Klentak out as Phils GM after another late collapse
inability to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to the postseason or even a single winning season cost him his job as general manager.
Klentak stepped down after a third straight September collapse left the team out of the postseason for the ninth consecutive season. The 40-yearold will be reassigned to another position in the organization and Ned Rice will serve as interim general manager until the Phillies hire someone to run baseball operations.
“We've made progress but we haven't made enough progress fast enough,” Phillies managing partner
said.
Klentak was hired in October 2015 by team President
after serving as assistant general manager for the Los Angeles Angels for four seasons. The Phillies were 326-382 in five seasons under
Klentak.
Beyond that, the organization has struggled to develop talent in the minors leagues. The Phillies had the worst bullpen ERA in the majors this season and it didn't improve after Klentak acquired four veterans in trades. Each of those relievers pitched poorly after their arrival.
“I think the problem the Phillies have had for 100 years is they don't evaluate talent,” Middleton said, citing two periods of successful player development around the World Series championship teams in 1980 and 2008. “That's a problem that's haunted us. It was the No. 1 mandate I gave Andy and Matt when they came in and we're better than we were but we aren't nearly good enough.”
Klentak's biggest move was signing Bryce Harper to a $330 million, 13-year deal, though
Middleton played a major role in that. Klentak also acquired catcher J.T. Realmuto from the Miami Marlins, trading away top pitching prospect Sixto Sanchez to get him.
But Klentak failed to sign Realmuto to a contract extension and he is set to become a free agent after the World Series.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Alexandru Mitrita scored twice in the first half to lead New York City FC to a 3-2 victory over Inter Miami on Saturday night.
New York City (7-6-2) has won consecutive games since a loss to Toronto 1-0 on Sept. 23 snapped a six-game unbeaten streak. Inter Miami (3-10-2) has lost three straight.
Mitrita scored in the fourth and 43rd minute, and Anton Tinnerholm in the 35th for NYCFC. Alexander Ring assisted on all three goals. Mitrita has four goals in his last two games.
Lewis Morgan scored in the 27th minute for Miami, and scored again in the 38th to tie the match at 2.
Miami's Julian Carranza had an apparent goal reversed on an offside penalty following a video review in the 88th minute. Goalkeeper Sean Johnson also stopped Carranza's leftfooted shot in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time. Johnson finished with three saves.
RED BULLS FALL
ORLANDO, Fla. — Daryl Dike and Junior Urso scored and Orlando City beat the Red
Bulls 3-1 on Saturday.
Orlando City (8-2-5) stretched its league-best unbeaten streak to nine while the Red Bulls (6-7-2) had their two-match win streak snapped.
Dike scored on a header on a cross from Kyle Smith in the 24th minute for his fourth goal of the season. Urso shot from the center of the 6-yard box and just underneath the crossbar in the 50th.
Four minutes later, Orlando City defender Kamal Miller tried to clear the ball and it ended up with Florian Valot in the middle of the field. Valot then fired a cross to Daniel Royer, but it hit Royer's thigh and Valot scored off the deflection for the Red Bulls from just outside the 6.
Antonio Carlos added a goal in the fifth minute of secondhalf stoppage time for Orlando City.