The Philadelphia Phillies are still the worst team in the MLB, but interim manager Pete Mackanin has helped the club maintain composure ever since taking over after Ryne Sandberg resigned. The latest rumors indicate the 64-year-old could stay as manager of the Phillies beyond the 2015 season.
This is the third time Mackanin was named interim manager of an MLB club. Most of his managerial experience comes from the minor leagues and offseason winter leagues (Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Venezuela). In the MLB, he's 83-96 in short stints as manager with the Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates (passed up for Jim Tracy) and Cincinnati Reds (passed up for Dusty Baker).
He's 30-43 since taking over for the Phillies, even after the team traded Cole Hamels, Jonathan Papelbon, Ben Revere and Chase Utley. However, it's still unknown what the team plans on doing with him after the season. General manager Ruben Amaro was already dismissed, and soon-to-be team president Andy MacPhail will take over in three weeks.
Nonetheless, MacPhail is reminding everyone to not jump to conclusions.
"I would encourage everybody not to make any assumptions about what's happening today to have any domino impact on the manager," MacPhail said last week, via Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News. "I think that's something that's still under review. I know the tradition is that the [general manager] 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. So we have to keep that in mind as well."
And the latest rumors from today suggest Mackanin could be in the Phillies' plans next season.
"The belief is that interim manager Pete Mackanin will be given a chance to return in 2016 after doing a nice job after taking over for Ryne Sandberg. He's earned it (his 30-43 mark is actually a major improvement)," writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. "Mackanin was once hired as interim manager by Wayne Krivsky in Cincinnati, and probably earned a return there, too, but owner Bob Castellini decided to hire Dusty Baker instead (Baker actually did an excellent job before he was let go after a playoff year)."
Mackanin still doesn't have much of a roster to work with and MacPhail has acknowledged that. The front office executive also told reporters that the manager "doesn't have any impact on talent" and that the "energy, effort and enthusiasm" of the team reflects the manager's work.
The club has maintained consistency at least on the offensive side of the ball under Mackanin. In July the Phillies ranked 12th in runs scored (111) and in August they hung around at 16th (123). Compare that to Sandberg's first two months in 2015: 30th in April and 29th in May.
Nothing can be said about the pitching staff. The Phillies have four rookies in the rotation and their one veteran is Aaron Harang, who has a 5.04 ERA. That unit just needs more time to develop and that's on the front office.
But as for the overall picture, Mackanin has seemingly passed the eye test and could be with the team next season depending on who MacPhail hires as the next general manager. Mackanin has oversaw the promotion of a number of the team's young prospects, so the Phillies could see that as an opportunity to further their development under someone they've already made their first impression upon.
