UPDATE: MacPhail will assist team president Pat Gillick for the remainder of 2015 and take over as Phillies' team president after the season.
The rebuild began in the offseason for the Philadelphia Phillies. General manager Ruben Amaro traded away longtime Phillie Jimmy Rollins to the Los Angeles Dodgers. While other veterans remain on the trade block, manager Ryne Sandberg resigned after starting the season 26-48.
Now a new team president is on the way.
The Phillies will introduce Andy MacPhail as their team president at 2:30 p.m. ET on Monday, according to Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly, and current team president Pat Gillick will move into a consultant role in the front office. MacPhail has been rumored to be in line for this job for quite some time now.
"Respected long-time baseball executive Andy MacPhail now seems in line for a top job with the Phillies, possibly as team president, baseball sources say, with Hall of Fame baseball executive Pat Gillick seen as likely to go back to his old role as consultant," Jon Heyman of CBS Sports wrote earlier this month. "Meanwhile, the positions of Amaro and even Sandberg, also a Hall of Famer, seem less than certain at this point, at least into 2016."
FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal also reported on the matter and previously said the Phillies' pursuit of MacPhail is "quite real."
ESPN's Jerry Crasnick confirmed Monday's news conference as well.
The 62-year-old was previously the general manager of the Minnesota Twins (1985-1994) and oversaw two World Series championships ('87 and '91) during his tenure. He then became the CEO and president of the Chicago Cubs (1994-2006) and president of baseball operations of the Baltimore Orioles (2007-2011).
MacPhail will have a lot on his plate inheriting the Phillies in their current state. Amaro's contract expires at the end of the season and MacPhail will need to make a decision on whether or not the GM will be staying. Additionally, MacPhail will be in charge for about a month before the trade deadline, and considering he made a number of successful personnel moves with the Orioles, it's likely he'll have a lot of say in the Phillies' moves.
And let's not forget he needs to make a decision on a new manager. Third base coach Pete Mackanin is currently the club's interim manager and it's likely someone will succeed him at some point this season or in the offseason.
