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Reactions To And Effects Of Ruben Amaro’s Dismissal

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The Phillies made a move that many felt to be inevitable yesterday when they announced that Ruben Amaro Jr.’s contract would not be extended, and assistant GM Scott Proefrock would become interim GM immediately as the team began its search for a new full-time general manager. Plenty has already been written about the decision and what it means for the Phillies’ future, and here are some early reactions and aftereffects in the wake of the fifth front-office shakeup we’ve seen in about two months’ time…

  • Amaro’s firing was “only a matter of time,” writes ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, but he did well to position his successor for a quick turnaround with recent trades of Cole Hamels, Jonathan Papelbon, Chase Utley and others. Crasnick lists former Angels GM Jerry Dipoto, former Cubs GM Jim Hendry and current Royals assistant GM J.J. Picollo as potential candidates, also noting that former Red Sox GM Ben Cherington isn’t likely to pursue any GM opening at present, thus removing him from consideration. President-to-be Andy MacPhail told Crasnick that he isn’t limiting himself to targeting a specific “type” of GM (e.g. a young, analytically savvy candidate or a more traditional, scouting-based GM). Said MacPhail to Crasnick: “Let’s look at a wide spectrum of candidates. You might be surprised.”
  • MacPhail said at yesterday’s press conference (via MLB.com’s Paul Hagen) that while he will, of course, have a role in roster decisions and general baseball operations — “…let’s face it, I’m not here for my marketing acumen,” he joked — any GM he hires will have a good deal of power. “I’ve had GMs under me before,” said MacPhail. “If you talk to them, I think they feel like they had a fair amount of autonomy, which I think is important to them to be able to do their job. They can’t be in short pants running back to the president every time they have to make a decision. … They should keep me apprised, but that is a balance I’m going to have to strike.”
  • MacPhail feels that it would be ideal to have a new GM in place by the time the Phillies hold their organizational meetings on Oct. 26, writes Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com, but he admitted that said timeline may be a bit “ambitious.” Hiring an outside-the-box thinker is key to the hire, whether he comes from an analytical background or scouting background, writes Salisbury, though if the selection is of the latter variety, MacPhail will look to add to his analytics department in other ways. Proefrock, who has worked for MacPhail in the past (with the Orioles) will receive some consideration for the full-time position, per Salisbury, but Angels assistant GM Matt Klentak could be the early favorite. Klentak, whose name has been mentioned in connection with the Phillies’ presumed GM vacancy in the past, was the Orioles’ director of baseball ops while MacPhail served as president. Also named by Salisbury are Dipoto, Picollo, Hendry, Yankees AGM Billy Eppler, Giants scouting director John Barr and Angels pro scouting director Hal Morris.
  • Partial owner John Middleton offered his take at yesterday’s presser as well, Salisbury notes, stating that he wants MacPhail to find a young version of himself. “And I say that because, 30 years ago, a very young Andy MacPhail was a general manager, a newly minted general manger at that,” said Middleton. “This guy was sitting in an office in Minneapolis and he was playing with mathematical, statistical, analytical tools. And he was using them to try to figure out how he could make better evaluations and therefore better personnel decisions. Andy was constantly pushing himself to get better.” (Salisbury has a second piece with further, more in-depth quotes from the press conference for those interested.)
  • Interim manager Pete Mackanin has a good chance at returning in 2016, sans the “interim” label, writes MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. “I would encourage everybody not to make any assumptions about what’s happening today to have any domino impact on the manager,” said MacPhail. “…I know the tradition is that the GM picks his manager. I’ll just go full disclosure here, if that happens, and it takes you a while to find a GM and then he gets consumed the first month or two with a manager and coaching staff, look how much of the offseason we’ve lost. That’s a high price to pay.” MacPhail said the best way to measure a manager is by the energy, effort and enthusiasm he gets out of whatever talent is provided to him, and Mackanin has shined in that area thus far.
  • MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro tweets that he expects to see Dan Jennings’ name connected to the Phillies’ GM opening if he does not return to his former post as Marlins general manager following the season.

Ruben Amaro Out As Phillies GM

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The Phillies announced today that they will not extend the contract of general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. According to a team press release, assistant GM Scott Proefrock will take over as interim GM, effective immediately. The team’s search for a new, permanent GM begins today, per the release.

Ruben Amaro, Jr.“It’s never an easy decision to make a change,” said president-to-be Andy MacPhail in the press release. “Ruben has had a direct impact on some of the best years in the team’s history. He helped to create some great memories for Phillies fans with his accomplishments, but in order to return to a top-contending club, we believe this is the right thing to do as we continue the rebuilding process.”

The writing has been on the wall for quite some time that Amaro’s days as GM were numbered. It’s been widely expected that in the wake of the team’s collapse over the past four seasons, MacPhail would seek to hire a new GM to guide the Phillies — possibly one that will bring a stronger commitment to analytics to the organization.

Amaro, 50, has been the Phillies’ general manager since the 2008 offseason, when he succeeded Pat Gillick. The Phillies made a World Series run in Amaro’s first full year as GM, ultimately coming up short to the Yankees, and went on to reach the postseason in the 2010 and 2011 campaigns as well. However, a number of the trades made by Amaro that were aimed at keeping the team in contention served, instead, to only deplete the farm system while failing to pay significant on-field dividends. Some of the more notable names moved in his time as GM include Carlos Carrasco, Travis d’Arnaud, Jarred Cosart, J.A. Happ, Vance Worley, Trevor May, Domingo Santana and Jon Singleton.

While Amaro does deserve some credit for acquiring Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee without surrendering any players that have, to this point, gone on to stardom (some would suggest that Carrasco is well on his way — an argument I’d support), it can also be said that he committed too strongly to an aging core when seeking younger alternatives would have been more prudent. Specifically, the Ryan Howard contract and Carlos Ruiz signings stand out as missteps that are still haunting the team (with Howard’s $125MM extension serving as perhaps the most egregious error of his tenure). Ruiz, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley all could have been allowed to hit free agency (or been traded in the final season of their previous contracts) but were instead re-signed to deals that ultimately carried negative value. The Phillies have also traditionally not been significant spenders on the international front, although that’s begun to change in recent signing periods (including this summer’s $4MM investment in 16-year-old Dominican slugger Jhailyn Ortiz).

In fact, there’s little denying that the Phillies’ farm system as a whole has improved substantially over the past few seasons with Amaro at the helm. J.P. Crawford and Aaron Nola both look to be outstanding top picks, and farmhand Ken Giles has emerged as one of the best young relievers in all of baseball. Maikel Franco looks like a star in the making at third base and should be considered a feather in the cap for Phillies’ international scouts. Trades of several veterans have netted arms such as Ben Lively, Tom Windle, Zach Eflin, Jake Thompson, Jerad Eickhoff, Alec Asher and Nick Pivetta, while position prospects such as Jorge Alfaro, Nick Williams and Darnell Sweeney have entered the picture as well. Odubel Herrera may be the best pick from this past Rule 5 Draft as well.

Although that restocking of the farm system falls under the “too little, too late” category for Amaro, it does help to create an appealing job opening for prospective general managers. The Phillies boast a rising farm system, a well-respected president in MacPhail, an excellent 2016 draft position and significant payroll capacity. Beyond that, there are no commitments on the books beyond the 2017 season, save for a $2MM buyout on Matt Harrison’s club option. As such, the Phillies GM vacancy figures to be a highly appealing position despite the club’s lack of recent success.

With the Phillies now in the hunt for a GM, that creates five such openings around the league. The Angels, Mariners, Red Sox and Brewers are all on the hunt for new general managers as well, meaning there will be a significant amount of baseball operations changes in the coming months. Not only will each team employ a new GM, but those five newly minted executives will undoubtedly have some changes in store for the baseball operations departments and the field staffs which they’ll inherit upon taking their new roles.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Eovaldi, Gee, Black, Phils, Parra

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The Yankees will shut down righty Nate Eovaldi for at least two weeks with elbow inflammation, as WFAN’s Sweeny Murti reports on Twitter. While New York will obviously hope that amount of rest will be sufficient, ESPNNewYork.com’s Andrew Marchand tweets that it’s possible Eovaldi won’t return this year. That would be a significant blow to the Yankees, as the righty has generated solid reviews from ERA estimators and increasingly achieved the results to match. Added in the winter trade that sent Martin Prado to the Marlins, Eovaldi can be controlled for two more seasons via arbitration.

Here are a few more notes from the eastern divisions:

  • With the Triple-A season now concluded, the Mets have apparently elected not to bring back righties Dillon Gee and Vic Black, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com notes (Twitter links). The 29-year-old Gee had long seemed like an obvious September call-up after previously being outrighted, but it seems the relationship has soured somewhat. Because he accepted an outright assignment, Rubin notes, Gee can elect free agency at the end of the year. If he doesn’t, of course, he’s almost certain at this point to be released or non-tendered by the club. As for Black, if he was not worth a 40-man spot now, it’s hard to imagine that the Mets will give him one later this fall to keep him from becoming a minor league free agent.
  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. explains that he is not yet focused on next summer’s draft, but nevertheless has some ideas about the team’s intentions, as MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki reports. Philadelphia is not worried about whether or not it lands the top overall pick, says Amaro, and won’t adjust its big league decisions based on any such considerations. As for the draft itself, Amaro offered some general thoughts. “There is some pretty good pitching up top,” he said. “I think we’re going to be pitching intensive. Obviously, we always try to take the best player, but I think our mindset is probably pitching.”
  • Orioles outfielder Gerardo Parra may be able to land a free agent deal in the mold of that of Nick Markakis, opines Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com, but his current team should not value him that highly. As I noted in a recent look at Parra’s free agent case, a four-year deal certainly seems plausible for the still-youthful veteran, though it’s certainly possible too that he could settle for three or take a slightly lower AAV than did Markakis. I tend to agree that Baltimore will not and should not be the team to give out that kind of contract, though that assessment depends upon the team’s still-unclear strategic direction.

Three Needs: Philadelphia Phillies

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The Phillies aren’t on anybody’s list to contend next season. They’re currently the worst team in baseball with a 53-83 record. They’ve already “clinched” their third straight losing season, and they would have to win 20 of the final 26 games to get back to where they finished in 2013 and 2014 (73-89). Fans probably don’t even want to see that level of success down the stretch. As it stands, the Phillies are poised to make the first overall selection in the 2016 Rule 4 draft.

Despite all the dismal notes, there are reasons to feel optimistic about the future of the club – perhaps as soon as 2016. The financial problems of the past have been relaxed. Only three players are under contract beyond this season – Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz, and Matt Harrison. The trio is owed $46.5MM. Cliff Lee is due a $12.5MM buyout. Domonic Brown is the only arbitration eligible player on the roster. He avoided arbitration for $2.6MM this season and appears to be a non-tender candidate. Even if he’s retained, I doubt he’ll earn more than $3.5MM.

The Phillies will eventually open their war chest. The question is – when? Here are three issues the club should address this winter…

1. Commit to a front office and managerial staff. The first order of business is to complete the transfer of power from current president Pat Gillick to presumed future president Andy MacPhail. The longtime baseball executive is serving in an advisory role, although it is clear the club plans for him to succeed Gillick.

Entering the season, it was very widely assumed that GM Ruben Amaro’s contract would be allowed to lapse at the end of the season. After all, he oversaw the plunge from five straight division titles to this ignominious season. Irresponsible contracts are often blamed for the downfall, but the root of the issue is even simpler – the championship core got old, and reinforcements never arrived.

Per FanGraphs WAR, Howard hasn’t been an above average player since 2009. Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee both broke down before the end of their contracts. Others like Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Carlos Ruiz, and Shane Victorino suffered predictable age-related decline. Brown, once Baseball America’s number one prospect, never lived up to the hype. He was the only high ceiling prospect to crack the roster between their last contending season and 2014 when Maikel Franco briefly debuted.

It’s easy to blame irresponsible spending and poor roster construction on the GM. And perhaps that’s where we should stop when evaluating Amaro. It’s also hard to know just how much autonomy Amaro possessed. Unsubstantiated rumors suggest that part-owner John Middleton had a hand in several major moves including the acquisition of Halladay, the subsequent trade of Lee, and the extension of Howard. Without insider knowledge, it’s impossible to know what went on behind the scenes.

Amaro has clawed back some personal respectability this season by transforming the farm system via trade. After overseeing a series of bleak drafts, a few top prospects including Aaron Nola, Franco, and J.P. Crawford have emerged. Amaro also patiently turned Cole Hamels, Utley, Rollins, Jonathan Papelbon, Ben Revere, and others into about half of the team’s top 20 prospects. Is overseeing a successful fire sale enough to give Amaro a second chance?

While MacPhail decides on a GM – be it Amaro or a new candidate – he’ll also need to consider managerial choices. The Phillies do have an internal option, interim manager Pete Mackanin. This is the third time he has served as an interim manager, and he has never held the role on a permanent basis. Per Tracy Ringolsby of MLB.com, “scouts have been impressed with the energy the Phillies have shown on the field,” since Mackanin took over. The team is 27-35 under his stewardship and 24-21 over the last 45 games.

2. Find Pitching. Once the roles of club president, GM, and manager are officially staffed, it will be time to work on the roster. The conservative approach would be to organically develop cost controlled talent before making a splash on a few pricey free agents. This is roughly the approach followed by the Nationals. However, other clubs have taken a more aggressive tact. Even the Nationals inked Jayson Werth before they were truly ready to contend.

One thing is clear, the Phillies need pitching. The lineup may lack star power, but there is depth and interesting talent. The same can’t really be said of the pitching staff. Nola appears to be a viable mid-rotation workhorse. Jerad Eickhoff, acquired in the Hamels trade, has pitched well in three starts. Adam Morgan has survived 13 starts with a 4.42 ERA and an ugly 5.33 FIP. Beyond that trio, the internal candidates are all unproven prospects without big pedigrees. Jake Thompson, also part of the Hamels trade, is the only one with a top-of-the-rotation ceiling. Some scouts compare him to Jonathan Papelbon.

External additions are necessary. While the club has as many as seven future big league starters who could help next season, a couple proven innings eaters would greatly help team cohesion while lessening the strain on a shallow bullpen. Philadelphia has the money to dip into the top of the free agent market for a David Price, Zack Grienke, or Johnny Cueto. However, they would have to feel confident about a quick rebuild to make such a substantial investment on a pitcher. Their experiences with Halladay and Lee might cause them to hesitate.

The obvious approach is to find more stopgaps like Aaron Harang and Jerome Williams. Options like Jeff Samardzija, Jordan Zimmermann, Scott Kazmir, and Mike Leake might serve as a compromise between aggression and conservatism. And, of course, the Phillies are well-situated to add buy-low veterans on short-term deals, possibly flipping those that work out at the trade deadline. In my opinion, the team would ideally add three veteran starters. They should also be active on the trade market.

3. Resolve the Howard situation. The Phillies have done everything they can to find a taker for Howard. He’s still a decent hitter against right-handed pitching, slashing .262/.314/.499 this season (119 wRC+). In trade rumors, he’s been tied to the Orioles on multiple occasions. Camden Yards is extremely friendly to left-handed power. If Baltimore fails to re-sign Chris Davis, Howard could offer an inexpensive alternative.

Regardless of what happens, the Phillies will be on the hook for most or all of the remaining $35MM guaranteed to Howard. They’re unlikely to acquire a meaningful prospect in return for him. So why bother with a trade? It’s a matter of opportunity cost.

So long as Howard remains with the club, they aren’t evaluating new options on the major league roster. They could try to acquire a position-less, Quad-A power bat or even trade for a blocked prospect like Dan Vogelbach. Top Korean power hitter Byung-ho Park may be posted this offseason. Howard’s presence on the roster doesn’t stop the club from pursuing these alternatives, but it does reduce the urgency to make a move. And it may block the discovery of a pleasant surprise like Chris Colabello, Danny Valencia, or Justin Bour.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Amaro, Eppler, Keuchel

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Here’s the latest from Ken Rosenthal, via a video on FOX Sports:

  • The Phillies haven’t yet decided what to do with GM Ruben Amaro. On the surface, that seems strange, since other teams could soon hire top GM candidates to fill their open positions. The likely reason the Phillies haven’t made a move, Rosenthal suggests, is that incoming club president Andy MacPhail prefers not to rush decisions.
  • Yankees assistant GM Billy Eppler is reportedly a top candidate for the open Angels GM job, and he wants the position, even though accepting it would mean working around owner Arte Moreno and influence-wielding manager Mike Scioscia. Eppler is from Southern California and would like to return to the area, Rosenthal says.
  • Dallas Keuchel has put himself in a good negotiating position in potential extension talks with the Astros and he ought not to be desperate to accept one, Rosenthal opines. Keuchel will be eligible for arbitration for the first time this offseason and is already set for a significant payout in 2016, one that would only increase if he wins the Cy Young award. On top of that, it’s extremely unlikely that the Astros would non-tender him the following offseason, so he has already nearly guaranteed himself two years of good salaries.

Minor MLB Transactions: 9/4/15

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Here are Friday’s minor moves from around the league…

  • Two Angels ballplayers — righty Drew Rucinski and outfielder Alfredo Marte — have cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times tweets. The pair was designated on September 1st as Los Angeles cleared out 40-man space for its September call-ups.
  • Righty Dylan Axelrod was outrighted by the Reds, C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports on Twitter. The 30-year-old, a former starter with the White Sox, has worked 30 2/3 innings of 4.70 ERA pitching out of the Cincinnati pen over the last two seasons.
  • The Phillies announced that they’ve selected the contract of outfielder Brian Bogusevic and transferred left-hander Elvis Araujo to the 60-day disabled list in order to clear a spot for him on the 40-man roster. Bogusevic, 31, has had a nice season at the Triple-A level with Philadelphia, hitting .296/.359/.424 with 12 homers and 24 steals. He has a fair amount of MLB experience under his belt — most recently with the Cubs in 2013, when he slashed .273/.323/.462 in 155 plate appearances. Araujo strained his groin and landed on the 15-day DL late last month, so by transferring him to the 60-day DL, the Phils have effectively ended his season.

NL West Notes: Lincecum, Myers, Castillo, D-Backs

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The Giants aren’t ruling out the possibility of a reunion with Tim Lincecum following the 2015 season, CEO Larry Baer and manager Bruce Bochy told John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. “I don’t think Timmy is ruling it out, and I don’t think we’re ruling it out,” said Baer. Bochy added: “My door will always be open for Tim Lincecum. That’s how much I think of him. That’s a decision that’s made on the baseball side, obviously with everybody. I appreciate what he’s done and the time I’ve had to this point with him. It doesn’t mean that won’t continue.” Baer called Lincecum’s contributions to the Giants franchise “endless.” The 31-year-old underwent season-ending hip surgery yesterday that will require about five months of recovery time. A free agent at season’s end, it’s possible that Lincecum’s days with the Giants are done.

Elsewhere in the division…

  • Padres outfielder Wil Myers spoke with ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick about the frustration of the past two season’s wrist injuries and the accumulation of the “injury-prone” reputation that’s now become attached to his name. “It’s the worst,” said Myers of the label. “I see it on Twitter and I hear it all the time. Everybody is like, ’He’s too injury-prone,’ but it’s not like I have a hamstring injury where every time I run, I’m cautious about it. I had a bone spur taken out, and once this heals I won’t have to deal with this injury anymore.” Myers is confident in his ability to rebound once the wrist injury is fully healed, but as Crasnick notes, there’s a question as to where he will play. Myers was probably miscast as a center fielder this season, so he could slide over to left field if Justin Upton departs via free agency. Another possibility is first base, if the Padres are looking for an upgrade over Yonder Alonso’s low power numbers. One NL scout told Crasnick he feels Myers could be a Gold Glove caliber first baseman, based purely on his athleticism.
  • Welington Castillo has positioned himself as the Diamondbacks’ catcher of the future, but as Zach Buchanan of the Arizona Repbulic writes, Castillo nearly gave up baseball at the age of 16 when faced with the realization that his future was behind the plate. Castillo grew up playing shortstop but lacked the speed or quickness to play there at a high level as he grew. When a Phillies scout asked for a private workout based on Castillo’s bat and then asked him to make some throws from behind the plate, Castillo was impressive but also uninterested. He walked away from the game for three months before being coerced into returning, only to receive an offer of just $10K after another Phillies scout deemed him “too short to catch.” Castillo eventually signed with the Cubs for a meager $22K bonus — a number that, in hindsight, looks like a considerable bargain for Chicago.
  • Buchanan’s colleague, Nick Piecoro, examines the budding logjam in the D-Backs infield. Chris Owings, Nick Ahmed and Jake Lamb have all shown flashes of potential but lack consistency, Piecoro writes, and now the progress of second baseman/third baseman Brandon Drury has muddied the picture. Manager Chip Hale told Piecoro that teams frequently ask about Lamb in trades, and they’ve also received inquiries on Drury and Owings. The presence of multiple seemingly big-league-ready infielders will give Arizona GM Dave Stewart some options as he navigates the trade market this offseason.

Quick Hits: Hart, Phillies, Davis

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CJ Nitkowski of FOX Sports takes a look at the upcoming generation of MLB managerial candidates. He provides some interesting notes on five names to watch: D’Backs scout and special assistant Todd Greene, White Sox third base coach Joe McEwing, Dodgers director of player development Gabe Kapler, and Alex Cora and Raul Ibanez, each of whom currently work in the media.

Here are some more scattered notes from around the league:

  • The Pirates announced today that first baseman Corey Hart is finished playing this year. Hart, who signed a one-year, $2.5MM deal with Pittsburgh over the offseason, had been attempting to make a late-season return, but his health and productivity have been lacking all year. He’ll return to the free agent market after the season, but he hasn’t been a significant contributor since 2012 and his future looks murky.
  • While the Phillies possess an ugly win-loss record, as had been expected, the organization has shown real progress this year, CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury writes. Rival scouts have looked favorably upon the young players acquired in Philadelphia’s numerous recent trades, says Salisbury, and the team’s best higher-level talent has transitioned well thus far to the majors. There’s more to be done, of course, but it isn’t hard to see a promising path forward — especially given that the big-budget Phils now have less than $100MM in total future commitments on their books.
  • Slugger Chris Davis means more to the Orioles than his home run tallies, writes Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun. Of course, bringing him back in free agency will require a sizable commitment, particularly now that Davis — who has yet to turn 30 — is closing in on 40 home runs with a 138 wRC+. It doesn’t hurt that Davis has shown the ability to play a serviceable corner outfield (UZR views him as a slight positive, DRS as a slight negative) in addition to a solid first base. He’ll hold appeal to a variety of teams this winter.

NL East Notes: Brown, Nats, Black, Murphy

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Domonic Brown’s career with the Phillies may be over, writes Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. Brown tumbled over the right field wall while trying to make a catch in last night’s game and exited the contest to be tested for concussion symptoms. He’s not traveling with the team to Boston and will instead meet with a specialist today. Brown has had concussions in the past, and if he’s determined to have one now, it could spell the end of his season and his Phillies tenure alike, as the 28-year-old former top prospect is due a raise on his $2.5MM salary this winter via the arbitration process. Brown is batting .228/.284/.349 in 63 games this season and hasn’t produced since a May surge back in 2013 that led him to an All-Star berth.

Here’s more from the NL East…

  • The Nationals added another pair of arms to a beleaguered bullpen by calling up Matt Grace and Rafael Martin, and James Wagner of the Washington Post writes that additional arms, including A.J. Cole, could be on the way. The Nats could’ve used the extra bullpen help earlier this week, but GM Mike Rizzo explained to Wagner that the team felt OK about its bullpen depth, not expecting Joe Ross to last just 2 2/3 innings in the shortest start of his career.
  • Right-hander Vic Black will be a minor league free agent this offseason after being outrighted by the Mets, but the hard-throwing reliever told NJ.com’s Mike Vorkunov that he hopes to return to the Mets. Black, 27, has been slowed by injuries this season but entered the year expected to be a big contributor in the bullpen. He’s planning to pitch in winter ball to make up for some of the lost innings from 2015. Black admits that his emotions have ranged “from angry to confused to frustrated to bewildered” but says he can’t imagine playing elsewhere: “I love the guys, I love the city and I certainly don’t want to go anywhere else. … Loyalty is a big part of who I am.”
  • Daniel Murphy exited the Mets’ Wednesday contest due to quadriceps discomfort and won’t travel with the team to Miami for its weekend series, writes MLB.com’s Jamal Collier. He’ll be examined by a specialist on today’s off-day, though the team, for now, is calling the move precautionary.

Phillies Notes: Amaro, Mackanin, Franco

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Ruben Amaro Jr.’s job security has long been a narrative throughout baseball, but retiring Phillies president Pat Gillick tells MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki that the team isn’t yet making a decision on the GM’s future. “We just got by the Trade Deadline,” Gillick told Zolecki. “Consequently, we’re moving a lot of people in the Minor Leagues from [Jerad] Eickhoff to [Alec] Asher and others. We’ve had our hands full. It’s a decision that will be made in the next 30 days or so.” As Zolecki notes, the Phillies have gone from one of the game’s worst farm systems to one of the stronger minor league systems over the course of the past year, and Amaro has done well to get value for aging veterans. Gillick said he believes that Phillies fans are knowledgeable and recognize that Amaro has done some good work recently, though he stopped short of making any definitive statement about Amaro’s future. President-to-be Andy MacPhail wouldn’t comment when asked by Zolecki — MacPhail is currently not granting interviews to anyone, he notes — and Amaro simply said that he’s hopeful of remaining with the organization and excited for the future.

Here’s more from the National League…

  • Interim manager Pete Mackanin’s future is also up in the air, but CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury hears that the work he’s done so far has taken him from a strictly interim skipper to a legitimate candidate for the permanent position. Mackanin received an overwhelming vote of confidence from division-rival skipper Terry Collins (of the Mets). “The energy level they have right now is completely different than it was a month ago, two months ago when we played them,” Collins told Salisbury. “…[Mackanin] has a tremendous sense of humor. He’s a people person. I’ve known him for years, and the first time I met him, we just meshed. He’s an upbeat guy. He’s funny. He’s got the players’ attention. I hope he gets the chance. I hope when they sit down at the end of the year, they realize what they’ve got. He’s done it with young players.”
  • The Phillies had begun to express optimism that Maikel Franco could return to the Majors this season, but as Jake Kaplan of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes, Franco’s chances took a hit this afternoon. Franco felt discomfort in his left wrist (which he fractured last month) while taking soft-toss swings at Citi Field today, Kaplan explains. If he doesn’t show improvement over the next week, the team may just shut him down for the remainder of the year. Mackanin told reporters that the odds of Franco returning this season are “50-50,” though Franco notes that those odds are perhaps too generous. Franco was firmly in the NL Rookie of the Year mix when he was hit by a pitch and landed on the DL; he was hitting .277/.340/.490 with 13 homers in 326 plate appearances at the time of the injury.
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