Now that Phillies general manager Matt Klentak has "agreed to step aside," the team finds itself in need of a general manager.
Jim Salisbury of NBCSports Philadelphia came up with a list of 14 possible candidates for the job. There are some interesting names on his list. I like his thinking of raiding the front offices of teams like the Astros, Braves, Dodgers, Rays, Padres, and Yankees, because those organizations have fantastic minor league systems and a seemingly endless supply of players ready to make an impact at the major league level.
Who don't we want? Old school retreads. We don't need any dinosaurs who completely dismiss analytics—guys like Ruben Amaro Jr., Dave Dombrowski, or Dan Duquette. This team needs someone who has actually contributed to building a team within the last few years.
Or they could go for a really out-of-the box candidate, someone who knows the organization inside and out. Someone like Chase Utley, who spent some time in the Dodgers front office after he was done playing. It has next to zero chance of happening, but it's kind of fun to think about. But, like I said above, please no old-school retreads. They should absolutely let manager Joe Girardi be part of the hiring process.
