Samuel keeping options open after interview with Phils

MIAMI -- Phillies first-base coach Juan Samuel would love to manage a big league team again.

That opportunity is unlikely to come in Philadelphia, although incoming Phillies president Andy MacPhail and interim general manager Scott Proefrock interviewed Samuel and Pete Mackanin for the Phillies' managerial job Saturday before offering Mackanin the position Tuesday morning. Mackanin had been interim manager since Ryne Sandberg resigned on June 26.

"Before I said yes [to the interview], I talked to my representative and let him know, 'Listen, I don't see where they could tell Pete, thank you very much, now Sammy is taking over,'" Samuel, 54, said before Wednesday's 4-3, 11-inning loss to the Marlins at Marlins Park. "I mean, let's be realistic. He said it cannot hurt you. You and Andy had a history together in Baltimore, so I'm sure he would value your opinion. So that's how I went into it."

MacPhail made Samuel the Orioles' interim manager in 2010, when the Orioles dismissed Dave Trembley. MacPhail was Baltimore's president at the time. Samuel went 17-34 with an Orioles team that finished 66-96.

"I've been cautious not trying to put my name out there because I just don't want to [interview] for the sake of doing it," Samuel said. "If I feel like I have a shot and I think I could be the right guy then, of course, I would do it. I also think that I'm capable of doing it, I'm prepared and I'm ready to do it. I got a taste of it in Baltimore and I enjoyed it. It's something that is my ultimate goal. Before I hang it up, I would like to get a shot, whether it's here or somewhere else."

So now that Mackanin is entrenched at least through next season, could Samuel return to the Phillies' coaching staff after having been a candidate or would it be best to move on?

"I don't know," Samuel said. "My contract does not expire until Halloween."

But would he accept a coaching job next season with the Phillies?

"Of course, of course," he said. "But I would also like to see what things open up out there and see if I get a chance. My ultimate goal is not to finish my career coaching first base.

"I know I could offer more. But those things take longer. There are guys that have been in the game longer than me that haven't gotten a chance. Some haven't even gotten an interview. So I think just interviewing here will put my name out there a little more and hopefully people now know he wants to do it because I haven't really been vocal about it because I don't want to interview for the sake of interviewing. I don't want to get burned. But if somebody thinks I deserve a shot, then of course I will do it."

Samuel said the interview with MacPhail and Proefrock lasted about 90 minutes. 

"I went after it like, yes, I have a shot because you never know what they're thinking," Samuel said. "Maybe they wanted a fresh start, maybe he liked what I did in Baltimore. I think it was a very good experience. We talked about the club. They had some questions for me. I answered the best way possible with my knowledge and having been here five years now. I think I did OK."