Phillies hire Ryne Sandberg as part of coaching staff shake up

When his ninth season as Phillies manager begins in February, Charlie Manuel will be 69 years old and without assurances. He is not under contract beyond 2013. He will not pursue such a guarantee. And it is entirely possible he will share a dugout with the man to ultimately replace him.

"That doesn't put any pressure on me," a defiant Manuel said Thursday.

In the aftermath of a lost season, Manuel and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. spoke for 43 minutes in the basement of Citizens Bank Park. There was no painting of postseason logos on the grass. The bunting remained in storage until April. The Phillies will watch from afar this October as they formulate a winter strategy.

Change arrived in earnest with a total shuffle of Manuel's coaching staff. Only pitching coach Rich Dubee will remain in his 2012 role. The most notable addition is Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, who will serve as Manuel's third-base coach and his primary defensive tactician.

The Phillies have a strong affinity for Sandberg, who managed at triple-A Lehigh Valley for two seasons, and he could succeed Manuel.

"Obviously, that's the sexy thing to think about," Amaro said. "But the fact of the matter is he's not the heir apparent. We've made no promises to Ryne Sandberg."

Perception will differ from that statement.

"I'm not worried about it," Amaro said, "because I don't think Charlie's worried about it."

"No, I'm not worried about it," Manuel quickly added.

The Phillies will allow Sandberg, 53, to seek any managerial openings this winter. He interviewed with St. Louis last offseason.

Manuel would not proclaim 2013 his final season as manager but also said he will not seek any extension. When he signed a three-year deal in March 2011, he opened the door to it being his final contract.

"I know how old I am," Manuel said. "I have a favorite saying, 'Know thyself.' I know myself. I still have a lot of passion. I have a drive. I still love baseball, things like that. I think my contract is fine. I think at the end of the year, I'll be glad to sit down and not only take inventory of myself, but talk to the people and see where I'm at and see what I want to do.

"I'm not saying I'm going to retire or I'm going to quit or nothing like that. I've been in the game a long time and I love it. I'm looking forward to this year because I think it's a great challenge, a great challenge for me and a great challenge for our team."

He will attack that challenge with a revamped staff. The Phillies parted ways Wednesday with Sam Perlozzo, Greg Gross and Pete Mackanin. Added to the staff were Sandberg, Steve Henderson (hitting coach) and Rod Nichols (bullpen coach).

Former third-base coach Juan Samuel was offered a new role as first-base coach and has yet to accept. Mick Billmeyer, formerly the bullpen coach, will be catching coach in 2013 and reside in the dugout.

The Phillies will also adopt the newest trend in baseball by hiring an assistant hitting coach. Three teams - St. Louis, Atlanta and San Diego - employed assistants in 2012. Amaro said he studied the model and liked it.

"The system will be better with an assistant in so much that different guys take information in different ways," Amaro said. "I think it's important for our players to see different points of view and get information in different ways."

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.

Manuel will not have a bench coach, an uncommon decision. Detroit was the lone team that did not employ one in 2012. Dubee has long served as his right-hand man. Billmeyer, the longest-tenured coach, will move to the dugout and Amaro said "his energy and his support will be strong there."

Manuel said if he is ejected, Sandberg will manage.

Nichols, 47, was pitching coach at triple A for eight years. He mentored many of the pitchers who have come through the Phillies system. With another young bullpen expected, Nichols could be instrumental in overseeing its development.

"Anytime you have to make coaching changes, I don't like them," Manuel said. "I'm sure Ruben doesn't like them. . . . Sometimes changes are good, whether it's a player, a coach or the manager."

For Sandberg, it's a long-awaited promotion. He spent the last six seasons as a minor-league manager. He has earned the praise of baseball executives, who label him a future major-league manager.

"I absolutely like everything about him," Manuel said. "I get along real well with him. I question him all the time because I want to see what kind of knowledge he's got and how close he is with me and things like that.

"I think it's going to be real good. I'm really looking forward to working with him."