I’m Worried

Gotta tell ya, Andy MacPhail, I’m worried about you.

Why?

Well, let’s take a look at what you said at yesterday’s press conference:

“Needless to say, I am very flattered by this offer. I know that this franchise has been around a very long time and I think this is the first time you’ve ever gone outside the organization to put somebody in a position like this and I’m extremely flattered that you considered me . . . a little bit surprised you hired me, ‘cause I’ve been out for three years, but I’m grateful, anyway.

I have to assume that since I’ve been away for three years that this game has probably evolved two times over since I’ve been gone. So I’m very grateful for the opportunity to spend three months with Pat, Ruben, everybody within the organization to give me a chance to get up to speed, to see how the game has evolved, to get a chance to learn the organization a little bit.

I think my three main functions are going to be to read, to watch, and to listen. And then hopefully within three months I’ll have a clear idea of what I think is appropriate and needs to be done.”

You’re kidding me, right?

Three months?

To read? To watch? To listen?

What about action?

Action

This job calls for action and this team’s been going backwards for the better part of five years. The time to read, to watch, and to listen was when the Phillies lost the 2009 World Series to the Yankees. That’s when the foundation was starting to crack. That’s when the Phillies and Ruben Amaro should’ve started taking action. If action had been taken then, the Phillies wouldn’t be in their current mess.

You don’t know what’s wrong with this team?

For crying out loud, John Middleton, maybe you should hire me to be MacPhail’s consultant. In five minutes, I could tell him what’s wrong with the Phillies and “what I think is appropriate and needs to be done” – but appropriate actions need to be taken right now and not three months down the line.

Off the top of my head, here’s a few things that need to be addressed ASAP:

• The Phillies are one of the worst – if not the worst team – in baseball. A giant make-over is needed.

• But Ruben Amaro couldn’t make a deal with Monty Hall without getting fleeced. He needed to be replaced at least three years ago. Get rid of him immediately.

• Outright Domonic Brown. He has no clue and he’s a slacker.

• The roster is clogged with veterans who have complex, bloated, and convoluted contracts that make them extremely difficult to move. As previously referenced, Ruben Amaro has no clue about how to deal them. I’ll bet I could get rid of them – or find someone else who could.

• For crying out loud, I’d hire Jody McDonald – and I’m only half-kidding when I say that. Jody knows his baseball. In case you’re unaware, Jody’s old man is Joe McDonald who was a general manager with the New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, and Detroit Tigers. I guarantee you that Jody didn’t grow up in a vacuum and a lot of the proverbial fruit fell straight down from the tree.

Between you and me, Jody would be a fresh voice from the outside and he’d do a better job than Ruben. For that matter, I’d do a better job than Ruben – half the sports media members in town would do a better job than Ruben – and half the Phillies fans would do a better job than Ruben.

• Make sure Chase Utley doesn’t get the at-bats he needs to guarantee next year’s contract.

• Ditto Jonathan Papelbon – make sure he doesn’t get the “finishes” he needs to be back with the Phillies next year.

• Carlos Ruiz has drifted into the mental-mistake zone to go along with the facts that his catching skills have eroded and he can’t hit any more. Get rid of him.

• Ryan Howard has shown enough flashes of home run power to make me think you can make a deal for him somewhere.

• Trade Cole Hamels. Don’t over-estimate his value and get what you can while you still can.

• Stick Darren Ruff in the starting lineup for the rest of the season to see if he can play. If not, unload him during the off-season.

• The bulk of the roster is filled with players who will never be regulars in the big leagues. There’s barely a handful of keepers in the lot.

• And the farm system offers slim pickings – which makes your job even more difficult.

Add it all up and the job calls for action – immediate action – not sitting around on your duff for the next three months reading, watching, and listening.

That’s why I’m worried. I’m afraid it’s going to be inertia rather than action.

Barry Bowe is the author of Born to Be Wild, 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant, and 12 Best Eagles QBs.