PHILADELPHIA - This time Ed Wade took the fall.
A year after firing Larry Bowa as manager of the Philadelphia
Phillies, Wade was dismissed as general manager on Monday.
The Phillies (88-74) missed the playoffs for the 12th
consecutive season in 2005, finishing one game behind Houston
for the National League wild card.
"I'm very disappointed," Wade said. "I can't speculate (about
making the playoffs). We were somewhat short. If the criteria
is to make the playoffs, (then) obviously, I didn't meet the
expectations."
"This was a very difficult decision," team president David
Montgomery said. "No one works harder than Ed, and he has
served this organization extraordinarily for over 16 years. At
the same time, we have not been able to achieve the goals we
have set for the Phillies. As a result, I believe we have
reached a point where a change is necessary."
Wade, who served as Phillies' general manager since March 1998,
has done his best in recent years to snap the postseason drought
for the club, signing slugger Jim Thome before the start of the
2003 season and adding high-profile closer Billy Wagner in a
trade with the Houston Astros before the 2004 season.
Unfortunately, the moves have not paid off for the Phillies, who
have finished second behind the Atlanta Braves in the National
League East the past two years.
"I'm walking away with pride with the effort I put in," Wade
said. "I earned these eight years. All that said, it's
excruciating not to get to postseason play."
After winning 86 games in 2004, Philadelphia was considered a
strong contender in the NL East but went into June at 25-27 and
then lost Thome for most of the season with elbow problems.
Thome, who was limited to just 59 games, had a streak of four
consecutive seasons with at least 42 homers snapped, finishing
with just seven.
"Every team has its peaks and valleys," Wade said.
"Unfortunately, our valley early in the year cost us."
While rookie Ryan Howard helped pick up the offensive slack for
Thome, Wade also tried to bolster the bullpen by acquiring
closer Ugueth Urbina in a trade with the Detroit Tigers, but the
righthander struggled as a setup man, finishing with a 4.13 ERA
in 56 appearances with Philadelphia.
Inheriting a club that went 68-94 in 1997, Wade helped build the
team into a winner in four of the last five seasons, including
the best record under his tenure this past season.