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Pat Gillick says Phillies won't likely contend in 2015 or 2016

Pat Gillick. (Steven M. Falk/Staff Photographer)
Pat Gillick. (Steven M. Falk/Staff Photographer)Read more

Matching the general cynicism around the team from fans and media, Phillies interim team president Pat Gillick confirmed that the Phillies won't be making a run for the World Series in 2015.

From CSN Philly:

"I think where we are right now, it's probably a couple years," Gillick told CSN's John Clark in a 1-on-1 interview Thursday. "I wouldn't think [2015] or [2016,] '15 or '16 I don't think is in the cards. I think somewhere around 2017 or 2018."

It is not a surprising concept, with the rest of the division being younger and better, and the Phillies not making many improvements in the past year while their win total plummeted from 102 in 2011 to 73 in 2014. The statement echoes that of Ruben Amaro in August, which itself was similar to remarks he made in July.

It was only months ago that team president David Montgomery, currently on medical leave while dealing with jaw cancer, said that the team would not be rebuilding, for fear of the affect such action would have on ticket sales.

Gillick explained that the development of young players take time, and not all of them are Ken Giles, the fireballing reliever who debuted for the Phillies this season with immediate effect out of the pen. In this vein, Gillick was only repeating what all those but the least aware fans and media already knew.