Rival scout says he’s really impressed with what the Phillies have done this year

It’s been fun and games mocking the Phillies because, well, it’s always fun and games to mock the Phillies. But get your mocking in while you can, because people who are paid to actually look at the organization from top to bottom rather than just the box scores and the standings think they’ve had a great year.

That’s from Jim Salisbury’s story over at CSNPhilly.com, who spoke with a rival team’s scout who is assigned to scout the Phillies, and he thinks they have a ton of prospects and Reading and talks effusively about the job the organization has done in the rebuild this season.

Which, if that sentiment is shared, makes you wonder what’s gonna happen to Ruben Amaro after the year is over. Everyone assumes he’s dead man walking now that Andy MacPhail has come on board, but none of us outside the organization know what role any of the players played in making the trades and moves that have helped restock the Phillies system. If it was Amaro and things truly are looking up the way that scout says they are, does he not get credit? And, possibly, a reprieve on the firing many assume he’ll get?

As I’ve written before, I wonder if Amaro isn’t just a prime example of the Peter Principle. And if maybe he’d be a credit to the Phillies if his scope was reduced somewhat. Maybe big picture planning and large free agent contracts was not his forte and he’d be good in another role if he sticks around. You don’t see backwards steps from GMs very often, at least not within the same organization, but maybe it makes sense to think about such things.