Phillies' former batting practice pitcher sues team, Amaro

THE PHILLIES' former batting-practice pitcher is suing the team and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. because Amaro told lies about him that kept him from landing two jobs, he claims in the lawsuit.

Ali Modami contends that Amaro ruined his job prospects with the Washington Nationals and L.A. Dodgers by telling the teams that he stole and sold Phillies memorabilia, according to the suit.

Modami, who is seeking a judgment in excess of $100,000, worked for the Phillies from May 2007 until Oct. 11, 2011, when Amaro fired him because the team wanted to go in a "different direction" and was attempting to "change up the hitting program," according to the suit, filed by attorney Sidney L. Gold.

The suit states that Modami initially got positive responses from the Nationals and Dodgers when he contacted them for a job in late 2011.

But both teams eventually rejected Modami, the suit claims, because Amaro told both teams' general managers that he was no longer with the Phillies because he was stealing and selling memorabilia, the suit alleges.

"Moreover, Amaro claimed that plaintiff Modami was writing negative things about the team on the Internet," according to the suit.

The suit claims that Modami, who now lives in Scottsdale, Ariz., never engaged in such conduct.

Former Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth, now with the Nationals, first told Modami what Amaro allegedly said, the suit states.

Davey Lopes, the Phillies' former first-base coach and now the Dodgers' first-base coach, first told Modami that Amaro's statements about him led Dodgers GM Ned Colletti not to hire him, according to the suit.

The Phillies had no comment.

"Neither the Phillies nor Mr. Amaro has yet been served with the complaint so we have not yet reviewed it and we are not in a position to comment," said team spokeswoman Bonnie Clark. "In addition, it is the club's practice to not comment on pending litigation."