The Philadelphia Phillies have announced Pete Mackanin will be their manager in 2016.
Advertisement
Ultimately, MacPhail’s managerial choice was the right one.
So the Phillies will not pay that price, instead rewarding Mackanin for a job well done, if not numerically successful. The problems within the organization extend far beyond who is writing out the daily lineup card.
“I think Pete, in my view, had a significant leg up in that I’ve seen the energy level move up since he’s been (in the position)”, MacPhail said.
The change didn’t lead to better results on the field. “Equally as important is his eagerness to take on the challenge of rebuilding the team and developing our players”. For now, though, the Phillies have a manager that both the front office and players are comfortable with. His team has played with an energy and enthusiasm that had been missing early in the season. Still, there’s a good chance they’ll get out of the season with fewer than 100 losses. Philadelphia is 27-32 since the All-Star break. Since taking over, the Phillies have gone 30-46 under Mackanin, which included a 21-12 stretch from July 17 through August 23, the fourth-best record in the major leagues during that span. He won’t get the Phillies fan base excited like a Gardenhire or even Ozzie Guillen hire could.
After Ryne Sandberg resigned at the end of June, Pete Mackanin was placed in a hard spot as interim manager of the worst team in baseball.
“It’s our job to make sure that he feels that he’s supported”, MacPhail said of Mackanin.
Advertisement
Whether Mackanin has long-term success as the Phillies’ manager might depend on whether he can have the same rapport with his still-to-be determined boss. And that’s about effort and energy and enthusiasm. The 64-year-old has never been granted the opportunity to manage a team beyond a temporary position until now. “We certainly enjoyed a nice spark when he came on board over a course of about a two-month period and we’re very confident that he can help this club in 2016 and go forward”. Don’t mistake Mackanin’s approachable demeanor to mean he’s a pushover, though. Herrera reportedly apologized to Mackanin for his attitude before Tuesday’s game in Miami.
