UPDATE: Amaro is one of a small group of finalists for the position, tweets Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. However, a final decision has not been reached according to his sources.
Former Phillies GM Ruben Amaro seems to have found a new job — he’ll serve as the Red Sox’ first base coach, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe tweets. This is somewhat surprising news. Amaro played for eight years as an outfielder in the big leagues, but he’s never served as a coach, and the path from GM to first base coach is seldom traveled. (Amaro did briefly play with current Red Sox manager John Farrell on the 1995 Indians, which might partially explain why he’s now turning up on the Red Sox’ staff.) Amaro became an assistant GM for the Phillies right after his playing career ended, then advanced to become GM before being fired last month. His father, Ruben Amaro Sr., was once a first base coach with the Phillies. Here are a couple additional notes on front offices.
- The loss of special assistant Jim Benedict to the Marlins is a significant one for the Pirates, Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. Benedict has been a key part of the Pirates’ very successful pitching program, and his ability to blend old-school scouting and new-school tools is rare. The Bucs’ ability to cheaply acquire struggling pitchers like Francisco Liriano, J.A. Happ and Edinson Volquez and help them improve has been key to the team’s recent success, and it remains to be seen how losing Benedict will affect them. Sawchik also notes that Benedict will take on an expanded role with the Marlins, helping with the draft and with evaluations of potential acquisitions as well as working with pitchers already in the organization.
- With former assistant GM Billy Eppler taking over as GM of the Angels, the Yankees have promoted Tim Naehring to take over his role, although not his title, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets. (Cafardo first tweeted that Naehring would receive a significant promotion.) Naehring had previously been a scout with the Yankees.
Amaro is a very smart baseball guy. Just keep him away from the business side of the game, and he should be good. With that said, he was never much of a base stealer, so 1B coach is kinda weird.
Wasn’t Ruby responsible for sending 1st base coach Davey Lopes packing?
Honestly, I am surprised the Red Sox would want him.
You’re surprised the Red Sox want a guy because he let a 1B coach walk in FA 4 years ago?
Not sure how to feel about Amaro. That’s a really long way to fall from GM to first base coach. Good on him for not being too proud to take the job.
Pretty sure his goal is to be a manger and since there is only one Miami Marlins his only chance to get there is ether as a coach on an MLB team or maybe as a manger in the minors. Probably wants to stay at the big league level, and the Sox are a good team to go with. Red Sox look like they want to get as many good baseball minds on board as possible.
It would have to be his goal to be a manager as that would be the only logical reason to take the job. As far a “good baseball minds” are concerned, I think the jury is still out on Amaro as fitting that bill. I guess I see what’s in it for him, but I’m not sure exactly what’s in it for the Red Sox.
He must know alot about the game. He played and was a GM. I doubt anyone is gonna let him hand out a $125 loyalty contact from the first base coaches box.
Just because he isn’t allowed to give out contracts doesn’t make him a “good baseball mind.” If you fail miserably as the company’s CEO it doesn’t mean I’d want you running the mail room. Regardless of whatever you learned in the front office.
I don’t really see where you are coming from. I would assume he has a very good depth of baseball knowledge. He played eight years in the MLB then was in the front office for over 15 years. He was a very poor GM but he did leave the Phillies in a decent postion to rebuild. We are not sitting in on the interview process. For six years this guy was one of the top decision makers in baseball. Now he is a first base coach with no power. He is going to only be involved in the baseball side. It shows that he is someone willing to look past their ego and try to start over. I mean there is not much he could do that could hurt the Sox. As much you,me and everyone probably hate to admit it, he probably knows a ton about the game and could be useful as long as no one lets him near a checkbook.
From GM to first base coach? Way more awkward than the situations with Dan Jennings
Do the Phillies play the Sox next year in inter-league ball? That would give Amaro a chance to catch up with his old pal Ryan Howard.
What’s the big deal? It’s not like the first base coach has a lot to do. As long as he can clap and say “good going” after a single, then he should be okay.
“Interesting” to say the least.
The Good Old Boy System is alive and well in Major League Baseball, where Contacts not performance can get you a Job !
A Job? Not sure what the Bible has to do with being a first base coach, unless the Sox pick up Jesus Montero.
He would be taking a huge paycut and a position with way less power. He has tons of experience. Theres no reason a team couldn’t use hm. Its not like he is gonna be a GM again anytime soon.
Breaking: Ben Cherington joins Phillies’ grounds crew.
Former Red Sox player now being the assistant gm of the Yankees. Tim Naehring, a man who had a replica of Fenway built in his hometown