2019 Mets Front Office Advisor & Former 2018 Coach: Ruben Amaro Jr. (2018-2019)

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Ruben Amaro Jr. was born on February 12th 1965 in Northeast Philadelphia. His father Ruben Amaro SR. played in the Major Leagues for eleven years, with the St. Louis Cardinals (1958) Philadelphia Phillies (1960-1965) AL New York team (1966-1968) & California Angels (1969). Amaro is Russian Jewish, Cuban Mexican American.

 Ruben Jr. graduated from William Penn charter school where he played baseball as well as soccer. He attended Stanford University playing for the 1987 College World Series Championship team. He led the club in runs, triples & stolen bases. The outfielder was drafted by the California Angels in the 11th round of the 1987 draft.

 In December of 1991, he was traded along with Kyle Abbot to the Philadelphia Phillies for Von Hayes. By 1992 he was the Phillies main right fielder playing in 126 games but hit just .219 with 7 HRs 15 doubles & 34 RBIs.

He began the Phillies 1993 NL Championship season at AAA getting back to the Phils in mid June. A few days later he was the hero of an 8-6 Phillies win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. After an early RBI single, he hit a two in HR off John Candeleria in the 8th inning, putting his team in front for good. 
In 25 games he batted .333 but did not make the post season. After the World Series he was traded to the Cleveland Indians for Heathcliff Slocumb. 

 He played briefly as a reserve outfielder with the Indians including 28 games batting just .200 in their 1995 AL Championship season. He got into three ALCS games against the Seattle Mariners, getting one official at bat & scoring a run. In the 1995 World Series he went 0-2 in two games against the Atlanta Braves.

He then resigned with the Phillies as a free agent in 1996 playing three more seasons there. In 61 games he hit .316 in 1996 then played 117 games in 1997 while batting .234. In an eight year career he batted .235 with 16 HRs 43 doubles 100 RBIs & 218 hits in 485 games. 

 In 1998 he was hired by the Phillies as assistant to the GM, serving seven years under Ed Wade & three under Pat Gillick.
In 2009 he was named the Phils General Manager & got the team to the World Series that same year earning the MLB Executive of the Year Award. The Phillies  went on to win three straight NL East titles with a core of Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Shane Victorino & Cole Hamels. 

 By 2013 everything went rotten in Philly, manager Charlie Manuel was fired by Amaro & the fans voted 96% to fire Amaro as well. He was ranked the worst GM in baseball by the Sporting News with a reputation to sign washed up high price veterans. Amaro was fired by 2015.

 Philly Legacy: Amaro is co-founder of the Richie Ashburn Harry Kalas Foundation, which provides baseball camps for underprivileged children in the Delaware Valley.


In 2016 he was hired by the Boston Red Sox as first base coach. In November of 2107 he was chosed as the New York Mets first base coach for 2018. He replaced Tom Goodwin, who went to the Red Sox. Amaro will also work with outfielders & oversee base running.

 At the end of the season he was moved to a front office position as Glen Sherlock will be the 2019 first base coach.

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