Pat Gillick Named General Manager of Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies announced on November 2, 2005 that they have hired veteran baseball front-office man, Pat Gillick, as their next General Manager. In his career that has spanned almost 40 years, Gillick has built winning teams in three cities: Toronto, Baltimore and Seattle. All in all his teams have had winning records in 16 of his last 17 full seasons, nine of which made it into the postseason. Let's take a closer look at the new Phillies General Manager.
Name:
Pat Gillick
Birthdate:
August 22, 1937
Birthplace:
Chico, California
Education:
B.A. University of Southern California (1958)
Residence:
He and his wife have a full-time residence in Toronto, where his wife runs an art gallery.
Playing Career:
Gillick pitched for the 1958 USC baseball team which won the NCAA championship. He then spent five years in the Baltimore Orioles minor league system reaching the AAA level with Rochester, Columbus, and Vancouver. His playing career ended partially due to injury.
Major League Baseball
Career:
1963-1973: Colt 45's/Houston Astos - Scout, Assistant Farm Director, Director of Scouting
1974-1976: New York Yankees - Coordinator of Player Development
1976-1994: Toronto Blue Jays - Vice President of Player Development (1976), Vice President of Baseball Operations (1977-1983), Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager (1984-1994).
1995-1998: Baltimore Orioles - General Manager
2000-2003: Seattle Mariners - General Manager
2004-2005: Seattle Mariners - part-time consultant
2005- : Philadelphia Phillies - General Manager
Career Highlights
As General Manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, Gillick led the club to five division titles (1985, 1989, 1991, 1992 and 1993) and two World Series championships (1992 and 1993).
As General Manager of the Baltimore Orioles he led the club to two playoff appearances in 1996 and 1997. In 1997 the team won its division with a 98-64 record. They lost to Cleveland in the American League Championship finals.
As General Manager of the Seattle Mariners the team compiled a record of 393-255 including a record of 116-46 in 2001. The team reached the American League Championship finals in both 2000 and 2001, losing both series to the New York Yankees.
All in all his teams have had winning records in 16 of his last 17 full seasons, nine of which made it into the postseason.
He was named Baseball Executive of the Year for 2001.
The 1992 and 1993 Blue Jays were the most popular teams in Major League history in terms of attendance.
Key Player Moves
Responsible for drafting Jesse Barfield, George Bell (Rule 5 Draft from the Phillies!), Jimmy Key, Lloyd Moseby, David Stieb, and Mark Whiten.
Traded for such stars as Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter, David Cone, and Rickey Henderson and Fred
McGriff.
Quotes
Regarding the press - "I think it’s vital to have a good relationship with the press. I think it’s very, very important to have good lines of communication, to understand their job and what they’re trying to do. I don’t want to use the word ‘accommodate’, but you have to be available as much as possible." - Scout.com
On the need for a unified philosophy - "We had an organizational philosophy but our managers bought into it. Our managers believed in it because they could see the progress we made with it. I don’t think the organization can be on one train track with the manager on another track - you have to be in it together. You have to be on the same wavelength." - Scout.com
Major Decisions to Be
Made
Gillick will immediately face major decisions when he joins the Philadelphia Phillies. He will need to decide how much further to attempt to resign closer Billy Wagner who has filed for free agency. He will need to make a decision on the first base situation with veteran Jim Thome and outstanding rookie Ryan Howard. One of these players will need to be traded. He has major issues at third base and catcher with fading veterans David Bell and Mike Lieberthal, both of which have one year left on the Phillies contract.
