As a Cubs fan I can only say.....

Hooray!

who's gonna tell BBC?

NOT IT.

Lisa,

On behalf of me and my entire family, my deepest condolences on your terrible gain.

Well, the 'stros should be well-stocked with 35-year-old middle relievers for the foreseeable future.

Somewhere, Dan Plesac's agent is smiling...

This is an Onion piece, right?

Mike Lieberthal and David Bell...c'mon down!

Houston, you have a problem.
(Just wanted to be first to use the obvious line.)

I'm having a difficult time seeing how this is a good idea for Houston. Seriously, what in his Phillies tenure made him a desirable commodity as a GM?

Thank goodness; I though he would ruin my longing for Tony LaRussa to resign in St. Louis, take the Pittsburgh GM job, fire Jim Tracy, name himself manager like Whitey Herzog with the Cardinals, then relinquish the GM duties once he had his team in place. Yeah, it's far-fetched, but I've got to be hopeful for something, right?

I was petrified that Coonelly would do something stupid and hire an idiot like a Wade or a Steve Phillips; something like that wouldn't be beyond the Pirates. I'm still hoping (more realistically) for Gerry Hunsicker or Terry Ryan (even though he took another job within the Twins organization). Wade is now off the list, though. Good luck, Houston; you'll need it.

Billy needs to get on the phone right now and start offering spare bullpen parts.

Based on what I've read about Drayton McLane, I assume that his main qualification was willingness to let McLane continue to call the shots. Any up-and-coming GM would probably have wanted assurances that the owner wouldn't be constantly interfering, like Moore got in KC last year. Wade doesn't care as much. He wanted back in.

If the Brewers hurry maybe they can get something for Scott Linebrink.

He's qualified because he has been a GM before, obviously.

Well, at least they didn't hire Amaro Jr. Isn't that the one baseball chick was most fearing?

Ed Wade? You gotta be kidding me.

Well, at least they didn't hire Amaro Jr. Isn't that the one baseball chick was most fearing?

I think that was because she figured he'd be just like Ed Wade. Apparently they decided not to buy the imitation when they could get the real thing.

Ed Wade is the Gabe Paul of the new millenium

I'm sorry for Astros fans, but I'm also glad that the Pirates didn't catch that bullet.

I think that was because she figured he'd be just like Ed Wade.

Ah, right--Amaro worked under Wade in Philadelphia.

Apparently they decided not to buy the imitation when they could get the real thing.

Well, Wade's older than Amaro and so presumably closer to retirement and/or death, so maybe that's something. (Just trying to think like an Astros fan here. As a Cub fan, I can't say I'm displeased with the hiring.)

Hahahahahahahaha!!

Oh well Astros fans, at least they didn't hire Steve Phillips.

This is just awesome if you're a fan of any non-Houston NL Central team... and if you happen to be a veteran middle relief pitcher with a low ERA in one of the previous three years...

Ed Wade takes over the #30 slot on the "Best GMs in Baseball List," and it's not even close.

/ enters to make Linebrink joke.
// reads thread.
/// crap. too late.
//// carry on.

On the bright side, the Astros aren't lying down for just the Brewers this time.

Ed Wade takes over the #30 slot on the "Best GMs in Baseball List," and it's not even close.

Baltimore could always hire Littlefield.

I had just assumed Phillies fans had killed Wade years ago. Why do they keep hiring failed retreads? Any serious theories out there?

Nelson Muntz: Ha-ha!

Not a real good commentary on either the Astros hierarchy or the interivewing skills of Amaro, Evans and Logan White.

Drayton McLane must really think winning 86 games is a huge accomplishment.

Drayton McLane must really think winning 86 games is a huge accomplishment.

How many consecutive NL Central crowns will that get you? Only about 50!

On the other hand, I'm a bit disappointed Amaro Jr was not hired, because given the ol' boys network in Philly, he's probably the next feller to get the GM job once Gillick realizes ownership won't ever let him really have a free hand.

So in a way Houston hiring Wad over Amaro means Ed Wade has once again screwed the Phillies.

Why do they keep hiring failed retreads? Any serious theories out there?

I think the urge to hire your friends is pretty overpowering in all business. All these guys know each other and they can lobby on the inside in ways that aren't available to newbies. And you can always make the case that they WOULD HAVE succeeded last time, that they had things on the right track, if only serendipity had broken their way or whatever.

Were I Logan White, I would never in 1,000,000 years take the Houston GM job.

Whenever I grow sick of Sabean, I need to remind myself that it could always be worse.

So in a way Houston hiring Wad over Amaro means Ed Wade has once again screwed the Phillies.

What? Someone hired Meatwad to a front office position? Talk about desperation...

Of course, baseball chick would probably prefer 'wad to Wade, so she could at least gaze upon Meatwad's transcendent hotness.

It's just possible that Wade correctly described the mistakes he had learned from and made a good impression. Stranger things have happened...

Phillies fans tried to drop Wade out of a plane a few weeks ago, but like their team, they failed.

It's also possible that Wade wasn't their first choice, either.

It's just possible that Wade correctly described the mistakes he had learned from


as the late Peter Cook said: "yes, I've learnt from my mistakes, and I'm sure I could repeat them exactly"

The Astros already have Tal's Hill in centerfield. Now they have Tal's Quagmire in the front office.

It's just possible that Wade correctly described the mistakes he had learned from and made a good impression. Stranger things have happened...

Yeah. In a movie, maybe.

"In real life... people don't change, don't learn anything from their mistakes, and don't apologize."

Justice rings in...

Ed Wade will paint the town beige.

my husband just called and he said - REAL carefully - uh, do i gotta stop and the kroger and pick up some chickens

and i said - well - if you wanna eat any dinner.

he knows. the minnit he get into this house i am going in the bedroom and shutting the door and i am not coming out

kidz are playing nice and quiet because i am in a bad BAD mood and i can't even cry this hurts so bad.

i haven't even heard from my mama. she and her friends said that if drayton hired ed wade/ruben amaro they were not gonna reup their season tickets and a couple of them have had tickets since they played in colt stadium. theres a LOT of real angry fans. they said they gonna send ed wade a pair of nice padded knee pads and some ambesol cuz he gonna need it

retro

right now i am so upset and angry and hurt i wouldn't want even the wad. or even you. or even brad ausmus that is how upset i am. the only thing that could POSSIBLY be worse is either bringing amaro with him or hiring dusty baker

I would rather have Purpura than Wade. At least Cooper may be an improvement over Garner.

Never followed Ed Wade that closely. I know he's got a jones for middle relievers but little else. Checking b-ref's bulpen, I see he ran them from 1998-2005, when a doormat revitalized itself and turned itself into an annual contender.

Even assuming he had his problems or there were other factors in play that led to the Phillies' success, that doesn't sound like the resume of someone who is the worse than Hitler.

OK - so what's so terrible about him -- I mean anything speicific not just the standard "He sucks because he's an idiot!" stuff.

Dammit, Todd Jones is a free agent. Perhaps Fernando Rodney for Lance Berkman (or Hunter Pence) can be done now.....

I was about to ask what Dag asked in 46. Is the issue that McLane is really running the team, that Wade will be a yes-man?

kidz are playing nice and quiet because i am in a bad BAD mood and i can't even cry this hurts so bad

.

I pity Bernal once you get your boots on.

not just the standard "He sucks because he's an idiot!" stuff.

christ, man; if you used that standard, you'd eliminate 90% of BTF posts

I love to snark as much as anyone, but Ed Wade isn't this bad, is he? And it is possible he's learned from his mistakes. This could work out just fine--it wouldn't be the first time we here at BTF have screamed about a falling sky.

One might say Ed Wade is the Paula Marshall of GMs.

Is there any precedent for a mediocre GM becoming a really good GM in a stint somewhere else? I'm sure there has to be some examples.

retro

right now i am so upset and angry and hurt i wouldn't want even the wad. or even you.

*That* bad? Damn...

Well, much though I dislike the Astros, I can identify with having your favorite team run by a terrible GM (Larry Himes, anyone? Ed Lynch? Jim feckin' FREY, for the love of god?), so I feel your pain.

Is there any precedent for a mediocre GM becoming a really good GM in a stint somewhere else? I'm sure there has to be some examples.

I think Bowden is doing solid work for the Nats now. There's still plenty of time for him to screw it up, though.

asinwreck Posted: September 20, 2007 at 03:46 PM (#2533938)

I would rather have Purpura than Wade.

- what's the difference?

At least Cooper may be an improvement over Garner.

- don't be silly. and please remember he's bud selig's pick. ok?

so now we got a manger who was - what word i looking for here "sent" or maybe "endorsed" by that baseball genius selig and a tal smith yesman for a gm named wade. wade had to agree to use bud selig's pick for manager. just great. that &*#^! bud selig now telling our owner who to use to manage the team.

you know i will always be grateful to my daddy for spending i don't know how much $$$ to buy me WS tickets. because we won't even sniff 500 for years and years now. and at least i will be able to tell my grankidz that it really was true that the astros used to do things like win ballgames

Is there any precedent for a mediocre GM becoming a really good GM in a stint somewhere else? I'm sure there has to be some examples.

Didn't Pat Gillick get pretty good (at least in Seattle) once he left Baltimore?

I'd say Minaya in his transition from Montreal to New York, but he was pretty much a puppet in Montreal to begin with.

retro-shiite Posted: September 20, 2007 at 03:54 PM (#2533952)

retro

right now i am so upset and angry and hurt i wouldn't want even the wad. or even you.

*That* bad? Damn...

Well, much though I dislike the Astros, I can identify with having your favorite team run by a terrible GM (Larry Himes, anyone? Ed Lynch? Jim feckin' FREY, for the love of god?), so I feel your pain.

- sigh

darling boy, you don't get it. ed wade is no more the real GM then i am. drayton mclane and tal smith are doing it ALL. it's why they picked out one of tal's lapdogs.

and robinred,

i am not in no mood for hot irish ass bernal or retro. what i am in a mood for is putting on them steel toe construction boots and seriously kicking the **** out of drayton mclanes ass. champion??? what has he done to be a champion???????

trust me ed lynch was a better gm than drayton mclane. just look just LOOK at the complete and total lack of any players in the farm. look at the crud on the team

sigh

nevermind

Is there any precedent for a mediocre GM becoming a really good GM in a stint somewhere else?

Well, it seems that different guys would do better with different kinds of teams, depending on their skills and on what the team needed, based on its personnel, market etc. Wade could not get the Phillies over the top--but they have not gotten over the top since he left, either.

We may have no idea what Purpura can actually do; given how little the Astros spent on their draft picks the past couple of years despite Purpura coming up through player development, I have to think McLane was dictating policy to his young GM. Maybe McLane would walk all over a young exec and the franchise's only hope is a veteran GM who'll tell him no, but...

We know Wade leveraged the young talent Mike Arbuckle developed into a series of middling seasons in Philadelphia. We know Wade will part with valuable players and cash to get veteran middle relievers. We know this will not end well.

Again, Cooper is an unknown quality as a manager at this time. Garner? Cue Harveys on his diminishing returns.

Wasn't Cecil Cooper trying to become a GM a few years ago? I have no idea if he can do either job. I'd take my chances on him as a hitting coach and try someone with a longer track record managing in either the majors or minors. (Like Razor Shines.) But maybe he has potential. What potential does Wade have?

Looking it up, the following were drafted by Philly from 1998-2005:

Pat Burrell
Ryan Madson
Nick Punto
Brett Myers
Marlon Byrd
Chase Utley
Ryan Howard
Cole Hamels

Traded Adam Eaton's future (joke all you want, before his injury he had serious talent) for a half-season rental on Andy Ashby's corpse.

Traded Schilling for Omar Daal, Vincente Padilla, Travis Lee and some other guy.

Signed Jose Lima

Signed Rheal Cormier. Twice.

Signed Ricky Bottalico

Signed Paul Byrd

Signed Amaury Telemaco. Twice.

Signed Terry Adams

Traded Mabry for Giambi. But then again you all already knew that one.

Traded Scott Rolen and some other guy for Placido Domingo, Mike Timlin, and Bud Smith

Got David Bell.

Signed Jim Thome

Nabbed Dan Pleasc

Traded his back up catcher for Kevin Millwood

Traded three middling players for Billy Wagner

Traded Nick Punto, Carlos Silva and another guy for Eric Milton

Signed Roberto Hernandez.

Traded three guys I've never heard of for Cory Lidle.

Traded Felix Rodriquez for Kenny Lofton

Signed Jon Lieber

Signed Placido Polanco

Some definite mistakes (most obviously Bell, and letting go of Schilling, and Rolen). Then again conventional wisdom in saber-land was anti-Schilling. He fouled up third base and has a too-expensive bullpen. Meanwhile, he's drafted and developed several all-star caliber players and pulled off two of the best dump-trades of our times.

I'm not going to say anything, because I remember assuring you that Purpura was going to be a good GM.

Didn't Pat Gillick get pretty good (at least in Seattle) once he left Baltimore?

Gillick did pretty well in his first job, building the Blue Jays from scratch into a respectable 80s team and a powerhouse in the early 90s. You could make a good case that what happened in Baltimore was Angelos's responsibility.

48. robinred Posted: September 20, 2007 at 03:50 PM (#2533945)

I was about to ask what Dag asked in 46. Is the issue that McLane is really running the team, that Wade will be a yes-man?


darling boy, (that is retro, not me) you don't get it. ed wade is no more the real GM then i am. drayton mclane and tal smith are doing it ALL. it's why they picked out one of tal's lapdogs

I guess so.

BTW, retro, I just got screwed. JC called both of us "jackass" but only you get "darling boy" from bbc.

He fouled up third base

I wonder if this was ownership, wanting to keep Bowa? Wasn't Bowa the guy who had the issue with Rolen?

What was wrong with available baseball genius Dan Duquette? Stupid people. Baseball-chick, you have my sympathy. Pittsburgh fans -- time to redouble the Duquette lobbying efforts

-- unless the Sox plan to can Theo after they miss the playoffs, of course...

Is there any precedent for a mediocre GM becoming a really good GM in a stint somewhere else?

well, (since I snottily brought up his name above) Gabe Paul made some amazing acquisitions in his short stint with the Yankees (Nettles, Chambliss, Tidrow, Dent, Piniella,Hunter, Reggie etc, etc). They were rebuilt under his GM-ship

not sayin' he was responsible for it, but he WAS there

(then he went back to Cleveland and promptly became a horseshit GM again)

BTW, retro, I just got screwed. JC called both of us "jackass" but only you get "darling boy" from bbc.

Well, you may be my equal in jackassitude, but can you match the sheer darlingness of my hot Irish arse? I suspect not!

My concern with Wade is the same with Krivsky. They allowed the relationship between the organization and its best player to become highly acrimonious. I don't understand it, I don't agree with it and I think it should give folks pause.

Remember Joe McCarthy's old line about how when a reporter asked how he was going to get along with Ted Williams? McCarthy responded to the effect that a manager worth a d*mn gets along with his .400 hitter.

Wade HAD to trade Rolen because the situation blew up in his face. Folks can excuse it all they want but the fact is that the Phillies were FORCED to trade one of the best if not THE best third basemen in the NL.

What was wrong with available baseball genius Dan Duquette

Plaschke thinks they should have hired DePo

Ed Wade, he's the guy who got the Phillies not quite so far as Purpura got the Astros, right?

Good point, Harveys.

You could make the argument that John Schuerholz was a pretty mediocre GM in Kansas City before going to become an evil genius in Atlanta. He won a championship in KC, but that was with Joe Burke and Cedric Tallis's guys. The Royals drafts in the mid 80s was pretty horrendous and I can only think of a few really good trades by JS (Tartabull from Seattle, Leibrandt from Cincy) and a lot that were busts (Hammaker for Vida Blue, Leon Roberts for Cecil Fielder, Danny Jackson for Kurt Stillwell and of course David Cone).

Then he goes to Atlanta, and voila, he's a genius. So there's hope Houston fans.

Traded Scott Rolen and some other guy for Placido Domingo, Mike Timlin, and Bud Smith

Yeah but the organization was short on Tenors

Vaux Posted: September 20, 2007 at 04:06 PM (#2533968)

I'm not going to say anything, because I remember assuring you that Purpura was going to be a good GM.

- sigh
all i know is he pretty quick got himself a reputation of not being able to talk to the other GMs.
and i am POSITIVE that mclane tell him for 3 years JUMP and timmy sez - yassuh massa sah how high
- truth was that the quailty of the drafts they took a nosedive after 2000
AND mclane he has been refusing to go over slot or to even negotiate anything more than an original offer - it has all been a here's the money take it or kiss my old dried out champion ass

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

am i sounding anything like harvey???!!! because any second i am expecting mrs harvey to suddenly appear and pat my arm and say now baby grrl, think of your blood pressure

i guess i am growling out loud because i just see dog nose poking around the corner see if it is safe to come over

and robinred,
you are my darling boy too.
really

and i don't know bout jc and jackass but he best not be saying something bout how ed wade is wonderful or he gonna get some serious **** from me too

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

and this remind me

any philly fan here?

can you find anything good to say about ed wade besides he had the sense to hire mike arbuckle?
are all those draft picks arbuckle's choices?

Wade HAD to trade Rolen because the situation blew up in his face. Folks can excuse it all they want but the fact is that the Phillies were FORCED to trade one of the best if not THE best third basemen in the NL.

I also believe it was the same situation with Schilling.

But it still comes back to Wade. In the end, he had to trade Rolen because Rolen and Bowa couldn't get along. The rest of the team also hated Bowa, and it seemed as if every year Bowa had his team quit on him. If a manager can't get along with his players, it's probably a good idea to find a new manager.

I am a Phillies fan that wasn't in "hate" with Ed Wade. As pointed out by Dag Nabbit above, he made some solid decisions (particularly if you are of the belief his hand was forced with the Schilling and Rolen trades). The down side for me was his lack of imagination, as his moves always seemed very deliberate, and he always paid retail. As for the prospects drafted and developed during his tenure, Montgomery always got the credit for it. Whether that is accurate or not, I don't know.

Dan:

It's interesting that if the team just doesn't do as well as expected the manager gets axed with nary a thought. But in an EXTREME case of manager/player strife management invariably comes down on the side of the manager as a sign to show who is boss.

The fact is that MOST ballplayers are pretty reasonable guys. Don't make too many whacky moves and don't mess with their heads and players will follow just about anyone.

Which is why I am pretty sure Yost is safe in Milwaukee. If Ed Wade was willing to side with Bowa and ship Rolen out of town then someone like Bill Hall has no chance.

But it's certainly possible that I don't recall all the Philly details from that time. Perhaps a fan can fill in my memory gaps......

Coming in late, I guess Rodder is right. Ed Wade wasn't really laughably bad. I guess the best things you can say about him is he generally has a sense of value (except for middle relievers) both of the players he's trading and trading for. And he has a sense that the farm system matters, although the Phils didn't produce much depth under him. He did recognize their few, real stars in the system as well as you could expect, given the Thome logjam at first. He took the NL East team with the second-highest payroll and steered them into second place a bunch of times. I think the Orioles would settle for that over their recent production. But there's no spark of creativity there. He never once made a move that had me clapping my hands, nor did he seem capable of re-addressing problems that came up over the course of the season. The team sank a couple of good shots because he couldn't get Placido over to third base and eat Bell's contract.

It has always seemed like Wade is the type of GM that can survive making some pretty bad mistakes and still salvage a decent team most of the time. You get a decent team out of the deal, but it's hard appreciate that while wondering what might have been without the mistakes.


If Ed Wade was willing to side with Bowa and ship Rolen out of town then someone like Bill Hall has no chance.

Hall would look really nice in a Twins uniform. Third base, second base, CF....they could use 3 of him actually.

In the end, he had to trade Rolen because Rolen and Bowa couldn't get along. The rest of the team also hated Bowa, and it seemed as if every year Bowa had his team quit on him.

But in an EXTREME case of manager/player strife management invariably comes down on the side of the manager as a sign to show who is boss.

In Philly there was also the issue that the phans LOVED, absolutely irrationally LOVED Bowa- the most similar fan/manager love I can recall was in NY and Billy Martin (at times).

The Phillies won 86 games his first year, and finished 2nd by one game. The year before they were 65-97. So it's easy to see why they'd love him after 2001, local hero, former Phillie, etc etc.
The improvement from 2000 to 2001 was attributed to Bowa. I think after 2003 it was pretty obvious to everyone outside the Phillie phanbase that Bowa was part of the problem and had to go. His firing after 2004 was NOT a popular decision in Philly.

AFK... cutting myself...

I'm a Phillies fan who actually sees some value in Ed Wade. He's not super, granted, but I don't think he's deserving of the criticism that he gets. Their drafts during his tenure were pretty good, at least as far as bringing in top-line talent (though I don't know how much of that was Arbuckle). The middle relief fetish was annoying, but I don't know if he ever gave away anything of value in those deals, plus you'd think that would be the type of thing a GM would learn from. (Plus, I don't know how much of that was Bowa's need for proven relievers.) I don't remember him distinguishing himself much before the Phillies were awarded their new stadium and stopped crying poor mouth, except for the Abreu trade (though that was a couple months before he officially took over, and there's argument about how much of that was him).

It's easy to laugh at his legacy after the fact, but the Phils really were favorites to break the Braves' string in 2004 thanks to some well-spent money (except the Bell deal when Utley seemed to have nothing left to prove at AAA) ... much like this year, they had a rotation that looked great on paper yet ended up missing about a month or two of starts when all was said and done. I'd fault him for not having a solid 6th starter stashed at AAA and having to fish for Paul Abbott instead, but the team's general construction was solid.

Post 90 in this thread really hits on what lousy luck the Phils have had this decade ... just random horrible seasons from Burrell, Byrd, Myers, and Milwood; the starting staff falling apart in 2004; Bowa stubbornly sticking with his guy, Jose Mesa, in 2003; Wagner blowing back-to-back games against the Astros in 2004 (with some help from Bell). I loosely figured out that, based on VORP, their losing the Wild Card in '05 could be solely attributed to their own pitchers not hitting well and allowing opposing pitchers to knock the cover off the ball. In the Rolen and Schilling trades he really had his hands tied, and, again, the young talent he received back looks lousy now, but Lee, Smith, and, to a lesser extent, Daal had pretty good value at the time.

I don't know how far above mediocrity I'd put Wade, but I've always said that he has to be the unluckiest GM I've ever seen.

I thought Dallas Green also had a hand in the running off of Rolen...

"I thought Dallas Green also had a hand in the running off of Rolen..."

I think you're right.

Disconcerting speculation about Amaro here. I'm taking solace in the fact that Jake is wrong basically 90% of the time, though it's that other 10% that worries me.

Hall would look really nice in a Twins uniform. Third base, second base, CF....they could use 3 of him actually.

I'd like to place an order for 6, delivered to Camden Yards. thanks.

seeing as how bill hall for some unknown reason is unwanted in milwaukee, my astros will take him

besides we NEED a brotha on the team!!!!!!!

bbc:

I seriously doubt Melvin would deal a player like that within the division. If it was NL it would be with someone where a comfort level exists such as Atlanta. Otherwise, it's the AL.

If Hall is traded then Yost is Milwaukee's manager for as long as he wants. I am beginning to suspect that Doug REALLY believes Ned is the next Bobby Cox.

Sigh..............

I don't know much about this guy, but didn't he draft Utley, Hamels, Burrell, Myers, and JD Drew and Gavin Floyd? And also the Phillies did well for a few years towards the end of his tenure.

I think Mike Arbuckle is supposed to be the great draft-er for the Phillies.

(And when did Amaro turn from bright, young up-and-coming GM-in-waiting into "guy-to-be-avoided"? )

In Philly there was also the issue that the phans LOVED, absolutely irrationally LOVED Bowa- the most similar fan/manager love I can recall was in NY and Billy Martin (at times).

Not true. Bowa did have a constituency in Philadelphia, but after Rolen was pushed out, and the team began underachieving, there were a large number of Phillies fans who couldn't wait for Bowa to be gone. And that's one of the biggest black marks against Wade: the hiring of Bowa had all sorts of negative effects on the franchise.

Under Wade, the Phillies developed a few star position players, but continually lacked pitching. It continues to this day. The penchant for acquiring aged, bad, veteran relievers was not just a habit. Young pitching went out the door to feed this habit. And if you look at who came in, you can see how it damaged the franchise. The disastrous Turk Wendell trade alone cost the Phillies a division title in 2002. Jose Mesa, Roberto Hernandez, Mike Williams. the list goes on.

And that's a big issue, the perception that the Phillies underachieved given the money they spent.

By the way, it was rumored that Wade wanted to trade Ryan Howard, but it was vetoed by Montgomery. Basically he himself is not a baseball man, and lacks any personal ability to evaluate players. He relied on Bowa and certain scouts to make decisions about trades (Curt Schilling trade "the scouts told me these were the players"). GMs should rely on scouts, but need to have a feel for it themselves.

The Phillies are the most old-fashioned of organizations, and Wade was right in line with that. No new techniques or statistical scouting, and no recognition that players over thirty can suddenly lose their ability to perform, or start getting chronic injuries.

Also, there were reports that basically he's a very nasty person. I viewed Wade as a big problem, and was glad to see him go.

If Yost can't get Sheets to start 2 more times this year, he should be fired.

Anti-Yost feeling is EVERYWHERE!

wow - I'm really late if I wanted to throw in some Alfonseca for Hunter Pence jokes.

#59

Placido Polanco for Ugueth Urbina.

Why do people assume Amaro would be a bad hire? Is it because he comes from a scouting background instead of saber background?
If so thats absurd.

Is it because he didnt hit major league pitching and thus people think he will love non-hitters?
I'm assuming thats not it.

Im not making these guesses out to be accusations, im honestly curious. I dont get it.
I'm not in a position to know if the guy knows what hes doing but the people who would be (front office types) seem to think hes good, plus hes been involved on the scouting side of some good drafts.
Again, I dont know if hes good or not but i know that everyone laughing about him here knows just as little as i do so why not give the benefit of the doubt to those who might know a thing or two?

Ugh, I wish I hadnt read that BuccoBlog I saw link. Some real tripe in there

I think it's because he was trained in the Phillies front office.

For those interested, I did a GM in a Box for Ed Wade before the 2003 season. Here 'tis.

My opinion of Wade is that he is a retail shopper like no other GM. He doesn't really overpay, but he signs everyone for about what they are worth if things go well, which means everyone is a bit overpaid. He typically doesn't have any complete misses like a Carl Pavano or how J.D. Drew is looking this year, but the players invariably look overpaid because they get injured or they regress a little bit. The big mess he left in Philly was so much guaranteed money that they had very little roster flexibility.

He never has success on the bargain bin. For instance, they would never have gotten a Josh Bard and Cla Meredith in a trade and successful plugged them in. He does pretty aggressively promote from within and the Phillies have broken in a lot of homegrown talent. Whether that talent is there in the first place due to Wade is open for discussion. Arbuckle usually gets a lot of credit for the drafts.

Random comments on other posts:
Millwood for a backup catcher.. Ahem, that wasn't Todd Pratt or somebody of that ilk, it was Johnny Estrada, who has had a useful career as a starting catcher.
Also, Millwood, Wagner, Milton and Lidle were all in the last year of their contracts, IIRC, so those trades must be viewed in that context.

Wade is the GM definition of meh. There is a little overreaction here but if I were an Astros fan, I'd be sighing a sigh and wondering how many years it will take this franchise to win a WS. Let's see 47 + (Length of Wade tenure) + ... = ?

If it's any consolation, it did take the Phils 97 years to win a WS. So the odds are still in your favor to come in under that mark.

You have my sympathy.

Speaking of J.D. Drew, I'm now recalling all the people who made fun of the Cubs for giving Soriano a megadeal when "superior player" J.D. Drew was available for less. It's only been a year, but still. (The irony is, the knock on Drew was his inability to stay healthy, especially compared to Soriano's excellent durability. Drew's actually played more games than Soriano this year, but Soriano's been a much better player despite his injuries, and despite his not having a particularly good year [offensively] by his own standards.)

Under Wade, the Phillies developed a few star position players, but continually lacked pitching. It continues to this day. The penchant for acquiring aged, bad, veteran relievers was not just a habit. Young pitching went out the door to feed this habit. And if you look at who came in, you can see how it damaged the franchise. The disastrous Turk Wendell trade alone cost the Phillies a division title in 2002. Jose Mesa, Roberto Hernandez, Mike Williams. the list goes on.

This sounds alot like Wayne Krivsky.