GM Pat Gillick Inducted Into Baseball Hall of Fame
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (CBS/AP) – Former Phillies General Manager Pat Gillick was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday.
Gillick, a left-handed pitcher in college, said he knew he had to find another way to stay in the game after five years in the minor leagues. He found it in the front offices of four major league teams, winning 1992 and 1993 World Series titles with the Toronto Blue Jays before guiding the Phillies to a championship in 2008.
Gillick began his front-office career in 1963 as assistant farm director with the Houston Astros, moved to the New York Yankees system in 1974 as coordinator of player development, and in 1976 moved to the expansion Blue Jays, becoming vice president of player personnel, and then vice president of baseball operations one year later before taking over as the team's general manager.
Gillick also spent three seasons as the general manager in Baltimore, helping guide the Orioles to the playoffs in 1996 and 1997. Since Gillick's departure in 1998, the Orioles have not had a winning season.
Gillick's next job was in Seattle where he was the general manager of Mariners from 2000-2003. His impact there was felt almost immediately. Gillick traded Ken Griffey, Jr. to the Cincinnati Reds before leading the Mariners to back-to-back playoff appearances for the only time in franchise history in 2000 and 2001.
Gillick was named general manager of the Phillies on November 2, 2005 -- and less than three weeks later he made his first big move. With Ryan Howard emerging as the team's first baseman of the future, Gillick traded the popular Jim Thome to the Chicago White Sox for outfielder Aaron Rowand and a pair of prospects.
Gillick retired as GM in 2008 after leading the Phillies to their first World Series title in nearly two decades, handing the reigns to current Phillies General Manager Ruben Amaro, Jr.
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