Phillies fire Wolever
Marti Wolever, one of three assistant general managers under Ruben Amaro Jr., will not be back in 2015, the Phillies announced on Friday night. Wolever was the team's director of amateur scouting; he was responsible for running the amateur draft each summer, among other duties.
The Phillies clinched last place on Thursday night. Teams that finish in last place make changes, in either the front office or coaching staff - and sometimes, both.
The first of those changes for the Phillies came a half hour before the first pitch was thrown at Citizens Bank Park on Friday. The team announced that assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting Marti Wolever will not be back in 2015.
Wolever, among other duties, ran the team's amateur draft each year.
The Phillies announced the move in a two-sentence statement from general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.
"The Phillies announced today that the contract of Marti Wolever, Assistant General Manager, Amateur Scouting, will not be renewed for 2015. The Phillies express appreciation for Marti's many years of service to the organization."
Wolever did not immediately return a request for comment.
Wolever first joined the Phillies in November of 1992. He was named assistant general manager, director of amateur scouting in February of 2012. Prior to that, Wolever had been the Phillies' director of scouting since October 16, 2001, after nine years as the club's national cross-checker and scouting coordinator.
Under Wolever's watch, the Phillies drafted the likes of Cole Hamels and Ryan Howard and also prospects that were used in trades that netted Brad Lidge, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Hunter Pence.
But the Phillies amateur drafts have had more misses than hits in recent years, especially among position player talent. The Phillies find themselves in last place in 2014 in part because they haven't had a second wave of in-house talent to complement Hamels, Howard and company.
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