October 09, 2015
The Phillies haven't always been known as the most progressive organization in baseball, but with Andy MacPhail's new regime taking over and John Middleton stepping forward to give a voice to what had previously been a silent ownership group, perhaps that's going to change ... in a big way.
Since firing general manager Ruben Amaro in early September, the Phillies have finished the season with the worst record in baseball -- although they were able to avoid their first 100-loss season since 1961. They've also signed interim manager Pete Mackanin, who took over for Ryne Sandberg midway through the season, to a one-year extension, but have yet to make a move towards replacing Amaro.
With the winter meetings rapidly approaching, that will likely change soon. And according to John Heyman of CBS Sports, one of the front-runners for the Phillies vacant general manager position is Kim Ng, who previously served as assistant general manager and vice president for the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers and is currently baseball's senior VP of baseball operations.
Philly has been unusually mum about its search, but it was learned that Kim Ng, the former Yankees, Dodgers and White Sox executive who works in the MLB Central office, is line for an interview there, joining Indians executive Ross Atkins, who is interviewing this week according to sources, and ex-Marlins GM Larry Beinfest, who interviewed a couple weeks back, as the three known candidates. Ng, who has parents of Chinese descent, has an interview upcoming.
Others rumored to possibly be in the mix include Angels assistant GM Matt Klentak, Royals assistant GM J.J. Piccolo, Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine and possibly ex-Red Sox GM Ben Cherington.
If hired, she would become the first female GM in American professional sports.
Ng, 46, has interviewed for other GM jobs in the past -- the Dodgers, Angels, Mariners and Padres (twice) -- but lost out to a male candidate each time.
Could the Phillies be the team to finally give her a shot? Stay tuned...
