The Philadelphia Phillies finally fired general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. on Thursday, ending what can only be described as a man far exceeding his welcome. Amaro Jr. was hired to replace the legendary Pat Gillick in 2008, in the immediate aftermath of the team winning its first World Series since 1980.
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Philadelphia was able to get back to the World Series in 2009 before falling to the New York Yankees. Amaro then watched as the team remained competitive for a few seasons before slowly sinking into the abyss under the weight of horrible contracts such as Ryan Howard’s and Chase Utley’s, compounded by age.
Amaro’s biggest sin was allowing the Phillies to get insanely old and pricey at the same time. He held onto Jimmy Rollins and Utley far too long, leting their value slip to oblivion before finally moving on. It was a frustrating time for a fan base that watched a potential dynasty only walk away with one ring.
President Larry MacPhail made this statement about the move, per Philly.com.
"“It’s never an easy decision to make a change,” MacPhail said in a statement released by the team. “Ruben has had a direct impact on some of the best years in the team’s history. He helped to create some great memories for Phillies fans with his accomplishments, but in order to return to a top-contending club, we believe this is the right thing to do as we continue the rebuilding process.”"
Philadelphia is now a laughingstock, falling to last place in the NL East and looking at a 54-86 mark, the worst record in the Major Leagues. It appears the Phillies will reach the 100-loss plateau, signaling the worst year for the franchise since 1961, when the team went 47-107.
Over each of the last two seasons, the Phillies went 73-89, missing the playoffs in both campaigns.