Thompson fired
The latest Phillies and baseball news from Philly.com.
Thompson fired
Matt Gelb
ST. LOUIS — The Phillies have found a scapegoat for their offensive problems.
Hitting coach Milt Thompson was fired by manager Charlie Manuel late Thursday night once the Phillies’ charter flight from St. Louis landed in Philadelphia.
His replacement is triple-A hitting coach Greg Gross. Gross was the Phillies’ hitting coach from 2002-04 under then-manager Larry Bowa.
Under Thompson, the Phillies led the National League in runs scored two of the last three seasons. But that wasn’t enough for the hitting coach to keep his job during a disappointing 2010 season.
Phillies officials were not available for comment late Thursday night.
Before Thursday’s 2-0, 11-inning win, the Phillies ranked sixth in the league in runs scored. And since May 17, when the Phillies held a five-game lead in the National League East, they have averaged 3.88 runs per game. Only Seattle, Baltimore and Pittsburgh (all last-place teams) have averaged fewer runs.
The Phillies have scored two or fewer runs in 32 of 95 games this season.
In 2009, the Phillies led the NL in home runs, RBIs, runs, extra-base hits and total bases. In the last five seasons under Thompson, the Phillies have ranked either first or second in runs scored among National League teams. The Phillies have averaged 837 runs with Thompson as coach in the last five seasons.
In early June, when the Phillies were in the middle of their first extended swoon of the season, Manuel offered a passionate defense of Thompson at the end of a road trip in Atlanta.
"It's definitely not Milt Thompson's fault," Manuel said then. "He doesn't do the hitting."
Another class act by the Phillies.— joeyjoejoe- Class move Ruben, you booben.— Leron
- RUBEN MUST GO.... he is clueless— Brauny
- Lehigh Valley has the next to worst OPS percent in the International League (on base plus slugging percents). Ahead of the last place team in team OPS by one point. What happens next if Gross is not the answer? We were always told Charlie is the hitting guru, right!— Dull
- Don't think any of us can really assess this. The phils are'nt hitting, and whether Milt could do a better job, or whether there are unhappy players, or whatever...what have the Phils got to lose by trying to change things up a little bit? Give them a break! Comments are like we all are super baseball experts with all the inside info. Milt may be a great human being, but the club isn't hitting...got to do something!— bartfr
- Well, the Phillies have always postured that Charlie was the hitting guru. I guess this amends the adage, "You can't fire the players, so you fire the (hitting) coach."— ijj
- I love the move. The true test of a specialty area coach is how he can get his players to perform when things are not going well. The past two years he didn't need to coach. This year he did, and he failed. I love the move and the hiring of Gross. The guy was a consistent hitter his whole career. Thompson was average and streaky as a hitter. Gross is my kind of guy. Things are looking up!— fb-omniscient
- This is not THE answer....but desperate time beget desperate measures. Now Chollie has to shake things up on the field and create some team comraderie.... maybe a bean-ball fracas with those Rockies...ya know, the guys whose manager accused the Phillies of sign-stealing. I'm not advocating violence, but the Phitins need their PHIGHT back.— Marcus Hooke
Comment removed.- Tough part about being a coach - it's easier to blame/replace you than a $10 million player. If this turns it around and the team plays to its ability and wins a championship, the Phils should do the classy thing and give the man a ring.— hunsinator
- Finally! I've been saying this change needed to be made 3 months ago. I know Milt can't bat for them, but they haven't hit for 3 months. At some point, you have to make a change. Need a fresh perspective and new ideas/takes from some fresh eyes.— FireTMac&Wheeler!
- HOW DID HE GO BEFORE DUBEE DOOBEE DO?— Philly Fan in Kuwait
- I hate to see Milt Thompson go. He is a good hittong coach. Unfortunately he had to fire someone. I think Manuel is scared, he's next!!— GA_Mike
- right on Marcus Hooke!— Nails
- Victorino needs to go in exchange for a guy who gets on base a lot and hustles all the time...I'm telling you that would make a huge difference, and it is possible to make something like that happen. Vic is way overrated and nobody around here mentions it. We need better balance and some synergy that makes the total better than the sum of its parts (like the Braves). Even the last three years, we did it in spite of obvious flaws, largely due to collapses by the Mets. Saying that this team has been the epitome of success is not really accurate...we've overcome adversity. The ideal group has not yet been assembled. Utley, Howard, Chooch, Halladay, Polanco, Rollins, Brown and Hamels are the nucleus for the next couple of years...everyone else is expendable in an effort to find the perfect chemistry.— BySaam
