Philadelphia Phillies Right to Induct World Series Architect to Wall of Fame

The Philadelphia Phillies are inducting the man that put together their 2008 World Series championship team into their Wall of Fame.

Matthew Postins | Mar 14, 2025

Oct 1, 2010; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros general manager Ed Wade before a game against the Chicago Cubs at Minute Maid Park. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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Philadelphia Phillies

On Thursday, the headline was, justifiably, on the Philadelphia Phillies inducting shortstop Jimmy Rollins into their Wall of Fame. He is a franchise legend. There is no denying that.

But, when the Phillies induct Rollins on Aug. 1, it’s only fitting that the other inductee is the man that crafted the teams that helped make Rollins a legend — former general manager Ed Wade.

Wade was the Phillies’ general manager from 1997, when he was named the interim, until 2005, when he was let go. Before that, he was part of the Phillies’ organization as an assistant to general manager Lee Thomas starting in 1989.

Once he was in charge, he built the foundation from within, as he and his staff drafted, signed and nurtured future stars like Brett Myers, Patt Burrell, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels and Ryan Madson. Along the way, he promoted Rollins, signed future catcher Carlos Ruiz as an international free agent and snagged Shane Victorino from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2004 Rule 5 Draft.

How much did he get right? Well, Howard and Rollins both won National League MVP awards. Hamels was the MVP of that 2008 World Series.

Wade also hired manager Charlie Manuel after the 2004 season. In free agency, he managed to lure Jim Thome to Philadelphia, though he was later traded. He also brought in David Bell, Billy Wagner, Kevin Millwood, Jon Lieber, Eric Milton and Kenny Lofton.

Not everything worked. He did trade away pitcher Curt Schilling and helped the Arizona Diamondbacks win a World Series in 2001. And, the team didn’t win quickly enough for ownership’s taste, as he was fired after the 2005 season, when the Phillies missed the postseason by one game. Under Wade, the Phillies were nine games under .500.

The good times were ahead. The Phillies hired Pat Gillick, who built the Toronto Blue Jays’ back-to-back World Series teams, and Philadelphia won the World Series, beating the Tampa Bay Rays.

But Gillick, perhaps more than most baseball people, knew the foundation was set when he arrived. That’s why, after Philadelphia won the World Series, he called them “Ed Wade’s team” during the post-victory celebration.

In a 10-year period from 2001-11, the Phillies won nearly 1,000 games and were under .500 just one time — and that was an 80-81 record.

Wade is Wall-of-Fame worthy, and it’s fitting he’ll go in alongside Rollins, one of the many players he helped champion as he built a World Series winner.

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