The Phillies added general manager Matt Klentak this offseason, but the organization mostly remained the same. Today the Phillies announced several changes to their front office. One is the addition of an assistant general manager, while another will no longer fill that role. Plus, the general manager who brought the Phillies their last World Series championship will be sticking around.
The Phillies officially named Ned Rice assistant general manager. A report out of MASN in Baltimore first named Rice as heading to the Phillies a couple weeks ago, though the formal announcement came today. Rice was most recently the director of Major League administration for the Baltimore Orioles. Rice worked with both Phillies president Andy MacPhail and Klentak when both were with the Baltimore Orioles organization.
Not returning to his assistant general manager role is Benny Looper. Looper joined the Phillies organization in 2008 and oversaw the minor league development and scouting programs. Looper is 67 years old and this could be his de facto retirement. Looper will remain as a senior advisor for international operations.
The Phillies added their first analytics position when they hired Scott Feldman in October, 2013. Feldman has been promoted to director of baseball operations, the role that Klentak once held under MacPhail in Baltimore. Before coming to the Phillies, Feldman worked in the commissioner's office from 2007 through 2013.
One new hire is coming to the Phillies organization in Lewis Pollis. Pollis will be an analyst for baseball research and development. Pollis, just 23 years old, interned with the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians. It sounds like the Phillies are adding another analytics mind to the organization.
Finally, Pat Gillick will remain with the Phillies organization as a senior advisor to the president and general manager. At one point Gillick indicated that he was not sure what he would do when his president term is up. Occasionally, Gillick's name would appear in rumors with other clubs for front office positions. Gillick is now 78 years old and entering his 11th season with the Phillies.
These moves also mean that there will be plenty of holdovers from the previous administration. Key baseball operations names sticking around include assistant general manager Scott Proefrock and director of scouting Joe Jordan. Both worked under MacPhail in Baltimore.
