Ryne Sandberg among three coaches added to Phillies staff
Ryne Sandberg, the Hall of Famer viewed as a potential successor to Charlie Manuel, was added to the Phillies coaching staff Thursday. Sandberg wil serve as Manuel's third-base coach and infield instructor in 2013.
Ryne Sandberg among three coaches added to Phillies staff
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
(Michael Conroy/AP file photo)
Ryne Sandberg, the Hall of Famer viewed as a potential successor to Charlie Manuel, was added to the Phillies coaching staff Thursday. Sandberg wil serve as Manuel's third-base coach and infield instructor in 2013.
He was among a plethora of changes announced. Only pitching coach Rich Dubee will remain in his 2012 role. The team will not have a bench coach next season.
Two others from the minor-league system were promoted. Steve Henderson, the organization's roving hitting instructor, was named hitting coach. Rod Nichols, who served as pitching coach at triple-A Lehigh Valley, was named bullpen coach.
Mick Billmeyer was "promoted" to catching coach, the Phillies said. Billmeyer is the longest-tenured member of Manuel's staff. He served as bullpen coach for the last four seasons and was major-league catching instructor for five seaons before that.
Juan Samuel was offered the first-base coach job and has yet to accept.
The Phillies did not retain three coaches -- Sam Perlozzo, Pete Mackanin and Greg Gross -- immediately following the conclusion of Wednesday's last game.
Finding a spot for Sandberg was paramount. Manuel has one season remaining on his contract and could retire after 2013. The franchise's decision-makers have an affinity for Sandberg, who managed at triple-A Lehigh Valley for the last two seasons.
Sandberg, of course, could still interview for managerial openings this winter. He interviewed with St. Louis last winter for its job.
Henderson, 61, was formerly hitting coach for Tampa Bay from 2006-09. He spent the last two seasons as the Phillies minor-league hitting coordinator.
Nichols, 47, mentored many of the young pitchers who have come through the Phillies system. With another young bullpen expected, Nichols could be instrumental in overseeing its development.
It's uncommon for teams to have a staff without a bench coach; Detroit was the only team in 2012 that did not retain one. But Manuel has long trusted Dubee as his righthand man. Billmeyer, now in the dugout, could ascend to a higher role.
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Comments (76)
Brilliant moves. Nichols a great addition. Kudos to RAJ— WFChamps- Please tell me you are being sarcastic. Kudos to Rube-the-Boob?!? For what? It's his fault that Davy Lopes and Jimy Williams aren't here. Not to mention the scouting director that just upped and quit. Uncle Charlie is now a joke. Ryan Seacrest may as well be managing the Phillies. — Copper34
- You guys remember what Charlie was like before he had a bench coach? Yeah, it was ugly. Mismanagement all over the place. Sandberg will be asked to be a savior.
- Manuel always had a bench coach since he's been here. What are you talking about. — mike l
- These are very good moves. Great to add Rod Nichols along with Ryno. No more Sammy at 3B. It also frees up Billmeyer to polish his binocular skills.— dasher
- Looks like Charlie and Dubes could go by the Allstar break and they move Sandberg and his guy right in if the team is struggling.— Sidewinder7
- Excellent news! Welcome Ryno!!!!— BobbyD
- I hope that means they have Sandberg locked up for manager in 2014. Nichols will be his pitching coach. Glad they got Sammy off of third base. BUT...Who is going to help Charlie make the moves in the dugout? They can't leave him alone to do double switches, etc.— SEEK313
- Instead of having runners thrown at home they will be out at 2nd base.— HappyBob
- This comment has been deleted.— CoettaGarner25
- Almost certain that Manuel and Dubee will be fired by the All-Star break if the Phillies get off to a slow start next season, leaving Sandberg with the right to name his bench coach. Better believe that the younger players will gravitate toward Sandberg. I still am not convinced that having Manuel and Dubee's successors in place is a better idea than firing Manuel and Dubee now, as the team will almost certainly divide allegiances.— chuckw
- Good moves overall; step in the right direction.— JBinPA
- This is a good news as the Phillies are able to obtain Ryno. I think this coaching staff fell into place perfectly and it looks as though this will be a huge strength going into next season...maybe one of the best staffs in the league.— Reality Speaks
- Obvious that the Sandberg move was for 2014 as much as it was for 2013. I'm a Charlie fan but it's gotta be getting hard for him at his age. I hope the Phils give him a ring in his last season!— vafan
- What does a "Catcher's Coach" do? Is Billmeyer going to teach Carlos Ruiz how to be a Catcher? Why don't they just name him Bench Coach and be done with it?
— SteveS11 - This comment has been deleted. — Dew Schbag
- Nice moniker, hombre. How'd you slip that past the monitor? — andrewfrombrooklyn
- No bench coach is puzzle to me. The only team without a bench coach was Detroit with Jim Leyland. Another pair of eyes helping making decisions in the dugout is not a bad idea, especially with Cholly. Another observation, Billmeyer from BP coach to catching coach looks like a demotion to me not a promotion. Wasn't Ramon Henderson a catching coach? Other than Sammy being offered a job again, I like the additions.— EL Zorro
- Sounds like a demotion for Juan Samuel. I wouldn't be surprised if he turned it down.— SteveS11
- You're kidding right? 1B coach controls the running game. I don't see that as demotion. Davey Lopes was 1B coach, I'm sure he liked doing that a lot.
In any case aside from some basic duties these coaches can have additional responsibilities that make the job more attractive. I believe Lopes did far more than just his fair share of 1B Coach duties. 
Gosh!! Looks like we have locked up the 2013 title! C'mon, gang. They are coaches for heaven's sake. And, apparently, Cholly "don't need no stinkin' bench coach."- "But Manuel has long trusted Dubee as his righthand man."
Dumb and Dumber.
— BumSatellite - They also trimmed the coaching staff from 7th to six. I guess they saw the ratings drop and the sellouts end and are in a save mood.— EL Zorro
- Sidewinder are you crazy, this team under Charlie has always been a dominant 2nd half team and Rube knows that. He's gonna be here the whole season unless they completely tank, which they had every chance to do this year and didn't, so don't bet on that happening. I love the moves though, Sandberg has to realize the job is his in 2014, so spending a year getting to know the ins and outs of this team will be very beneficial. Hopefully Ruben has expressed this to him and we dodge the last chance for another team to grab him. It does look like this will probably be Dubees last yr as well, i'd assume Ryan would want his guy, especially since Nichols is the one who's been working with these young guys. Charlies a class act and i'm sure will love working with Sandberg. Let's pray we send this man out in style with another ring, he certainly deserves it.— The Pink Floyd
- how about assistant head coach for Ryno?— briman
- Clearly, Sandburg to third was not something Manuel wanted - he doesn't want Sandburg in the same ballpark. Also, Nichols' calm demeanor will be welcomed by the young pitchers versus Dubious Dubee's famous bullying style; this, also, Manuel could not have wanted. A roving hitting instructor (Henderson), with a clear and articulate hitting philosophy distributed to the entire farm system, again flies in the face of hitting guru Magoo and his "hittin' season" swing for the fences style.
Uncle Cholly's gonna be surrounded by coaches he does not want. And as anyone knows who has been paying attention, Magoo is very shrewd with the media and expert at sticking knives in coworkers' backs. Having the .198 career squirrel hunter around could seriously damage Sandburg before he even gets started.
Ruin.
Tomorrow.
Jr.
Guaranteed to blow your mind.
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— Quixote II - Haters gonna hate. No facts, just the same tired drivel we've endured for most of the season. Good job! — vafan
- Pitching geniuses: Can you tell me what is so bad about Rich Dubee? With the exception of this year and its lousy first-half bullpen we've had a pretty strong pitching staff. Hamels has gone from boy to man. And it's not just the multiple Aces we've collected. Madson developed into a top reliever under Dubee. Stinking Kendrick has hung in there and become a quality 5th starter - maybe even a quality 4th starter. Worley came out of nowhere last year. Same for Stutes before injuries sidelined him. Beside Bastardo, which pitcher of any caliber has failed to develop under his watch? Seems the only coach who could help Bastardo was Dannys Baez.— frankenslade
- I've never been able to figure what the point of a "bench coach" is. If there is no bench coach, does that mean the manager can't talk to other coaches?
GOOD GRIEF!
BTW, SteveS11, it certainly wouldn't be the end of the world if Juan Samuel didn't like the demotion to first base coach (which it is) and left!— BEMiller - My guess is that the Phillies, out of past loyalty to Samuel, offered him the First Base job. I think it is a way for him to save face. He will turn the job down and everybody will move on with no ill feelings.
You could trace the Phillies decline back to letting Davey Lopes go over money at a time they were throwing money around like drunken sailors.
I do kind of like the moves they just made. I think Dubee micro - manages the pitching staff to a fault.— candidly - Welcome Ryno!— sedale
- BEMiller.....the Phillies developed the Bench Coach when Paul Owens became Manager in the early 1980's and made Bobby Wine his Bench Coach - the first ever in the major leagues.— sonnybuoy01
- Bobby Wine was an integral part of the coaching staff in the late 1970's (first Phillies "dynasty") which culminated in the 1980 title. He was passed over and the team went into a slide for a decade after he was let go. The man should have been named manager instead of Pope Owens in '83. I'm still bitter about it.
— Sam Crow - My guess is that the Phillies are looking to find a bench coach that will work well with Sandberg, making his promotion to Manager in 2014 just that much smoother. I also believe that in some ways, Charlie is probably glad 2013 is his final year as manager. Despite the moanings from the peanut gallery, it's been a great run with him at the helm. It IS time for Ryne to begin a calm and organized settling in as the new manager, and I'm looking forward to Charlie's final year and Ryne's first in the upcoming two years.— PeteInPhilly
- @Q......I can't stop laughing.....so much of what you say is true!
A few observations from my end......
1. It's gonna be tough for Charlie to work with Sandberg sittin' right there. But Charles is a pro...and Ryno is the hardest working HOF'er you will ever see. Unlike Schmitty, who thinks that everyone else is beneath him and should hang on his every word. Ryno actually "works tirelessly" at being a good coach and manager.
2. There is no such thing as an "assistant coach" in baseball. They are managers, and there is only one allowed in the dugout at a time.
3. MacKanin was redundant and not needed as a bench coach anymore. The last few years it's been the Charles Dubee show. They know eachother like peanut butter knows jelly. No need for a bench coach.
4. Nichols as BP coach is a huge upgrade and will help the guys in the bp immensely. He's fixed more pitchers than Charles has fixed hitters and to be right there in the bp with them and not on the bench like Dubee is a big plus.
5. Samual to 1st base coach is a demotion and a step down in pay scale as well. Sammy will take it and stay unless he has better options out there from another team. I don't think he has any other options out there.
6. The Phils are a 2nd half team and proved it again this year with something like a 47-33 record in the 2nd half. It was the first half that doomed them. Injuries were key but so was Rube not being prepared. The Tigers lost Victor Martinez, a big part of their offense before spring training. They didn't sign Wiggy and "hope to get by". They signed Prince Fielder and did it ever pay off for Miguel Cabrera. There is a big reason why he won the Triple Crown and his intials are P.F......imagine when that team gets VMart back next season. What an offense that will be. OMG!— Mark1npt - There's an old Dallas Cowboys story with Roger Staubach in the huddle, and he says (refering to Landry), "The Man in The Hat wants us to run strong right, 38 trap pull right, pitchback sweep; but we're gonna throw the ball ... " Staubach, US hero, Navy man and straight shooter, calling Landry "The Man in The Hat" and changing the plays on his own. Hopefully when Nichols gets a Dubious Dubee phone call in the bullpen, he will turn and mock Dubee to all his young pitchers.
"The Dubious One wants Bastardo to get ready - Horst, start loosening up."
Anarchy in the bullpen - occupy that!
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- Hi Mark--i posted a comment in here under yours that has not shown --a pretty thorough one at that--so i hope it shows--
I have a feeling that it wont as i refered? to an endearing term -around the barns --as to what folks were called who cleaned stalls--u know ends with er--sounds like u know what.
I should have saved it as i put some serious time into it.
Oh well.
RS move was great as now the players next year are also being watched and evaluated for their hustle etc by the 2014 manager.
So i believe the team wont lack for effort plus many of the younger ones have played for him.
Have a great day!!!— HO HUM - fransdale, you obviously dont' follow the Phillies closely. Hamels was a #1 pick and a can't miss prospect. Under Dubee he has developed slowly, you can say. He was supposed to be a 20 game by now and perennial Cy Young candidate. As a matter of fact, Myers and Hamels called Dubbee once a drill sergeant. KK and Madson went to the minors and came back better pitchers. As a matter of fact, when Lidge wasn't ready to start the season in 2011, Dubee went with Contreras as his closer. When asked why not Madson, he said, when did Madson take a course on how to be a closer?, or something to that effect. Now yo give him credit? Bastardo has regressed, from a flame thrower that used to hit 97-98 MPH to a guy who is confused out there, throwing in the low 90's and who hasn't developed secondary pitches. What the hell are you talking about.— EL Zorro
- ... and the fans rise from their seats, cheering on a fantastic shutdown performance by the team's closer ...
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(And don't forget Dubious Dubee's #1 chart topper: "I knew there was something wrong with Halladay all the way back in spring training - but I was too busy performing my duties in the Billy Conlin Happy Club to do anything about it.")
§
- El Zorro, I take it "fransdale" was a typo of my handle. If I followed the Phillies any more closely I'd be single, living in my Mom's basement, and drowning in my own drool. The rest of what you have to say is nowhere near a compelling argument. Have you followed the game closely enough to recite all the #1 "can't miss" prospects who never even make it to the majors let alone bounce back from a year like the one Cole had in 2009? You're going to throw the 2 weeks of Contreras as closer out there as a terrible example of coaching? He had 5 saves and an ERA of 0.00 through the end of April, when he got injured and lost his job to Madson. Jeez, and if any coach can straighten out Bastardo he should move ahead of Leo Mazzone as first pitching coach in Cooperstown. I expect more out of our baseball geniuses.— frankenslade
- One other thing and i might as well post it in here.One big Dif between the Phils--and..........The NATS.
Their leading hitter for the year batted .292-Ian Desmond .J W batted .300 but for -81 games. The difference is that ALL of the other starters were .270(harper) to .291 M Morse.So not a weak link in the group.
That should be a big priority for the Phils--very few if any weak bats next year.— HO HUM - I think it's premature to assume Sandberg is Manager in 2014. He still has a long offseason where someone will probably offer a head job for next year. In addition, there's a good possibility that this team will be headed in the wrong direction competitively the next 3 or 4 years, and he might not want any part of a re-building project, especially in this highly charged atmosphere around the Phillies since the World Series in 2008.— fightonphilly
- For those of you who say it's a demotion for Samuel, was it a demotion for Perlozzo when he moved from 3B coach to 1B coach after Lopes left? Plus 1B utilizes Samuel's talents as a base stealer during his career better than 3B and I believe he's been more of a 1B coach with other teams than 3B. And, I'm not sure 1B & 3B coaches have a salary differential since the bench coach came along. In the old days, the 3b coach was considered the guy who would take over if the manager was ejected or needed time off for personal reasons.— sonnybuoy01
- All Phils brass protestations to the contrary, Sandberg will be the manager by the All-star break of the 2013 season. Book it, Danno...— topwonk
- Yeah Ryno! Stay HERE this time! We love ya.— miahjer
- Can't get rid of Billmeyer. Who would scan the stands with binoculars and tag the Baseball Annies for the aftergame romps in the hay?— Wilhelm Von Humboldt
- This idiotic organization has hit a new low. As much as I praised the GM yesterday for calling an end to the Pete Mackanin era, now I have to express my utter disgust at the idea that the Phillies are going to try to operate next season without a bench coach. Charlie Manuel is one of the worst strategic managers in baseball and yet the Phillies are going to let him go it alone? Dubee is his righthand man? Where was Dubee when Charlie Manuel mismanaged the bullpen all season long?— Freedom Fries
- What are the qualifications of Steve Henderson and Rod Nichols? That they're willing to be the lowest paid coaches in baseball? I thought the Phillies organization hit an all-time low when they refused to pay Davey Lopes a decent salary, but now the Phillies are trying to save money by eliminating the bench coach position entirely, despite the fact that if ever there was a manager who needs a bench coach, it's Charlie Manuel. This GM really had me fooled yesterday, I thought he was finally going to get serious about winning, but now he turns around and eliminates the bench coach position.— Freedom Fries
- "It's uncommon for teams to have a staff without a bench coach; Detroit was the only team in 2012 that did not retain one." The season just ended yesterday and they just canned their bench coach yesterday. Who says they aren't going to add a bench coach?
— JimG - - good stuff -
let's see if Juan's ego takes a hit, walks away, or slides over to 1st - unless his pay decreases - he should get over it...
can we get Lopes again if Juan declines..?— LivePhilly_DiePhilly - Thank god, no more Greg Gross, not matter what happens that is a step in the right direction.— TrollExterminator
- And just who was the hitting coach before Greg Gross and how good was he? Maybe it's the players and not the coach. Maybe it's the manager who won't sit guys who don't listen. — mike l
- Charlie with NO bench coach to help? Sounds like a sure fire way to give Cholly enough rope to hang himself so Sandberg can be manager in 2014. If any manager needs a top notch right hand man its Cholly. I can undertand Leyland in Detroit....hes a top tier manager who is a great strategical mind and has an eye for the game and managing on the go . Also, dont underestimate the role a bench coach does. Look at Jimy Williams in 2008 when he was Manuels bench coach. He made Manuel look much better. When Jimy retired after that season it hurt more than people realize.— Big D phillies fan
- How cheap and stupid is this organization if they are unwilling to fire Charlie Manuel in 2012 for either financial or PR reasons, but they are willing to let Charlie Manuel get himself fired in 2013 when he tries to manage without a bench coach and the team is dead last in the NL East at the end of May? How much money will the Phillies save by doing this?— Freedom Fries
- Actually a brilliant human resource management move by Rube to let Charlie prove himself for what he thinks he is as a manager and when more games are lost for his in-game moves, he'll have hung himself, especially if Charlie stated he did not want a bench coach. Maybe suggestions from bench coaches confused Charlie. — sonnybuoy01
- Samuel stunk at third base but may be better at first, since he knows how to steal bases. Getting Sandberg to be third base coach is a good move but the managers job has to be offered to him when Manuel goes to the old folks home. He may get an offer this winter so to stay with the Phillies has to be a guarantee.— eaglesman1
- There are now 2 coaching staffs.. the Charlie/Dubee/Samuel/Billmeyer staff and the Sandberg/Nichols/Henderson staff. After the 2013 season, only the Sandberg guys will remain, which is why Sammy hasn't accepted that 1st bag job yet. But the dugout is much more talented from a coaching standpoint for 2013 ( they were about 10 games over .500 at LHV with the bullpen guys that the Phils kept sending down, major league washouts like Scott Elarton, and middling prospects like Tyler Cloyd.) Also, Henderson turned Kevin Frandsen into a guy that could hit .330 up here, that's enough reason to hire him right there. Obviously, every time the Phils have a 3 game losing streak next year, the media will be writing about firing Charlie and replacing him with Ryno, but I think RAJ , Charlie and Ryno all have an understanding about what will happen after the 2013 season.— drbob1
- YES, YES, YES, drbob1, you win the best post award in my humble opinion. Amaro has set up a shadow government on this team but, trust me, Amaro will NOT wait until 2014 if the team goes south with Manuel and Dubee calling the shots. They will be fired by the All-Star break unless they are in first place or very near. Listening to Charlie today reminded me of Larry Brown and his mantra of playing the right way. Good luck with that! Amaro is saying to him: you are all alone, no bench coach, nobody to get in your way between you and the players. If the team continues to underperform, you are gone and the Shadow Government takes control. — chuckw
- The lame duck manager sure does get hot and bothered when an infamous local reporter questioned him about Jimmy Rollins's hittin' approach. Well Howard, if a guy only walks twenty times a season, he ain't gonna suddenly walk 100 times. I think Manuel's stubbornness on hitting, spoke loud and clear today at the press conference. Thank goodness that all signs are pointing to 2013 as Charlie Manuel's final season. A hitting coach will be finally be able to teach on the day that Manuel is shown the door.— FreeCable4Ever
- Manuel needs a bench coach. He still could be let go or maybe the Phillies will force him out or he could start the year as manager and get fired if he gets off to a bad start. It seems like there's more to come.— Phillies2008WSChamps
Maybe not giving Manuel a bench coach is a calculated move to let Manuel flail and fail on his own, with no one on which to blame his clueless moves and ultimate failures, making it that much easier for Amaro to fire him mid-season if things go sideways and replace him with Ryne. Just a thought.....- Glad to have Ryno here. The biggest mistake RAJ made was resigning Jimmy "Superstar" Rollins. He should have been permitted to walk - his skills are diminished - many balls went by him in the infield that he should have gotten. Also, he IS NOT a leadoff hitter, and Charlie stubbornly refuses to make an adjustment. Both Pierre and Victorino were better leadoff hitters. If you checked the Phillies lineup during the summer, Rollins had the lowest batting average of anyone. The Phillies need to ditch Michael Martinez - let Pete Orr be the utility guy. Keep Frandsen as the third baseman - he's earned it. Ditch David Herndon and Bastardo. The best guys to keep around in the bullpen are Horst and Aumont (and Papelbon). Many changes need to be made before spring, and it can't be business as usual.— Larry Eastwood
- Glad to see Sandberg hired as a defense and third base coach. His players coming to the big club will pay dividends for the Phils and with Chase and Ryan getting healthier in 2013 we should see the Phils in contention. Now for a third baseman, middle relief and a right hand outfielder bat.— walt1
- @chuckw: Thanks for the shoutout, "shadow government" is the perfect term for it, I wish I had thought of phrasing it that way. I'm not sure exactly how well the old guard has to perform to keep their job all the way through 2013, I just know that RAJ has it set up to install the shadow government rather easily at the time of his choosing.Charlie could be fine until the end of the year unless they get off to another 37-51 start ( or simply have another June where they roll over and quit, this year they were 9-26 between June 2 and July 13); if that were not the case RAJ could have always fired him yesterday. I'm not sure Ruin Tomorrow Jr( dasher will always have high posting status for coining that) should escape unscathed here either, perhaps Monty told him if the roster is full of Wiggintons and Nixes next year, he'll be leaving with Charlie. The roster may also be the reason Charlie got another chance, maybe Monty gave it to him against the wishes of RAJ.— drbob1
- drbob1: agree on Dasher winning the nickname of the year award, a classic. I have to believe that Amaro has been put on notice by Montgomery, after a huge drop in TV ratings and potential drop in season tickets, that this off-season is crucial. They then probably decided to keep Manuel rather than pay him that last year on his contract while he is sitting at home. But leaving him without a bench coach and having him attend that dog and pony show today makes Amaro's position clear: the organization expects the players on this team to perform to the level of their contracts or beyond and for the team to return to the playoffs and to fill CBP. Otherwise Manuel, Dubee, Samuel (if he stays) and Billmeyer will be gone and the new triumvirate of Sandberg, Henderson, and Nichols will take control with the right to name their own coaches, including a bench coach. If they fail, however, then Amaro will be next! The key question: Amaro swears he gave no assurances to Sandberg in terms of managing and that Sandberg can leave if offered a managerial position. Does anyone believe that is the case?? Amaro has to know that everyone associated with the team from the batboy to the players to the beatwriters believes that Sandberg is the heir apparent, but, if not, why add him to the coaching staff, particularly with Nichols, his compatriot from the Iron Pigs? — chuckw
- @chuckw: I agree that the ownership was probably beside itself over the TV ratings ,a 39% drop is an unmitigated disaster. I suppose the bottom line is this: RAJ will either get viable players in here to play CF, 3rd base, obtain at least 2 pitchers for the bullpen's '8th inning problem', and improve the bench or he will fail to do so. Charlie will be held responsible for the veteran core players, like Howard , Utley, etc. If ownership feels that the roster was improved and Charlie loses anyway, the onus will be on him( and the shadow guys will be here sooner than later), but if Monty feels that RAJ didn't do enough he may get rid of BOTH guys. The only problem I can see with that is the new GM may be forced to work with Sandberg's group with no say in their hiring; few GMs will go for that.— drbob1
- drbob1: A colleague of mine, also a season-ticket holder, is convinced that this season was the curse of Ed. Wade, now back with the organization. Our greatest fear: Montgomery et al will fire Amaro and re-install Wade as the new GM. — chuckw
- @chuckw: You won't believe this, but when I wrote the words "few GMs will go for that", Wade's name immediately came to mind. I'm with you and your colleague, that would be horrible.— drbob1
- @chuckw and drbob1: If I may enter the discussion, my take is that Ryne has basically been guaranteed that he will take over as manager, either in 2014 or as early as by the All Star break in 2013, depending on the performance of the team, especially since it appears that Manuel will be on his own in the dugout without the benefit of a bench (assistant) coach.— ghost of callison
- @ghost: I agree with you, the only question would be what qualifies as a good performance by the team and whether RAJ or Monty would make the decision on a midseason change.— drbob1
- @dr., what would qualify as a good performance is one that puts fannies back in the seats, with quality offense, quality defense, and quality pitching, as witnessed by the 2008 club. These core players are still with the club, bolstered by an enhanced pitching staff. Now, with a manager that can actually strategize, our Phillies can be formidable and will return to prominence.— ghost of callison
- ghost: I liken this situation to the Shadow Government (as I mentioned above) versus the Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner (a book and film back in the day when John Callison was alive and playing),the latter starring Charlie "don't need no stinkin' bench coach" Manuel and his sidekick, El Dubee. My concern about the dueling groups is potential division between the veteran core and the players who have recently come out of the farm system. Amaro calling out the veterans to perform at the level of their contracts is all well and good, but age and injuries have taken their toll, so that scenario is unrealistic. — chuckw
- I hope GG catches on in another role. He's incredibly even keeled, very low key, very patient, but a gifted teacher who knows the game intimately. I got to know him as my HS coach. I could see his style not going over with players who think they know everything, but he's a natural to work in the minors or with developmental guys.— Truthiness
- Whomever posted that comment about Jimy Williams and Davey Lopes is absolutely correct! That was the start of the downfall for this team. It sent the wrong message to the players and coaches. Davey Lopes was an excellent first base coach and deserved a decent raise. It was simply foolish to break the bank for the best talent available and then play cheap for coaches. Charlie needed a good bench coach and got exposed this year (and last) without Jimy Williams. Anyone expecting the Phillies to challenge for a title this year was simply deluded. After clinching the division last year, they set a modern day record for consecutive losses. This team was full of dogs when they should have been sharp getting ready for the playoffs. The team simply acted like they were going to be handed a trophy just for showing up. I cannot forget that awful 8 game losing streak. I had no belief that they were going to "turn it on" and suddenly start winning again, so this dismal year was no great surprise...— Getinline
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