Phillies hire Ed Wade (again)
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Phillies hire Ed Wade (again)
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
Ed Wade is back.
The Phillies have hired their former general manager as a special consultant, the team announced Tuesday. Wade will scout at the major- and minor-league levels and assist in salary arbitration.
Wade, 55, was fired as Houston GM this winter. He still had two years remaining on his deal with the Astros.
Often the brunt of criticism, Wade actually built the foundation that is the current Phillies before he was fired in 2005. While GM, his staff drafted Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Pat Burrell, Cole Hamels, Ryan Madson and Brett Myers.
While with Houston, Wade often dealt with Ruben Amaro Jr., a close friend professionally and personally. (Wade is godfather to one of Amaro's daughters.) The Phillies acquired Brad Lidge, Roy Oswalt and Hunter Pence in three separate deals with Houston. Currently, four of Houston's top six prospects, as ranked by Baseball America, are former Phillies.
Because of those deals, fans jokingly referred to Wade as a double-agent.
"That certainly will be insinuated," Wade told the Houston Chronicle. "I'm prepared for the remarks that I only traded with the Phillies so Ruben would give me a job if I got fired."
The last trade looks particularly favorable to Houston, as Jonathan Singleton and Jarred Cosart are ranked first and second in the Astros system. Domingo Santana is sixth. Those three players were dealt for Hunter Pence last July.
From The Inquirer archives: Former GM Wade set Phils in motion (March 29, 2010)
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The babbling bizkit of bellicosity does it again! Promises, promises!— BEMiller- even ed wade laughs at the phils re-signing jimmy 'dead weight' rollins.— zwarte piet
- I would have put a clause in Jimmy's new contract, viz., a $10000 deduction for every time he leads off and swings at the first pitch and a $5000 deduction every time he swings at the first pitch after the hitter ahead of him has walked. How about a $15000 deduction every time he starts to think he's a home-run hitter?
— lgroniko - EXCELLENT!! Wonderfully accurate and what many of us fellow fans believe! Next question: Why are the fans so knowledgeable and the Phillies management clueless about who JStroll is? Does JStroll travel with a Polaroid camera,and a pretty white poodle? ...I don't get it. — justacarpenter
- EXCELLENT!! Wonderfully accurate and what many of us fellow fans believe! Next question: Why are the fans so knowledgeable and the Phillies management clueless about who JStroll is? Does JStroll travel with a Polaroid camera,and a pretty white poodle? ...I don't get it. — justacarpenter
- even ed wade laughs at the phils re-signing jimmy 'dead weight' rollins.— zwarte piet
- Ed Wade obviously felt comfortable trading with the Phillies based on his relationship with RAJ, but he was not Reuben's whipping boy. Funny how the same people that cry about RAJ depleting the farm system act like the Phils gave up nothing to Houston. Sure, Lidge was perfect for 1 year here, but what good would that have done Houston? Oswalt had a no-trade clause and a suspect back. Another deal that worked for us, but easily could have gone south. Pence is a stud, but don't kid yourself into thinking Houston didn't get a lot in return. Wade's deals benefited both clubs and he's a class act - glad the Phils were smart enough to bring him back into the fold.— del_sj
Comment removed.- Nothing should be surprising about this so why am I anyway? Haha, it's a good laugh regardless but the guy does know baseball. And most of his salary is gonna come from Houston.— PhillySubsMac
- The boob is back.— Bob1
- This...has...to...be...a...joke. Now, Fire Chris Wheeler!!!— kelprod2
- Hope they pay him enough to go to a hair stylist and get rid of that summer of 7th grade haircut.— jimmymack
- As the Astros GM, Wade got good value in return. He got Michael Bourn for Lidge. Lidge had 1 great year with the Phils, Oswalt had a good half year and he got a lot of good prospects in the Pence deal.— zeke128
- good pickup. he's clearly got an eye for young talent. just a shame we can't trade with him any longer.
