Andy MacPhail officially taking over as Phillies president

Andy MacPhail is officially taking over as president of the Phillies today, the team announced this morning.

MacPhail was hired in June to take over for Pat Gillick when the 2015 season ended. Gillick will stay in the baseball operations department in an advisory role, similar to the position he held before stepping into the president's chair when David Montgomery took an illness leave in August 2014.

Despite the change in titles today, the 62-year-old MacPhail has been active since arriving this summer: he headed the team's press conference last month when the Phillies decided not to renew Ruben Amaro Jr.'s contract. He's also spent this month conducting interviews to fill that general manager's vacancy, a chore he hopes to have finished by the end of the month.

"As the Phillies begin this new chapter in the club's history, we are confident that Andy is the right person to lead the organization," Phillies partner John Middleton said. "Speaking on behalf of the ownership group, we are pleased with the input that Andy has provided over the past few months. His years of baseball knowledge, combined with his passion for the game, are important as he moves forward with his primary objective of developing a championship-caliber team."