PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies have spent the week putting their 2013 plans into place.
General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. and the Phillies picked up the $5 million 2013 option on Carlos Ruiz and declined options on utility man Ty Wigginton and reliever Jose Contreras. The Phillies also gave third basement Placido Polanco a $1 million buyout.
The Phillies on Thursday hired Dave Brundage as the manager for the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Brundage managed the Atlanta Braves’ Triple-A affiliate for the last six years. He has a career record of 1,086-1,028 (.514) in 13 seasons as a minor league manager.
Coming off a fantastic season where he hit .325 with 16 homers and 68 RBIs, Ruiz was rewarded as the Phillies try and move past last season’s disappointment of missing the playoffs, ending their five-year run as the NL East champions.
