Phillies GM Pat Gillick May Retire After 2008

Pat Gillick seemed to announce earlier this week that he plans to step down as general manager of the Phillies after next season, the last of his three-year contract. A day later he backtracked, saying his plans weren't set in stone but still admitted that he was leaning in that direction. So, assuming he does leave, who's next in line to take his spot? Unlike teams like the Astros and Pirates, there's a good chance the team won't need to conduct a nationwide search for their leading candidates. From MLB.com:

Will Mike Arbuckle or Ruben Amaro Jr. become the new general manager of the Phillies?

Both assistant general managers bring front-office experience to the position, having worked for the Phillies for many years. Arbuckle arrived on Oct. 26, 1992, coming from the Braves' organization, while Amaro went straight from the playing field to the assistant GM spot after the 1998 season.

Amaro almost landed the job in Houston earlier this month before Ed Wade swooped in and grabbed it. Promoting from within has to be the ideal situation for the team as it allows Gillick's successor to have a voice in the current direction and long-term plans so he won't have to completely start from scratch when he does eventually take over. That said, having two qualified candidates working side by side might result in some kind of power struggle, but considering Arbuckle and Amaro have almost a decade of experience working with each other, that's probably not a huge concern.