131
- Perlozzo was just not aggressive. Samuel was too aggressive...but desperate times called for desperate measures. I'm glad Gross is gone but I have to say I'm pretty surprised that Pete Mackanin was let go. He was in the running for a few of the open big league managerial spots during the last off-season and by all accounts everyone really likes him. However if his departure opens the door for Sandberg, then I'm all for it! And on another roster note, if Wigginton is still on this team next year I will throw up.— bingbangbong
- This team's fate has been sealed when they brought Ed Wade back. Why do they need a hitting coach? no major league player listen to them.— joepir
- That's life.— 1danny
- hard to believe in any purge of the staff that Dubee could survivie.
Of course, it's also hard to believe that Manuel could survive. Only in Montgomery's and Amaro's world is that possible.
If I were king, Amaro and Manuel would be the first two lined up against the wall. Then Dubee.
— advantasux - I think Manuel will announce his "retirement" presently.— TomO
- Bring back Davey Lopes. Sandberg can take Mackanin's job.— zeke128
- Fire 'em all, I say.— scootch
- After this season Dubee is sticking around? Whose photos does he have?— fischman
- If Dave Montgomery ok'ed these firings. He shouldve taken upon himself IF he had guts he wouldve FIRED the entire staff including Manuel. Left no one on the current staff. Then, again IF he had any guts taken Ryne Sandberg in the other room and gave him the manager's job. Then, after all of this gave Ruben Amaro his walking papers. Called Pat Gillick and asked him to come back RIGHT NOW. Gross shouldve been fired at the same time they fired Milt Thompson; Dubee like his name is clueless...lots of better, experienced, pitching coaches. Montgomery as well as all the fans in this posting should remember going into '13 that other teams, wink,wink have more progressive managers, coaches. Whether the managing owner yes thats Montgomery and the kid G.M. Amaro realize this I highly doubt this. Why did you think Davey Lopes left this organization last year. Would love to see Larry Bowa join this team. How about Mike Schmidt as a hitting coach. What else fans does the Montgomery regime need to do between Oct. 3 and the opening of spring training around 2nd week of February. O'yea, Amaro should take Jimmy Rollins, Mayberry and Ryan Howard together and make them in his heavest loudest voice tell them to go to winter ball. Jimmy with hitting, Mayberry and Howard figuring out how what is a ball and what is a strike. Apparently, all of the coaches they fired and had on the payroll for years didnt help these 3 players if not the starting lineup. Again, fans what else do I need to say!!— bartm
- The Phillies have to make BIG moves, not incremental ones. Hire Sandberg, let him pick his coaches, and see what happens. And Amaro needs to be on notice. He skates by as like he's on teflon. All those bench players who contributed squat. Big contracts, ill-timed. And what exactly did he get for Victorino and Pence? Amaro should be posting comments on this website rather than supervising a team that led the league in attendance despite an inferior product. The Phillies will wither by complacency if they are not careful. David Montgomery, who calculates a tip carefully but would never criticize a waitress, is in charge. And he is too polite for the job.— PeterG
- Good. Now get some manager level coaches, like they used to have, to cover for Unka Chollie's inability to adapt to anything. Or just get rid of Cholly.— HorshamGuy
- Chollie is not the problem nor is he the solution. He must grab whatever hair he has left when he looks to the bench and sees Wigginton and Nix and the other spare parts Amaro has falsely prized. Charley is like a guy at the blackjack table who has been given a 2 and 3 and tries to figure out how to beat the dealer with a cold-hard 10 showing. I respect him but he has to move on, as do the Phillies. The team is not going to get better betting on Utley, Howard, and Rollins. Amaro is disguising his failure with the coaches' firings. Tossing them overboard only buys time for himself. Coaches are incidental. It's players that count. Unless Montgomery and ownership man up, It could take years to resolve this mess. — PeterG
- Peter G, you have long been a Manuel apologist. Charlie is only effective when he as a lineup full of all-stars to pick from, then he sits back and watches the game from his front row seat. THAT is not "managing". — jman
