The Philadelphia Phillies are conducting an extensive search for their next general manager. Andy MacPhail officially took over as team president on Wednesday and rumors suggest baseball history might be made with his future GM selection.
Kim Ng is reportedly in line for an interview in Philadelphia, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Heyman weighed in on Ng's candidacy to become the MLB's first female general manager in his latest Inside Baseball column, especially since MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has been outspoken on diversifying front offices (and dugouts) in baseball.
"Philly has been unusually mum about its search, but it was learned that Kim Ng, the former Yankees, Dodgers and White Sox executive who works in the MLB Central office, is in line for an interview there, joining Indians executive Ross Atkins, who is interviewing this week according to sources, and ex-Marlins GM Larry Beinfest, who interviewed a couple weeks back, as the three known candidates. Ng, who has parents of Chinese descent, has an interview upcoming," Heyman wrote.
She is a viable candidate due to her past experience in the MLB. Ng has interviewed with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2005), Los Angeles Angels (2011), Seattle Mariners (2008) and San Diego Padres (twice in 2009) for their vacant GM positions in the past and has served as an assistant GM with the Yankees and Dodgers. Additionally, she has spent the past five years working as the senior vice president for baseball operations for Major League Baseball reporting directly to Joe Torre, the executive VP.
Ng told Ken Gurnick of MLB.com back in 2011 that her career goal remains becoming a GM in the MLB. The only qualification lacking on the 42-year-old's resume is that she has little (if any) experience scouting players (at least from what has been documented), but in this day and age that really isn't a paramount requirement since front offices are littered with scouting personnel at the domestic and international levels.
Phillies' bench coach Larry Bowa is familiar with Ng, having worked with her when they were both with the Yankees and Dodgers. He now has an opportunity to work with her again in Philadelphia, and he hopes that'll happen.
"She's a very, very intelligent baseball person," Bowa told Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "A very good baseball mind, a hard worker and what she doesn't know, she's willing to ask questions to make sure she gets it right. I'm not picking the GM, but I sure hope she gets an opportunity to do something."
"I know she's as knowledgeable as a lot of people who are in GM jobs right now. Being a woman is not going to be a problem for her. She is well respected in the game of baseball because of how smart she is and how well she listens."
As for the man in charge of making such a decision, MacPhail officially took over as team president of the Phillies today, so expect big decisions from the new front office executive in the near future.
"As the Phillies begin this new chapter in the club's history, we are confident that Andy is the right person to lead the organization," John Middleton, the club's plurality owner, said in a statement via the Philadelphia Daily News. "Speaking on behalf of the ownership group, we are pleased with the input that Andy has provided over the past few months. His years of baseball knowledge, combined with his passion for the game, are important as he moves forward with his primary objective of developing a championship-caliber team."