Phillies remove interim tag from manager Pete Mackanin’s job title.
The Philadelphia Phillies found their replacement manager for 2016, and possibly 2017. They didn’t have to look beyond their own dugout. Pete Mackanin has been promoted to manager after having the interim tag removed from his job title today by the club. Mackinin will be the Phillies manager for 2016 and there is a club option for 2017.
#Phillies have extended the contract of Pete Mackanin as manager through the 2016 season. The extension includes a club option for 2017.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 22, 2015
Incoming team president Andy MacPhail on the hiring of Pete Mackanin as manager. pic.twitter.com/GxZtVsDJLv
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 22, 2015
Since replacing Ryne Sandberg as manager earlier this season, Mackanin has managed the team to a 30-46 record. Granted, he does not exactly have much to work with with a roster that has shipped off Chase Utley, Cole Hamels and Jonathan Papelbon, not to mention injuries to players such as Maikel Franco. The vibe of the team has seemed to improve for the most part since Sandberg walked away from the team, and there may be no manager that would have been able to turn things around too much given what is available on the roster.
If nothing else, the 2016 season was always going to be a bit of a transition year under new management in the front office with Andy MacPhail calling the shots. Rushing to new manager is not necessary in 2016, but next season will be a chance to see how Mackanin does managing the team from the start. With young players taking over to form the new nucleus of the club moving forward, Mackanin will be evaluated to see if he is the right guy for the job in 20-17 and beyond. That doesn’t seem like a terrible strategy, if you can acceopt that nothing was liekly to happen in 2016 that would return the Phillies to the postseason. Mackain may or may not be a good manager worthy of leading a postseason run, but this franchise has plenty of other questions to answer before that becomes a real issue to worry about.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
