General manager Matt Klentak opened up Joe Girardi’s introductory press conference at Pass & Stow on the third base side of Citizens Bank Park briefing the media on the process of hiring the Phillies 55th manager. While on the flight back from California to deliver the verdict to former manager Gabe Kapler, Andy MacPhail, John Middleton and Klentak all agreed that prior experience managing at the major league level was the most important attribute in the team’s next skipper.
The three candidates interviewed – Buck Showalter, Dusty Baker and Joe Girardi – have a combined 53 years of experience managing in a big-league dugout and 4,402 wins under their belts.