Amaro On MacPhail: 'Tremendous Asset To Our Organization'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Phillies are undergoing some major front-office changes and it's happening fast. Three days after Ryne Sandberg stepped down as manager, part owner John Middleton introduced Andy MacPhail as the new Phillies president on Monday.
The man taking most of the heat for the downfall of the Phils, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., approves of the hire.
"I know his reputation," Amaro told Angelo Cataldi and the 94WIP Morning Show of MacPhail on Tuesday. "I know and have a sense of the type of person that he is. Frankly, I think---I'm not saying this because of my status. I'm saying this because I've always respected the man from afar and the way he's gone about his business. And I think he'll be a tremendous asset to our organization."
Listen: Ruben Amaro Jr. on the 94WIP Morning Show
Amaro dealt with MacPhail while he was serving as the president of baseball operations for the Baltimore Orioles, from 2007-2011.
"We had some discussions about things," Amaro said of his interactions with MacPhail. "They [the Orioles] were in the mode, at the time, they were kind of in the same situation that we were---in a rebuild. And I remember having some discussions with him, particularly during spring training. Clearly, you see some of the talent that they have in Baltimore now, and you would have to say he had quite a bit of hand in that.
"He was very shrewd and it's very, very evident he knows exactly what he wants to do."
Middleton explained MacPhail will serve as a consultant to current president Pat Gillick until he assumes the role at the conclusion of the season. With the July 31st trade deadline approaching, Amaro says Gillick will have final say.
"I think Pat has the ultimate authority at this stage in the game, but certainly Andy will be consulted on some of these decisions," Amaro said. "You know, our organization has always been very inclusive. I've always been that way, I've always worked that way.
"We're a very inclusive group, something that I learned from Pat several years back."
Similarly, when it comes to a new Phillies manager, Amaro says it will be a collective decision.
"Again, that's a collaborative thing," Amaro said. "We'll be talking about it a little bit further this morning and this afternoon and we'll come up with a game plan. As I said before, we---this was sprung on us quite quickly and we just have to think about the future of the organization, as well as trying to play out the season and the way we'd like to have it play out."
