Thompson: "I'll be there alumni weekend."
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Thompson: "I'll be there alumni weekend."
David Murphy
If there are any hard feelings between Milt Thompson and the Phillies over his recent firing as the club's hitting coach, the veteran baseball man was not letting on.
"I have nothing but praise for the Phillies and the organization," said Thompson, who was fired late Thursday night with the team mired in a lengthy offensive slump. "I've enjoyed it as a player and as a coach. They've treated me well... I'll be there alumni weekend."
The Phillies, who announced the move in a brief press release Thursday night, have not commented publicly on the move.
Thompson said he thinks the biggest problem with the Phillies offense is that the line-up has spent most of the season trying too hard to make up for the absences of key players like Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco and Chase Utley. Since Utley went down with a thumb injury in late June, the club is hitting just .233. In the 21 games immediately preceding the injury, they hit .263.
"I think they were just trying too hard to make up for the losses in the line-up," said Thompson.
Thompson said he is good friends with Greg Gross, a former Phillies teammate who will take over as hitting coach.
"I just wish the best for them. I hope GG comes in and gets them going," Thompson said. "He's a good friend and a great baseball man, and I wish him the best. If he can find a way to get these guys to relax throughout all of this, that'd be great."
Thompson said he is confident that he will find another job in the sport.
"I'm a baseball man for life," said Thompson, who lives in South Jersey. "I'm going to land on my feet. Take a little time off, relax -- I've been doing it for a long time -- and then put the resume together and go try to find antoher job."
Thompson was named the hitting coach in 2005, Charlie Manuel's first season as manager. The Phillies finished first in the National League in runs three times during his tenure and finished in the top three in the other three. Currently, they are sixth.
There is trying too hard, and there is stupidity. Watching the game tonite and Rockies starter Cook walks 2 batters in the 4th and then gives an intentional pass to Ruiz after a balk to load the bases. So what does Valdez do, he swings at the first pitch. That's so stupid it's criminal. Cook has walked 2 batters, make him throw a few with the bases full. Maybe he walks another or throws a wild pitch. These guys that have SFB (sh^t for brains) approaches at the plate...ought to be benched or sent down. They have no clue or discipline at the plate.— salurb- What a class guy. Thanks, and all the best, Milt.
Class guy, but he didn't do his job and was rightfully fired.- Milt, your he man! Good luck to you I know you,ll get another major league job, its a shame they say this was all Charlie,s doing, I dont believe it for a minute (Amaro) has his prints all over this every team makes mistakes and someone always pays the price— mark e
- Milt is a great guy. Met him in person once. Good luck, Milt. It was not your fault at all.— phink
Milt is total class- Did Thompson teach them to take called third-strikes or is that something the players are perfecting on their own?— Boru
Comment removed.- I guess based on a lot of the comments Charlie should be manager for life, Donavan should still be an Eagle... Sometimes a change is made just to make a change. If Manuel did nothing then the fans would want him fire instead. This is a good move nothing against Milt but just something to break the up the funk.— BBAX
- Milt, will you dance with Iggy at the Alumni Party ?— mick314
- Thankk you Milt for all your great work. Best of luck to you,enjoy the always fun Alumni Wknd. Classy to the end.— Nails
- @ erniebanks14, what a maroon you are. People aren't coming to the games and watching on TV to see Ryan Howard bunt.— G FORCE
