Decision Soon on Phillies’ Manager

Lee Thomas, general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, said he expects to decide within three days on his next manager, choosing from among third-base coach Larry Bowa, Detroit third-base coach Terry Francona and former Kansas City manager Hal McRae.

“It’s going to be a difficult decision,” Thomas said. “Hopefully, we’ll make it in the next two or three days, but it’s tough. Every time I think of one of them, it makes it that much tougher. They’re all good candidates. Now we need to think long and hard about it and try to come up with the right guy.”

All three candidates have had more than one meeting with Thomas.

Even though Francona is the only candidate who has no major league managerial experience, it appears he may be the favorite. The son of former major leaguer Tito Francona spent last season with the Tigers after a 296-266 record in four seasons managing in the Chicago White Sox farm system, including a stint at Birmingham when Michael Jordan played there.

Francona, 37, was the top pick in the 1980 amateur draft by Montreal and played 10 years in the major leagues.

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Lee MacPhail, 27, the nephew of Chicago Cub president Andy MacPhail and the grandson of former American League president Lee MacPhail, has been hired as the Cleveland Indians director of scouting. MacPhail’s great grandfather, Larry MacPhail, was a general manager for the Brooklyn Dodgers.