GaryMrMets
08-03-2004, 12:55 AM
http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/9299702.htm
Posted on Mon, Aug. 02, 2004
Bill Conlin | Light their fires, Monty
Wade's trade-deadline performance puts him in same boat with skipper: Sink it!
By Bill Conlin
bill1chair@aol.com
THE CUBS got Nomar. Ed Wade got nowhere...
This column is directed to you, Dave Montgomery. I've known you since you joined the Phillies' front office in 1971, when Veterans Stadium was new and we thought it was the greatest ballpark ever built. A lot of water has flowed under the dam since then, to borrow from Paul Owens. Now you're the club president and CEO in a brilliant retro park that will host close to 3.4 million fans before this inaugural season ends.
I've always admired your business acumen and was aware your stewardship - and that of Bill Giles before you - was compromised by the anchor of the oppressive stadium lease you just escaped. Isn't it nice to finally have money?
So much for compliments...
You've probably noticed that Ed Wade, your personal general manager hire, didn't have a very good week. It started with an out-of-character - or was it? - flameout involving a published report that pitching coach Joe Kerrigan was about to be fired. It quickly deteriorated to a shouting match with a reporter. Wade followed that act with the bizarre Bright House Retreat, hauling advisers Ruben Amaro Jr., Mike Arbuckle and Dallas Green off to the Phillies' Winter Palace for confabs and consultations of the trading kind. He left an 1,100-mile trail of white feathers. Ed going bonkers in the bunker was the entertainment highlight of Trade Week. When I was there Thursday night to watch 6-4 righthander Alfredo Simon pitch his third consecutive complete game, I could have sworn there was a pink panther in the dugout next to Mike Schmidt. Now I know why Arbuckle and Amaro did a 180-degree spin back to the offices when they saw me. Alfredo and his 94-95 mph heat was about to be traded.
You know how the week ended...
The Cubs got Nomar. Ed Wade got nowhere.
The guy collects setup relievers the way memorabilia buffs collect autographed baseballs - although I doubt anyone would be interested in balls bearing the signatures of Mike Williams, Roberto Hernandez, Geoff Geary and newly acquired Felix Rodriguez and Todd Jones.
A Phillies front-office man hasn't had a week as bad since 1917, when owner William Baker traded Grover Cleveland Alexander to the Cubs for a 5-7 catcher named Pickles Dillhoefer and an even less distinguished turkey.
The Mets, who still think they are in an East race that is turning into another Braves runaway, took lefthanded phenom Scott Kazmir off the untouchable list and used the slender 20-year-old to lead a package for Devil Rays ace Victor Zambrano. They already had snatched away a pitcher Wade coveted, Kris Benson, by sweetening the package with Matt Peterson, another top-rated prospect.
Wade promoted one of his untouchable minor league pitchers, Gavin Floyd, to Triple A along with slugger Ryan Howard. Sorry about that home-run record, Ryan.) Several minor league prospect evaluations, including MLB.com, now rate Kazmir ahead of Floyd.
The Cubs got Nomar. Ed Wade got nowhere...
Dave, I'm sure you remember when trading prospects got the Pope Tug McGraw, when trading prospects (including lefthanded wunderkind Tommy Underwood) got him Bake McBride. I'm sure you haven't forgotten the deal that sent setup man/backup closer Gene Garber to the Braves for Dick Ruthven. Those moves ultimately led to that lonely 1980 World Series title.
And how great did John Stearns, Underwood, Garber, Mac Scarce or any of the throw-ins Paul Owens traded turn out to be?
If you look at your ballclub's dismal record of drafting and developing pitchers during your 33 years, Dave, there's a better chance Ed McMahon will pull up at your house in the sweepstakes truck than there is of Gavin Floyd being the next Robin Roberts. Can I list all the Gavin Floyds who have gone bust on you since then? Nah, you don't have the time, so I'll give you one name: Tyler Green.
While Wade was being duly diligent far from the madding scribes ignoble strife, Marlins GM Larry Beinfest amazed baseball and also officially anointed Dodgers clueless GM Paul DePodesta as MLB village idiot. When the smoke cleared, the Fish had the league's most potent setup man, Guillermo Mota, inspirational catcher Paul Lo Duca and had reacquired 2003 rightfielder Juan Encarnacion. DePodesta got Brad Penny, Hee Seop Choi, top pitching prospect Bill Murphy and what was left of a trick cigar that blew up in his face.
He had torn the guts out of his first-place club, then failed to land either Charles Johnson or Randy Johnson, the linchpins of the deal.
You gave a bucket of money to Ed Wade the last two seasons, Dave, and he spent it. What he built with it is a .500 team with a station-to-station offense and a starting staff that needs 100 pitches to go six innings. I don't know which words most aptly sum up the feelings of the ballclub for the edgy manager and overbearing pitching coach. But "hate" and "despise" come to mind. I won't bring up Scott Rolen, J.D. Drew or Curt Schilling if you don't.
One thing I know about you, Dave, is you like to win. I also know that despite your Wharton School background and all those MLB committees you serve on, you're a Phillies fan.
It is never easy for a CEO to step away from his emotions and do the right thing.
And the right thing now, really the only thing, is to fire up the Enola Gay, take the key to the box containing the launch codes firmly in your right hand and ...
Fire Ed Wade. Fire Larry Bowa. Fire Joe Kerrigan. Salvage what you can of the season with Dallas Green steering the ship as interim GM. Let Charlie Manuel finish the season as interim manager. Launch an immediate and exhaustive search for a baseball man who has both the seat-of-his-pants intuitions that come with having played the game professionally and the ability to compete with the Theo Epstein generation of cyber-GMs.
Since the Carpenters bought the Phillies in 1943, only one man who held the title of general manager has been fired. It was Lee Thomas, who won you a pennant in 1993. You fired him, Dave.
It is time to throw the switch again.
The Cubs got Nomar. Ed Wade got nowhere...
Posted on Mon, Aug. 02, 2004
Bill Conlin | Light their fires, Monty
Wade's trade-deadline performance puts him in same boat with skipper: Sink it!
By Bill Conlin
bill1chair@aol.com
THE CUBS got Nomar. Ed Wade got nowhere...
This column is directed to you, Dave Montgomery. I've known you since you joined the Phillies' front office in 1971, when Veterans Stadium was new and we thought it was the greatest ballpark ever built. A lot of water has flowed under the dam since then, to borrow from Paul Owens. Now you're the club president and CEO in a brilliant retro park that will host close to 3.4 million fans before this inaugural season ends.
I've always admired your business acumen and was aware your stewardship - and that of Bill Giles before you - was compromised by the anchor of the oppressive stadium lease you just escaped. Isn't it nice to finally have money?
So much for compliments...
You've probably noticed that Ed Wade, your personal general manager hire, didn't have a very good week. It started with an out-of-character - or was it? - flameout involving a published report that pitching coach Joe Kerrigan was about to be fired. It quickly deteriorated to a shouting match with a reporter. Wade followed that act with the bizarre Bright House Retreat, hauling advisers Ruben Amaro Jr., Mike Arbuckle and Dallas Green off to the Phillies' Winter Palace for confabs and consultations of the trading kind. He left an 1,100-mile trail of white feathers. Ed going bonkers in the bunker was the entertainment highlight of Trade Week. When I was there Thursday night to watch 6-4 righthander Alfredo Simon pitch his third consecutive complete game, I could have sworn there was a pink panther in the dugout next to Mike Schmidt. Now I know why Arbuckle and Amaro did a 180-degree spin back to the offices when they saw me. Alfredo and his 94-95 mph heat was about to be traded.
You know how the week ended...
The Cubs got Nomar. Ed Wade got nowhere.
The guy collects setup relievers the way memorabilia buffs collect autographed baseballs - although I doubt anyone would be interested in balls bearing the signatures of Mike Williams, Roberto Hernandez, Geoff Geary and newly acquired Felix Rodriguez and Todd Jones.
A Phillies front-office man hasn't had a week as bad since 1917, when owner William Baker traded Grover Cleveland Alexander to the Cubs for a 5-7 catcher named Pickles Dillhoefer and an even less distinguished turkey.
The Mets, who still think they are in an East race that is turning into another Braves runaway, took lefthanded phenom Scott Kazmir off the untouchable list and used the slender 20-year-old to lead a package for Devil Rays ace Victor Zambrano. They already had snatched away a pitcher Wade coveted, Kris Benson, by sweetening the package with Matt Peterson, another top-rated prospect.
Wade promoted one of his untouchable minor league pitchers, Gavin Floyd, to Triple A along with slugger Ryan Howard. Sorry about that home-run record, Ryan.) Several minor league prospect evaluations, including MLB.com, now rate Kazmir ahead of Floyd.
The Cubs got Nomar. Ed Wade got nowhere...
Dave, I'm sure you remember when trading prospects got the Pope Tug McGraw, when trading prospects (including lefthanded wunderkind Tommy Underwood) got him Bake McBride. I'm sure you haven't forgotten the deal that sent setup man/backup closer Gene Garber to the Braves for Dick Ruthven. Those moves ultimately led to that lonely 1980 World Series title.
And how great did John Stearns, Underwood, Garber, Mac Scarce or any of the throw-ins Paul Owens traded turn out to be?
If you look at your ballclub's dismal record of drafting and developing pitchers during your 33 years, Dave, there's a better chance Ed McMahon will pull up at your house in the sweepstakes truck than there is of Gavin Floyd being the next Robin Roberts. Can I list all the Gavin Floyds who have gone bust on you since then? Nah, you don't have the time, so I'll give you one name: Tyler Green.
While Wade was being duly diligent far from the madding scribes ignoble strife, Marlins GM Larry Beinfest amazed baseball and also officially anointed Dodgers clueless GM Paul DePodesta as MLB village idiot. When the smoke cleared, the Fish had the league's most potent setup man, Guillermo Mota, inspirational catcher Paul Lo Duca and had reacquired 2003 rightfielder Juan Encarnacion. DePodesta got Brad Penny, Hee Seop Choi, top pitching prospect Bill Murphy and what was left of a trick cigar that blew up in his face.
He had torn the guts out of his first-place club, then failed to land either Charles Johnson or Randy Johnson, the linchpins of the deal.
You gave a bucket of money to Ed Wade the last two seasons, Dave, and he spent it. What he built with it is a .500 team with a station-to-station offense and a starting staff that needs 100 pitches to go six innings. I don't know which words most aptly sum up the feelings of the ballclub for the edgy manager and overbearing pitching coach. But "hate" and "despise" come to mind. I won't bring up Scott Rolen, J.D. Drew or Curt Schilling if you don't.
One thing I know about you, Dave, is you like to win. I also know that despite your Wharton School background and all those MLB committees you serve on, you're a Phillies fan.
It is never easy for a CEO to step away from his emotions and do the right thing.
And the right thing now, really the only thing, is to fire up the Enola Gay, take the key to the box containing the launch codes firmly in your right hand and ...
Fire Ed Wade. Fire Larry Bowa. Fire Joe Kerrigan. Salvage what you can of the season with Dallas Green steering the ship as interim GM. Let Charlie Manuel finish the season as interim manager. Launch an immediate and exhaustive search for a baseball man who has both the seat-of-his-pants intuitions that come with having played the game professionally and the ability to compete with the Theo Epstein generation of cyber-GMs.
Since the Carpenters bought the Phillies in 1943, only one man who held the title of general manager has been fired. It was Lee Thomas, who won you a pennant in 1993. You fired him, Dave.
It is time to throw the switch again.
The Cubs got Nomar. Ed Wade got nowhere...