Sandberg promoted to Phillies staff
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Sandberg promoted to Phillies staff
Ryan Lawrence
Less than 48 hours ago, Charlie Manuel didn't sound like a man with a plan to overhaul his coaching staff.
"I’m comfortable with the coaches," Manuel said before Tuesday's game in Washington. "I’m definitely not sending them a message that they didn’t do their job. I’m just saying that, what I see, we’ve got to improve."
But less than 24 hours after the Philies season ended, the staff has been given a facelift, including adding a Hall of Famer to the bench.
Ryne Sandberg was named the Phillies third base coach and infield instructor on Thursday morning, a day after the season ended with the team dismissing three coaches: first base coach Sam Perlozzo, bench coach Pete Mackanin and hitting coach Greg Gross.
Sandberg has spent the last two seasons managing at Triple A Lehigh Valley. But after being interiewed for the St. Louis Cardinals manager's job last winter, the Phils obviously felt it was imperative to add Sandberg to the major league staff this year to keep him in the organization.
Other coaching moves announced Thursday:
- Juan Samuel, who has acted as the third base coach in the last two seasons, has been offered the first base coaching job, which has been vacated by Perlozzo.
- Steve Henderson and Rod Nichols have been promoted from within the organization to hitting coach and bullpen coach. Mick Billmeyer, who had been the bullpen coach, has been promoted to catching coach.
-The Phillies will not have a bench coach in 2013. But with pitching coach Rich Dubee back for his ninth season as pitching coach, and 12th in the Philies organization, he is Manuel's de facto right-hand man.
But the biggest news is Sandberg joining the staff. The 53-year-old had spent the last six seasons in the minor leagues, being groomed as a major league managing candidate.
He has been widely rumored to be the heir to Manuel, who is entering the final season of a three-year contract extension he signed in March of 2010.
Nice!— BobbyD- Who is going to replace Mackanin as bench coach?— phillyl0
- This comment has been deleted. — Dew Schbag
- What a great comment, D.S. Of course, what I see is that Ryne Sandberg will be, de Facto, the second in command, but without the "bench coach" designation. — BEMiller
- Reading is fundamental the sequel: RICH DUBEE is the de facto second in command. — jimbo jones
- Hey Dew, Love your tag. Best of the net — jfly1222
- Understanding how internet news sites work is also fundamental. There was no mention of the bench coach status in the original post. It was added after my comment. Dew Schbag ... that, you are. — phillyl0
- fire Char— Serge_Matthews
- fire Char— Serge_Matthews
- So this makes Charlie feel better, that Sanberg won't be his bench coach? I like CHarlie, but I think if you are going to change the tenure of the team, you need Sandberg as manager. Charlie let too many guys get away with lackadaisical play this year. Not enough oomph. Look at the last tow games. OK, they were meaningless to the Phils, but they could have messed up DC's home field advantage. Could have kept the above.500 streak alive. Could have gotten Lee some support.Too many times during the season they showed no want to and that has to be changed by the head man. If they get off to a bad start next season, how soon before Amaro pulls the plug.— mike l
- Like the changes except Manuel should have been bumped upstairs and the job given to Sandberg, he then could fill out his own staff. Also I think Dubee should be the bullpen coach and Nichols the pitching coach, every time Dubee screwed up a pitcher Nichols had to fix him when he was optioned down to LV.— bigtbone
- Frankly, I cannot understand all the grief people want to give to Rich Dubee, and that is 'nuf sed, since it's pointless to attempt reason with people who've made up their minds! — BEMiller
- Please don't extend Cholly. It was a nice ride, but it's run its course. Time to move on. Sandberg promoted to manager when the team is drifting in June.— HorshamGuy
- The Messiah has arriven !!!— Konstanty
- WOT??????? — BEMiller
