Bill Giles, On the Record and Off His Rocker
JUST WHEN you think the Phillies couldn't possibly get out of their own way any more than they already have, someone opens his mouth and proves you wrong. Bill Giles is a genial and decent man, but as a person in charge of running a baseball team, and later kicked to the curb as a minority owner, he's been a dismal failure. If his comments yesterday in Pittsburgh are any indication of what his co-owners feel, Phillies City-State needs to brace itself for many, many more seasons of terrible baseball. What follows is a transcript, as reported in today's Inquirer, and on the front page, no less, along with with the Official Shallow Center translation:
Question: Are you aware ownership is taking a beating?
A: I know that. The best thing about the last two weeks was I was in Italy, so I didn't get into that [Myers] mess. I got the details [Sunday] when I talked to David [Montgomery]... . When David told me what really happened, it's really kind of a disappointment for the publicity of it.
SC: I guess there really is such a thing as bad publicity. Since when is wife-beating news, anyway? Man, you media types ...
Q: What did you hear?
A: I don't know that I'm privileged to say. I'm not the spokesman for the Phillies. I do know what really happened was a lot less than what the public thinks happened and that's the sad part because some bystander saw something that really didn't happen. Brett was trying to help his wife.
SC: I mean, really, no pain, no gain, you know what I mean? If it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger.
Q: What do you mean?
A: I can't say. I just don't know what Dave wants me to say.
SC: He let me go to the bathroom by myself just last week.
Q: But witnesses saw it.
A: One of our employees [marketing manager Debbie Nocito] saw the whole thing. She said, "He did not hit her at all, and he didn't grab her hair or anything." So all the reports were untrue, from what I understand.
SC: The many eyewitnesses, what Kim Myers herself told the cops -- all false. I know this because I was in Italy and David told me.
Q: What's your take on the first half?
A: Not good. We're all disappointed. We haven't been hitting well in the clutch and our pitching's been kind of messed up all year.
SC: Actually, our pitching's been kind of messed up since Curt Schilling recognized the stench of a terrible team and got the hell out of Dodge.
Q: There's talk the team will be dismantled next month. What do you think?
A: I think Pat is -- I talked to Dave yesterday -- I think he's going to be doing a lot of talking and listening over the next three weeks. Anything we can do to get better for the future as well as right now is going to be done. I think you're going to see some moves, certainly, between now and next year. Whether we have enough to offer to get what we're looking for -- we need pitching, and third base and catching are issues.
SC: Um, just ignore the fact that those areas have been issues for the last three years, and we still haven't gotten around to fixing them. 'Kay?
Q: What about the manager?
A: No comment on that. That's not my role anymore.
SC: The ghost of John McGraw couldn't get these losers to play any better.
Q: Larry Bowa and Billy Wagner spoke out recently saying the nucleus needs to be broken up after not winning under three managers.
A: Despite what people think, our ownership group, particularly me, is in this business to win games. We're not doing very well this year and we haven't gotten to the postseason since 1993, so there's going to be a lot that's going to be tried to be done and there's going to be a lot of effort being made by Gillick and his team of people to get us back to where we want to be, and we're not there now. That's pretty obvious.
SC: Yes, big changes are coming: We're thinking of moving the Schmitter stand to the rightfield corner next season.
Q: Are you troubled by the accusations that the ownership group doesn't care about winning?
A: I've been concerned about it forever, because all they [owners] care about is winning. Our ownership group is not in the game to make money. They're in it not to lose money, but we put an awful lot of money in the last few years -- $200 million for the ballpark, $95 million the last two or three years in the payroll.
SC: What the taxpayers and ticket-buying public put into the stadium and the team are irrelevant. They should shut their pie-holes and be glad we haven't moved the team to Charlotte.
Q: What do you say to people who constantly say, "Sell the team?"
A: I don't think our team will be sold in my lifetime, and I hope I live a long time.
SC: It's our ball, and we'll decide when we're taking it and going home.
Q: Are you allowed to sell in the short term because of the stadium deal?
A: That time is over with.
SC: The next time you talk with Brian Roberts, tell him to call me.
Q: So you can sell?
A: Yeah, but we're not going to sell. You can bet on that.
SC: Brian, the number is 215-463-6000.
Q: What if someone like Mark Cuban would make a crazy offer?
A: It doesn't make any difference what price.
SC: Define "crazy."
Q: Why?
A: Because our people love owning the Phillies and they're not in it for money. They don't need money. They love the Phillies, and that's the way it's going to be, in my judgment.
SC: That's right, Joe Sixpack. I don't give a damn that you can't afford to bring your family to our new park, because I don't need your money. And I don't care that our craptastic play has resulted in acres and acres of empty seats, because I don't need your money. I'm rich, see?
Q: But if someone with more money bought the team, could it have a better chance of winning?
A: It's not any of the owners' fault that some of our star players are not having very good years and [Jon] Lieber is not doing what he did last year and our bullpen is not quite as good. [Tom] Gordon's been great, but the seventh and eighth innings have been a little difficult sometimes.
SC: You're kidding, right? There are actually industries in which owners stand up and take responsibility for poor performance by their employees?
Q: David is the spokesperson, but why are the other partners silent?
A: That's the way it should be, in my opinion. I don't think any partnership, whether it be baseball or whatever... the shoe business, you should have one spokesman for the ownership. I used to be it, and now Dave is.
SC: Plus they all still think it's 1980. I mentioned the Internet at a meeting of the partners last week, and someone said, "Bill, we play baseball, not tennis, remember?"
Q: You were once asked to be accountable and removed from team president. Do you foresee the day it happens again?
A: I think any time you have an organization, whoever is leading it, his job is always in jeopardy. But I know for a fact that everybody thinks Dave Montgomery is a brilliant guy and an honest man, so I don't see anything ever being talked about as it relates to the CEO of the Phillies.
SC: I ask David for help with my crossword puzzles all the time. I mean, he's brilliant. Look at the results on the field -- could someone less than brilliant produce that kind of success?
Q: Do you think it's 100 percent certain that Montgomery will be team president next year?
A: Now, I only own a little piece of the team, but I know the owners think Dave Montgomery is sensational.
SC: They ask him for help with their Sudokus.
Q: As a baseball man?
A: As everything. He's not the one that evaluates player talent. That's Pat Gillick.
SC: Guys, what about "It's not our fault" do you not understand?
Q: But he called the shots with [former general manager Ed] Wade.
A: On player talent? No way. No way. He didn't sign anybody. He approves budgets. Dave Montgomery never makes a deal, nor does he suggest a deal. He approves economics. That's all he does.
SC: So if the cashier at Tony Luke's doesn't give you the right change, give Dave a call. He'll help you out. But if you worried about what's happening on the field, remember, IT'S NOT OUR FAULT.
Q: Do the owners blame the perception of the ownership on the media or the fans being misguided?
A: The ownership group's main goal is to win. Win a World Series. Particularly, two of them say in every meeting, "Gosh darn it, I want to win a World Series." I mean, that's what it's all about. We haven't done very well doing it, but that's the goal.
SC: How come no one beats up Jaworski and Bon Jovi over the Soul's failure to win a championship? What's so damn special about them?
Q: Who are the two?
A: I can't tell you.
SC: Because then you'd be able to deduce the owners who don't want to win a World Series.
Q: Are you one of them?
A: Of course.
SC: Haven't you seen how successful we've been over the last 26 years?
Q: Is the guy [from the Middleton family] who pushed you out the other one?
A: No comment.
SC: Of course not, you morons.
Q: Are you embarrassed to be an owner right now?
A: I'm never embarrassed. I'm proud to be a Phillies owner. It's not as much fun. When I go around town when the Phillies are doing well, everybody yells at me, "Hey, our Phillies are doing great." Now when I walk in downtown Philadelphia they say, "What's wrong with your [expletive] team?" It's their team when we're winning, my team when we're losing. (chuckles)
SC: It hasn't been my team in a while.
Q: There is the perception that the owners are socialites
with your parasols sipping Hot Toddies and not really giving a [hoot]
about anything.
A: I tell you, our ownership group... they're just like I am. When we get up in the morning after losing three in a row and you don't really want to read the paper and be reminded that you lost three in a row, they all feel that way. People that own ball clubs really don't buy ball clubs to make money. They buy it to compete and to enjoy the victories. When you don't win, it's painful.
SC: Hot Toddies? Please. We're gin-and-tonic people.
Q: Does it matter to you that the public is so down on this team?
A: I don't know that that's true. Too many people believe the talk shows are the pulse of the public, and I don't happen to believe that at all. There are crazy people that call in and the announcers create a perception, but I don't believe it. I just don't think the public... I know so many people that are dyed-in-the-wool Phillies fans who love the team -- win, lose or draw.
SC: And thank God we have those suckers. Repeat after me: Declining attendance is not a measure of fan acceptance. Declining attendance is not a measure of fan acceptance. Declining attendance is not a measure of fan acceptance. Declining attendance is not a measure of fan acceptance. ...
Q: Does the negativity from talk radio and maybe the fan base in general hurt?
A: I think negative talk shows are negative to the performance of all things. I really do. I really feel that way. Somebody said since Liberty Place One and Two have gone above William Penn's hat that nobody has won a championship in Philadelphia. I think talk shows are an issue with some of the players. The players listen to it and hear about it. I don't think it's a positive influence on winning any game, whether it be hockey or basketball or baseball or whatever.
SC: I wish to God the players could just stuff their ears with all the frickin' money we're throwing at them. Then they wouldn't hear people bitching and moaning they stink.
Q: Is the organization paying now for past mistakes of giving too many long-term contracts and no-trade clauses?
A: You know, the greatest thing you can say about baseball is you never know. We made some [trade] offers that I can't tell you about last year for Ryan Howard. We offered him, and if the team had accepted that, we would have been a lot worse off, I'll tell you that. Sometimes the best deals are the ones you don't make.
SC: I mean, who knew the Schilling and Rolen deals would play out the way they did? They were clearly on the decline when they were here, and look at the talent we got in return.
Q: But you have a $50 million leftfielder [Pat Burrell] who
is virtually untradable, plus it'll be tough to trade Bobby Abreu. You
have guys like David Bell and Mike Lieberthal.
A: Pat [Gillick] is in a tough bind, and he has been since he's gotten here because we have a lot of no-trade contracts and we have a lot of high-payroll guys that don't have great value. That's the issue. Pat, or whoever the general manager would be, has a great challenge over the next few months."
SC: Man, am I so glad that's not my problem. I'm just an owner, and it's not our fault, remember?
Q: Were the Phillies too liberal with no-trade clauses?
A: I'm not going to get into that.
SC: Duh -- yeah.
Q: Will the rebuilding take a few years?
A: Nah, in this day and age... the one good thing about all the new rules we've put in is there's parity.
SC: Because, you know, we've done so well rebuilding over the last 13 seasons.
Q: Was Burrell's $50 million contract a mistake?
A: I'm not going to get into that. At the time, everybody in Major League Baseball thought it was a great deal. If you took the numbers that he had the year after we gave him that money, he would have gotten more money theoretically. He's been disappointing this year. I don't know how much his foot is bothering him.
SC: And then someone else would have been on the hook, and we might have been able to buy some more pitching.
Q: Will payroll next season remain in the same range as it has in the past?
A: It'll be in that range.
SC: Come on, you don't think we're going to spend any more, do you? Of course, if Lance Parrish is available ...
Q: Are you expecting to lose money this year?
A: We're going to be alright.
SC: Don't you worry about us. We don't need the money, remember?
Q: With the whole Myers situation, can he make it in this town now or do you have to look into moving him?
A: That's up to Pat and David.
SC: Christ, why did he have to do that in public?
Q: But you know this town inside out; can he make it in Philadelphia?
A: I think we'll just have to play that one out. I think we just have to see what happens. It's really a shame that the perception of what happened is that he slugged her and pulled her hair. That's not true at all.
SC: Did you see the way she was dressed? She was totally asking for it.
Q: Can this team be contenders next year?
A: In this day and age, you can go from last place to first place easily in a year. Take the Cincinnati Reds. They're basically the same team. They've just added some pitchers. And they're very much in contention to win their division. I don't think there will be any problem, if we're fortunate enough to get the right players, to compete soon.
SC: This is all off the record, right?
But, hey, Ryan Howard won the Home Run Derby last night!
Posted by: Chris Durso | Tuesday, July 11, 2006 at 09:20 AM
And we all saw how well things worked out for the Phillies after Bobby Abreu won it last year ...
Posted by: Tom Durso | Tuesday, July 11, 2006 at 09:23 AM
"I just don't know what Dave wants me to say."
The truth, Bill, it's the easiest thing to remember.
Posted by: gr | Tuesday, July 11, 2006 at 10:56 AM
TD, I'm not worried about Ryan Howard...I think it's different then Abreu last year. Abreu was not a home run hitter and he altered his swing to hit the homers last year. Howard is naturally a power hitter so I don't see it hurting him as much.
However, I am very worried about Bill Giles and the terrible interview. Why the hell did Larry Shenk and Scott Palmer allow this? Not Brett's fault? Oh man!
DOes anyone want to get into the fact that the Phillies fall from glory completely and totally corresponds to Giles and the silent owners buying from the Carpenters?
Posted by: Bill | Tuesday, July 11, 2006 at 12:03 PM
It really was a jaw-dropping interview, I couldn't believe it when I read it. Thanks for translating.
Posted by: Tom G | Tuesday, July 11, 2006 at 12:06 PM
Holy cow, that's funny stuff. Bill Giles is an imbecile of the lowest order.
I see where Monty spun some damage control today. It's ever so unconvincing. Giles supposedly only talked for fifteen minutes with him about the issue. Even fifteen seconds ought to have provided enough clarification. How can you misunderstand "he hit his wife"? Obviously, he was told something different and he was stupid enough to say it publicly. Unbelievable.
Posted by: RickSchuBlues | Tuesday, July 11, 2006 at 09:20 PM