(Note: The following takes place inside a fictional historical replay. Things have changed, some of them are more unlikely and humorous than what happened in this world.)
December 1, 2008
Phillies can manager, general manager after .500 season
It was a scene Philadelphia fans were all too familiar with.
As the 2008 Major League Baseball season came to a close, the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated with a world championship, the sixth in team history. Meanwhile, the Phillies, who have stayed rooted, somehow, in one place for their entire history, are still waiting for their first title. With fans fed up after an 81-81 season, management knew what had to be done.
The first head to roll was that of manager Barry Larkin. While Larkin's World Series pedegree (1998 with the Yankees) and ability to turn around the Phils from a last place team into a first place team in his first season were impressive, two straight poor seasons, coupled with rumors that he had lost control of the clubhouse did him in.
Just a few days later, general manager Theo Epstein got the news fans were hoping he would hear for years. The final straw, according to sources, was when Epstein was unable to work a deal for free agent to be José Reyes. Reyes, who batted .286 with 88 stolen bases and 105 runs scored in 2008, was willing to take a lower salary to stay with the team that drafted him, but Epstein was unwilling to offer a meaningful salary, and the Phillies watched their starting shortstop walk out the door. Just a week later, Epstein followed, and it doesn't look like Philadelphia is going to miss him at all.
Today, news came that the Phillies had named replacements for both Larkin and Epstein. Taking over the general manager's office will be another youngster, 37 year old David Hurka. Hurka, the assistant general manager under Epstein, has no general manager experience, but his scouting and contract negotiation skills are said by some to be among the best in baseball.
"I look forward to taking this team to new heights," Hurka said, stating that the team is just a few moves away from competing for a championship.
"We've waited far too long to fly a World Series flag out there, and that's going to change very soon, I can assure you of that."
Next to be introduced was the new manager, Sandy Alomar, Sr. While questions were raised about Alomar's age, the 65 year old has won two World Series, both with the cross-state Pirates in 1996 and 1997, and was a bench coach for the 2004 champion St. Louis Cardinals.
"The Phillies represent a new challenge for me," Alomar said. "I can not wait to lead them onto the field in 2009 and show the rest of the National League East what we have to offer."
While the attitudes shown by the two new men in charge at least bode well for the future, Phillies fans know that without a championship in the next few seasons, the revolving door of managers will just continue. Will this be the year that finally ends the 107 year drought? Only time will tell.
Another article writing us off. If there's one thing this town needs, it's less sportswriters.
I sighed and threw the
Daily News on top of the growing pile of newspapers from the big day. I'd only been named general manager three hours ago, and already I'd been hit with more questions than I ever thought possible. What are you going to do to replace Reyes? Do you really think Gregg Zaun can handle a full season behind the plate at age 37? Do you have a plan for filling the back end of the rotation? I swear, I heard it all today, but no answer I gave was going to satisfy these people, not unless I brought home a trophy.
One hundred and seven years. That's how long the Phillies have played in the National League. Sure, the World Series wasn't around for every year, but it's been there for most of them. All but four teams have won a title, and none of the other ones were around before 1976. I mean hell, even Tampa Bay has won a championship! In 107 years, we've made the playoffs eight times. Eight damn times! The Braves have 11 championships, and the first ten came the first ten times they went to the playoffs. The Yankees have 14 ttles, the Pirates 10.
Of course, it's not like we haven't had our share of solid players here. Joe Dimaggio played here. So did Al Rosen, Roy Campanella, Chipper Jones, Dickie Thon and Orlando Cepeda. Hell, Harry Heilmann set the all time record for hits here before Stan Musial blew it away. We've had pitching, too. Tom Glavine, Catfish Hunter, Bob Friend, David Wells, Charles Nagy, Mariano Rivera, they've all worn Phillies uniforms for at least part of their careers.
Now, I get to start again. People are already doubting my abilities, but it's not like I haven't heard that before. I was born and raised in the Delaware Valley, a Phillie fan from inside the womb. I was never great at sports, but by God I knew stats. I could tell you how many home runs Babe Ruth had after he became a hitter, or how many strikeouts Satchel Paige had during his 33-3 season in Cincinnati like most people could turn on a light switch. I did the usual stuff, went to college, worked with the baseball team for four years, and then walked into the cold grip of reality. It was 1992, I was 21 years old, and no one wanted to hire me. I ended up having to take an assistant scouting job with the expansion Colorado Rockies.
For a couple of years, I stayed in the background. I let the older guys do their thing and I just watched and learned. I asked questions whenever I could, got myself aquainted with the modern age, working on computers and using the internet to send stats anywhere I wanted in a fraction of a second. Of course, the team stunk royally for the first few years, but I saw what was being done. I watched as a young Alex Rodriguez came up through the minors to Colorado and what was looked at when it came time to call him up. Eventually, I became one of the lead scouts, and when just about everyone else thought it was time to give up on a young pitcher, I told them to hold on. I knew something was going to work with him. Just two years after finishing with an ERA around 5.00, Johan Santana won 15 games and helped get the Rockies to the playoffs for the first time.
I took one other big chance while I was out there. I managed to convince everyone on the day of the amateur draft that selecting a strong, tall first baseman was a good idea, despite his high strikeout numbers. Of course, everyone knows what happened after that. Ryan Howard set the major league home run record in his rookie season, and my name shot to the top of everyone's scouting lists. When Philadelphia came calling, I had to listen. I took the job as assitant general manager. I watched as Theo called the shots, worked the phones and basically thought he could walk on water. I told him not to lowball Reyes. I knew he would walk, even though we drafted him. I warned Theo that his job was on the line, but he didn't want to listen. "Expensive ballplayers bring down a team," he told me.
Well, now he's the one looking for work, and I'm the one in his office. I can't say I was too sad when he packed up. I'd wanted this job since I was seven, and now, it was mine. I know I'm on a short leash, and if I can't bring home a championship in three years, my seat's going to get awfully warm. This is the job I've always wanted, now it's a matter of seeing what I can do with it.
Damn, now ESPN's on my case. I swear, if I have to watch Albert Belle smile and say how my lack of experience is going to hurt us one more time, I'm going to regret cheering for him when he made the Hall of Fame. I better look over this roster some more, see what holes need to be filled. I don't need to be run out of town on a rail like Theo, I know that much.