Report: Rueben Amaro Jr. to Succeed Gillick as Phillies GMby Brian Joseph on Sunday, November 2, 2008 11:51 am EST
According to the Philadelphia Daily News, a source “close to the situation” revealed that Phillies club president Dave Montgomery met with Mike Arbuckle on Friday to inform him he had lost out to Ruben Amaro Jr. who is expected to be announced as the team’s new general manager on Monday.
The pending announcement of Amaro who was often the public voice and visible arm of the front office for GM Pat Gillick is not a surprise. Amaro was the team’s batboy from 1980 to 1983, his father played for the Phillies and worked within the organization and Amaro played for the team in 1992 and 1993 as well as from 1996 to 1998.
According to the story, Arbuckle informed Montgomery that he would be leaving the organization to pursue other opportunities.
The loss of Arbuckle, 58, could have a huge effect on the scouting and development department which Arbuckle helms. Under Arbuckle’s guidance the team drafted Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Madson, Cole Hamels and Pat Burrell.