This is one of the more bizarre stories you'll read all day. Philly.com is reporting that former Phillies batting practice pitcher Ali Modami is suing the team and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr for defamation. Amaro apaprently fired Modami on October 11, 2011, four days after their season completed, stating that the team wanted to "change the hitting program" and go in a "different direction". OK, no big deal, firings happen all the time.
Modami then applied for positions with the Dodgers and Nationals, but didn't get either job despite getting good feedback from both teams early on. Modami then claims that Amaro told both Dodgers GM Ned Colletti and Nationals GM Mike Rizzo that Modami was fired from the Phillies for stealing and selling memorability. Dodgers first base coach Davey Lopes, a former Phillies coach, confirmed to Modami that Amaro's statements are why the team didn't hire him.
This is a mess on so many levels. Apparently, Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth is the one who told Amaro about the memorabilia theft. But Werth left the Phillies after the 2010 season, so did Werth tell Amaro after he left the team, or did he tell him before he left and Amaro just waited to act? Either way, it's a potential disaster for the Phillies and their GM, who has come under fire in the past couple of seasons for some of his personnel moves surrounding the team. If any of the claims in Modami's lawsuit are actually true, I'm wondering just what in the hell Amaro was thinking.
