With Cashman out, search must shift to overdrive

Yankees GM Brian Cashman, believed to be Phillies president David Montgomery's first choice to replace Ed Wade, is expected to sign a contract extension to remain in New York.

Meanwhile, the candidate considered the front runner among fans, former Astros GM Gerry Hunsicker, had reportedly not been contacted for an interview, as reported in today’s Inquirer.

It has also been reported that Montgomery would prefer to hire from outside the organization, but one can’t help but think Ruben Amaro Jr. and Mike Arbuckle have moved higher up on the list of possibilities.

Amaro and Arbuckle are expected to interview this week, with Amaro already involved in offseason affairs, including the organizational meetings and negotiations with closer Billy Wagner.

To my knowledge, since Wade was fired Oct. 10, the Phils have not started on the interview process, nor have they revealed a list of candidates. Meanwhile, Cashman and former Mets GM Jim Duquette have moved off the big board, with Duquette becoming vice president in Baltimore.

Beerleaguer: If Montgomery intends to hire from outside, then what in the name of all that is holy is he waiting for?

With free agency and winter meetings fast approaching, it would be ideal to have a GM in place with enough time to draft a plan to acquire starting pitching. The most pressing task remains a postseason birth, with starting pitching as the key. Minor league development and restructuring are next on the list. And wouldn't it be nice to have an authority figure with enough clout to levy fines if Vicente Padilla throws one more pitch in Nicaragua?

The team did its part to give them something to build on this season. It was a good year, with a nucleus that should keep them in the mix in '06. Now it's time for the organization's leadership to step up to the plate, if that's even possible.

Let's be realistic. If I’m setting odds, I’m making Amaro a 5-2 favorite, with Hunsicker next at 7-2. It would be very consistent with the way the Phils do business – hire from the inside first, or go with the people’s choice, which is clearly Hunsicker, a Bucks County native.

Whatever the choice, it must be handled with more urgency.

Comments

[Tom Goodman]

Reports that Padilla is throwing in Nicaragua are really the last straw. I don't care how good his stuff is, he hasn't the makeup or character to help this team.

[el123chico]

they're going to hire amaro. that was obvious from the start. they gave ed wade 8 years to turn him into a scapegoat, and now they're going to hire the "yes man" assistant gm to replace the now former "yes man" gm.

[Tom Goodman]

I don't think the Amaro hiring would be as far-fetched as some believe. It isn't a stretch to interpret his mission to Billy Wagner as a tryout. His "failure" to sign Wagner was pre-ordained anyway. Wagner was always going to test the free agent market. I don't think any of us can call him a "yes" man. What evidence is there to support that? He is young, baseball savvy and perhaps more open to blending sabremetrics with old school scouting than any of us know. Just because he is an in-house candidate does not preclude him from being a legitimate one.

[Tom G]

First of all, if someone came to this website for the first time, they would now think Tom Goodman is a "numbers guy".

That aside, this whole thing is either sliding way out of control or there is a lot going on behind the scenes we just don't know. I don't think they will end up with Bowden, but the fact that they even talked to him scares me about the type of people they want.

[J. Weitzel]

Has anyone heard anything on Frank Wren or has he dropped off the board?

Also an update on Hunsicker: talks with the D-Rays are becoming "white-hot," according to what I read on Brian's site.

As long as the new GM comes in with a solid plan to:

1). Acquire what's necessary to lead this current team to the postseason.

2). Come up a long-term plan to reorganize the minor leagues.

3). Envision a solid business and marketing plan to reconnect with customers and deliver a better product ...

does it matter whether it's an inside or outside candidate? My instinct is, it would be easier to overhaul the organization by getting someone from the outside.

Hmm. Thinking about Frank Wren more and more these days. I like Atlanta, and I like John Schuerholz a lot.

[Tom Goodman]

Don't worry, TG, I'd disabuse them of that notion in no time.

[Tom Durso]

Putting on my PR guy's hat, it would be disastrous for the Phillies to hire Amaro/Arbuckle, even if either truly is qualified. It would simply reinforce the notion that the team is too stubborn to listen to external counsel, either their fans' or (more importantly) a GM with outside credentials.

[theragtopguy]

This foot dragging is so typical of this front office. I'm afraid that they will hire Amaro. Nothing against him personally, but Hunsicker is the perfect man for this job. I don't think that Amaro has the experience yet to handle the fine tuning that is required.

As far as Padilla pitching, what can they do? I don't know if there is language in his contract forbidding this or not.

I think his time is done in Philly anyway.

[dolf]

laddies and gentlemen....Ed Wade...

[J. Weitzel]

Thx, dolf.

[That Dude]

I think its safe to say were are officially in "were F'd" territory.

[tc]

What do you think of Epstein? He may decide to stay with the BoSox today but the door looks like it is open a crack. Would you pay him $1.5 million?

[el123chico]

i think they should just offer epstein $2mil per and he'll sign it. that would be a coup.

[Tom Goodman]

C'mon, guys, let's resist the ridiculous. How many of you (myself included) had heard of Kenny Williams prior to the last few nights? We don't need to break the bank going after an Epstein or Cashman, both of whom would never come here and face the financial limitations this franchise labors under (not to mention believing there is far less cache to working in Philadelphia.)

[tc]

The thing that intrigues me about someone like Epstein is that he isn't afraid shake things up (Nomah, Pedro, trying to trade Manny) and his success (or the Red Sox success) means that if he came to town and made some big moves he might be given the benefit of the doubt. The Phils need a shakeup - they need to trade a big name or two. Epstein could do that.

Of course, I don't think the current brass would want someone like that running things.

[J. Weitzel]

Here's something that scares me a little bit about Amaro: Whenever we read quotes on how Bobby is doing, or what he's thinking, or how he's playing, or when he's reporting to Clearwater, or how his personal life is going, etc., it always comes from Amaro.

I can only speculate what goes on behind closed doors, but from what I read in print, or hear during games, there seems to be a connection between Abreu and Amaro. That scares me, because Abreu is someone I'd shop. Is Amaro willing to trade the statistically best all-around player on the team?

[gr]

they need a change in thinking and attitude. hence, they need someone from the outside. i don't care if amaro is secretly the craftiest bastard on the planet. he's too close to the product to make an honest evaluation going forward.

[That Dude]

"How many of you (myself included) had heard of Kenny Williams prior to the last few nights?"

I dont mean this to be funny, but how could any of us NOT heard of Kenny Williams prior to last night? We all follow baseball pretty intently, I bet everyone on here has read Moneyball, the Chi-Sox have been pretty ballsy with trades the last 3 yrs, so if any of us hadnt heard of him....well it makes you sound a bit parochial.

[J. Weitzel]

That Dude:
Tom Goodman's point about Williams is a good one. He's not a big name guy from a top market. He's a product of the organization, the kind of candidate many people believe the Phils should not hire. And he's not afraid to make trades ... a lot of trades.