After Ryne Sandberg resigned at the end of June, Pete Mackanin was placed in a difficult spot as interim manager of the worst team in baseball. The Phillies have gone 30-46 under Mackanin’s watch, but the front office has been pleased with how the 64-year-old has handled a young team and quite a bit of roster turnover.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Phillies announced that Mackanin had his contract extended through the 2016 season. The extension also includes a team option for the 2017 season.
"The Phillies are pleased that Pete has accepted the position of manager for the 2016 season," president-elect Andy MacPhail said in a statement. "We believe that Pete is the best fit for the role. Since assuming the interim manager position in June, Pete has developed an excellent rapport with our players and has also connected well with the media and our fans. Equally as important is his eagerness to take on the challenge of rebuilding the team and further developing our players. We look forward to his contributions."
The move feels like a win-win for both sides. Mackanin earned this role, especially after the Phillies ran off a 21-12 stretch right after the All-Star break. He will finally have the interim tag removed and the chance to manage his own team for an entire season.
This extension also provides the new front office with flexibility going forward if they didn’t have an obvious choice in mind to replace Mackanin. If they’re ready as an organization to contend in a couple of years and want someone other than Mackanin to lead the team, they can easily move on. For now, though, the Phillies have a manager that both the front office and players are comfortable with.
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann