All is well
Everyone take a deep breath. The Phils are not going to elevate Ruban Amaro, Jr., or Mike Arbuckle to their vacant GM spot. Just like they were never serious contenders for Brian Cashman, they are not going to let Gerry Hunsicker go by the wayside to Tampa Bay (this is who we're worried about losing him to?) with so much as contacting him. I don't believe that for a second. I'm put my faith in "league source" the same day I decide there is no reason for me to accept a paycheck for a living.
While we would like feel we are smarter than the Phils front office, we can't seriously expect that business as usual will continue to muddle along in the face of such hostility. If the fans truly got Dave Montgomery to let Ed Wade go, Monty is surely not going to turn roght and around and hand the job to someone in house. The Phils, most comfortable in what feels like a vaccuum, will not muke the egregious mistake of not bothering. Yes, they did with Manuel, but no they won't this time.
Cashman, it seems, is good friends with Theo Epstein of all people, and by holding out a bit, not only helped himself with a new contract with the only franchise he's ever worked for, but also helped his pal in Beantown make his case for a raise. Remember, the Sox offered Billy Beane something like a 5-year, $12 million deal; Epstein, an unknown at the time, is making but a fraction of that. GMs are a club just like any other disciplinein the business world. It seems odd, but in between competing with each other, they watch each others' backs.
What you have been witnessing the past few weeks has been a shortlist formulated almost entirely by the media. With no public comments on the search, any information we all get is at best second hand and most times, not even that good. "Leagues sources" -- that fuzzy term for people like, oh, I don't know, Larry Bowa, Harold Reynolds, or the assistant to the weekend sportswriting intern at MLB, are not to be counted on for anything particularly viable. The real meat is nowhere to be found at the moment. That's usually the case with how this PR-challenged franchise operates. Did any of us see the Wade firing coming?
And so, I beg everyone: give it time. Don't expect the worst. In fact, expect nothing, if it makes you feel better. But let's not be ridiculous. The Phils concerned enough about money and image to not hire from within this time.
posted by gr @ 6:07 PM
4 Comments:
GR - Spot on. The only thing we know for sure is we don't know very much beyond Hunsicker not returning calls, and the astros saying they haven't heard from the phils (but again, I ask, should they be hearing from the phils?). And monty saying nothing. The meeja are (perhaps inadvertantly) winding us up whilst they scrabble for column inches in the face of a vacuum.
Oh, sure, gr, go and throw logic in our faces. You must live in Washington or something.
One side comment, Oisin -- according to a story in today's Inquirer, Hunsicker is still under contract to the Astros, and so would need their permission to talk to another team.
a side note to your side note, tommy, hunsicker has already spoken with tampa bay, so the phils have to figure that they'd get permission (why wouldn't they, he's not even an active employee anymore), so perhaps they're waiting with that in mind until after the series. on the other hand, he's already speaking with another team and to be honest, phil sheridan's column was on the money -- this short list of theirs should be a year old. they should not have gone into this season without at least the knowledge that this day could come. to put it bluntly, i feel like something's going on, but i can't figure out what. i'm hopig its not poor planning, in which case they DESPARATELY need someone from the outside to drive this bus.
Tom D - thanks for the explanation on that re Hunsicker's contract - I wasn't too sure as to whether he was or wasn't and was puzzled by announcements by the Astros.
GR - we may be getting our wish - he's been interviewed. Here's hoping he get's the job.
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