The Philadelphia Phillies announced on Thursday that the contract of Ruben Amaro Jr. would not be renewed in a move long awaited by frustrated fans.
Amaro oversaw the team’s successful run from 2009-2011, but he also made several moves that contributed to the team’s nosedive to the bottom of the standings. Viewed as a GM who held on to tightly to the past, Amaro gave out multiple ill-advised big-money contracts and extensions that hurt the ballclub because he desperately believed the team was one of the best in the NL long after their peak had ended. It wasn’t until this season — after consecutive 73-89 seasons — that Amaro saw fit to endure a rebuild.