The Philadelphia Phillies hired Andy MacPhail to take over as team president after the 2015 MLB season. He's serving as a consultant in the organization right now, but a lot of rumors are focusing on what he plans to do with general manager Ruben Amaro.
Amaro's contract is set to expire after this season. He has served as the team's GM since 2009 and was the assistant GM when the Phillies won the 2008 World Series. However, the club's fall from grace since 2011 has largely been attributed to various questionable trades and contracts under Amaro's oversight.
Various rumors have suggested MacPhail will not opt to re-sign Amaro, as the soon-to-be team president is keen on instilling his philosophy (and others who align with it) once he officially gains power.
While that could very well be the case, there are a few things to ponder about Amaro and his future with Philadelphia. Yes, the last four seasons have been a disaster and Amaro pretty much inherited the Phillies' dynasty that Ed Wade (1998-2005) and Pat Gillick (2006-2008) assembled during their stints as general manager. (Cole Hamels, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Pat Burrell, Carlos Ruiz and others were drafted and cultivated under those regimes.)
And although Amaro has gotten himself into this mess, he has also (ostensibly) done a good job getting himself out of it. The team's top prospects that have reached the MLB this season (Aaron Nola, Maikel Franco) have performed well, as have other young players (Ken Giles, Freddy Galvis, Odubel Herrera and Cesar Hernandez).
The deals that sent Hamels, Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Jonathan Papelbon, Ben Revere and Marlon Byrd packing have also netted the organization some valuable prospects, which are expected to reboot their ailing farm system. Did these moves potentially save Amaro's job?
"Though new club president Andy MacPhail isn't saying what the plans are for GM Ruben Amaro -- MacPhail is said to be 'laying low' for a while, which is only the right thing to do -- but there seems to be some belief Amaro may be given a chance to remain in the organization in some capacity," writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. "There seems to be some thought that Amaro looks a bit better now that the Phillies' prospects are performing OK, the trades worked out all right and the team is playing better. The other longtime defense is that all those bad contracts weren't necessarily all his idea."
Stephen Gross of the Allentown Morning Call ponders whether Amaro has altered his legacy with his revamping of the Phillies. Although the moves Amaro has made appear to be prudent, it will take years for anyone to know if they've panned out.
As a result, MacPhail may not be grading Amaro on his moves as of late, considering there's no way to tell in the immediate future if he did a good job or not. If that's the case, then MacPhail may explore other options.
"While many believe the team needs a fresh start, it isn't even a certainty Amaro will be moved to a different job -- which would likely come as a disappointment to many of their fans," Heyman adds. "If a change is made, Thad Levine, assistant GM of the Rangers, could emerge as a GM candidate, along with the J.J. Piccolo (Royals), Matt Klentak (Angels) and John Barr (Giants), among others."
Those are just some names to consider if the Phillies let Amaro walk. Otherwise, it seems as if the embattled GM has put himself in the best position possible to remain with the team beyond this season, whether it's as GM or some other position.
However, MacPhail will not assume the role as team president until after the Phillies' final game on Oct. 4. Nothing will be known until then.
