PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — After 35 years with the Philadelphia Phillies organization, including seven as general manager, the Phillies decided to let Ruben Amaro Jr. go on Thursday. Scott Proefrock was named Interim GM, effective immediately.
“We needed a fresh perspective in the baseball operations department, a fresh approach,” Phillies executive Andy MacPhail said on Thursday during a press conference with owner John Middleton, in which Amaro was not present for.
“Been thinking about it for a long time, but no further determination until probably three, four days ago,” MacPhail explained.
Amaro had taken a lot of criticism over the past couple years during the Phillies’ decline from the fans, and Middleton admitted that weighed in their decision.