GM Wade Canned

[Providence A's]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2186589

PHILADELPHIA -- Ed Wade was fired as general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday after failing to get them into the playoffs during his eight years on the job.


"This was a very difficult decision. No one works harder than Ed, and he has served this organization extraordinarily well for over 16 years," team president David Montgomery said in a statement.


"At the same time, we have not been able to achieve the goals we have set for the Phillies. As a result, I believe we have reached a point where a change is necessary."


Philadelphia finished this season at 88-74, one game behind NL wild-card winner Houston.


The Phillies haven't reached the playoffs since 1993, and have won just one championship (1980) in the franchise's 123-year history.


Wade, 49, has two years remaining on his contract and it's unknown whether he'll remain in the organization. He was very unpopular in Philadelphia, especially after he hired Charlie Manuel as manager to replace Larry Bowa.

[RockSports17]

I always felt Wade did a great job with the Phillies bringing in Thome, trying to get the team to move to the next level. But he just hasn't been succesful. It was time for them to wish each other good luck and part ways. It'll be interesting to see who the Phillies bring in to try and get some life into the Phillies so they'll be able to make the playoffs.

[love_that_reefer]

I think Wade did a lousy job as GM and he was not liked by Phillie fans. Another GM up for grabs.

[RockSports17]

Really? Never talked to any Phillie fans on their thoughts of him. But I always thought Phillies did ok in trying to improve. Ah well. It'll all be about who replaces Wade now anyways.

[realmofotalk]

Wade traded Schilling for Travis Lee, Omar Daal, Vicente Padilla, and Nelson Figueroa. Wade also traded Rolen for Polanco, Timlin, and Bud Smith. Enough said.

[love_that_reefer]

He did some good things but around the trade deadline he always let this team down. This year he got Urbina and Michael Tucker. Not exactly moves to get you in the playoffs. He did sign Rollins through 2010 which is good. Getting Thome was just not enough.

[RockSports17]

Not trying to defend the Schilling trade. While in Philly both Lee and Figueroa played well. I still consider Padilla a decent pitcher when he can stay healthy. Daal, not the greatest, but he's servicable. Not quite an equal return for Schilling, but it's not horrible.

As for Rolen, IIRC, Rolen and the Phillies relationship wasn't the greatest. Polanco turned into a good player. Mike Timlin wasn't horrible as a Phillie, and since has turned into a great RP. Bud Smith was never really given a chance in Philly at the ML level, but had the potential.

Maybe Wade didn't get the best return for Rolen or Schilling, but it can't be all of his fault. Why not just wish him good luck and say that he had a decent tenure. Under Wade the Phillies went 555-578 which is a .490 winning percentage. Not to mention, he brought in Pat Burrel, Abreu, Utley, Ryan Howard, Madsen, etc., etc. He wasn't the greatest GM in baseball, but he surely wasn't the worst I've ever seen.

[love_that_reefer]

.490 winning percentage is terrible but for all the big name guys you just mentioned. People don't keep jobs when you are below average.

[MarinersFan87]

.490 winning percentage is terrible but for all the big name guys you just mentioned.

Sounds like you should have more of a problem with the managers than the GM then.

[love_that_reefer]

They fired their managers. This was Charlie Manuel's first year and almost got them to the playoffs without help from the GM.

[RockSports17]

.490 winning percentage is terrible but for all the big name guys you just mentioned. People don't keep jobs when you are below average.

Well he kept his job for 8 years, so the people who worked with him everyday must've thought he was doing something right. I'm not sitting here praising him, but I'm not going to sit here and knock him down either.

[RockSports17]

They fired their managers. This was Charlie Manuel's first year and almost got them to the playoffs without help from the GM.

Well, I wonder if Philadelphia changed their minds about Manuel then. Because here's a nice quote:

Wade, 49, has two years remaining on his contract and it's unknown whether he'll remain in the organization. He was very unpopular in Philadelphia, especially after he hired Charlie Manuel as manager to replace Larry Bowa.

Wade actually did something good? Because he did hire Manuel, who in your words, "almost got them to the playoffs without help from the GM."

[MarinersFan87]

They fired their managers. This was Charlie Manuel's first year and almost got them to the playoffs without help from the GM.

Exactly. The Phils have almost always had one of the most talented teams in the league under Wade, yet underacheived, how is that Wade's fault? And I don't see why he didn't get any help from the GM this year? Seems like Wade did a good job of fielding a playoff caliber team to me. You can't really point to many bad moves, both Rolen and Schilling wanted out of Philly, he pretty much had to make those moves.

[love_that_reefer]

Because Wade never did anything at the trade deadline to get that team over the top. It was let down after let down. Larry Bowa was a god to those Phillie fans because he got them a World Series so naturally they weren't happy with Bowa's firing. Phillie fans have been *****ing about Wade for years now and you better belive they are throwing parties tonight. And don't think Wade had nothing to do with Schilling and Rolen being unhappy. Wade was a poor GM and there is no getting around it. GM's with that record shoud be fired.

[Kingdom]

Bud Smith once had a couple of good starts, several odd years ago.