Matt Klentak Named Phillies General Manager and Vice President

The Philadelphia Phillies‘ search for a new vice president and general manager is over, as the team announced the hiring of Matt Klentak on Monday morning.

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe first reported Klentak’s hiring on Saturday, which ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick confirmed at the time.

The Phillies were in the market for a general manager after announcing Sept. 10 they would not be renewing the contract of Ruben Amaro Jr., who had been in charge since November 2008.

Andy MacPhail, who is entering his first offseason with the Phillies as president of baseball operations, said when the search for a new general manager started that the organization wanted to cast a big net to ensure it brought in the best person for the job, per Jack McCaffery of the Delaware County Daily Times:

I would think it would be a mistake if we pigeon-hole ourselves into saying, “We’re going to go for young analytics,” or “We’re going to go for an experienced baseball guy.” I see that out there with other clubs. Why would you restrict your ability to talk to whoever you want? I think you have a responsibility, like I said two months ago, to look at everything.

Klentak previously worked with MacPhail in Baltimore. He spent the past four seasons as an assistant general manager with the Los Angeles Angels under Jerry Dipoto and interviewed for their GM vacancy after Dipoto resigned in July. 

A new era of Phillies baseball has arrived, and there are many reasons to be optimistic despite a 63-99 record in 2015. They were able to integrate young, promising talent like Aaron Nola and Maikel Franco into the big leagues this season. 

There should be more high-upside talent on the way, such as shortstop J.P. Crawford, and MacPhail and Klentak can shape the roster in its image with the winter meetings approaching in December. 

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