PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. didnt see a reason to wait until the off-season to explore other possibilities. The Philadelphia Phillies removed the interim tag from Ryne Sandberg, signing him Sunday to manage the next three years. "I think this is the right person to take us forward," Amaro explained on the decision not to wait. "I know his philosophy on the importance of cohesiveness throughout the organization, and thats exactly what were looking for. I know he understands the importance of player development and scouting, hes got an idea and a vision of whats necessary to move this organization forward." Sandberg had been serving as interim manager since the Phillies fired Charlie Manuel on Aug. 16. He entered the season as the Phillies third-base coach after managing the teams Triple-A Lehigh Valley club for two years previously. The move was not a surprise, but Sandberg expressed his relief that it finally became official. "I think theres been a very large weight lifted off of me," Sandberg said. "Im still focused on the last eight games -- still focused on todays game to tell you the truth -- but Im looking forward to not only the eight games left but to 2014 and getting the wheels turning in that direction." Before joining the Phillies organization, Sandberg managed in the Chicago Cubs minor-league system for four years. As a player, Sandberg spent 15 of 16 major-league seasons with the Cubs. He left the organization in 2010 shortly after Chicago named Mike Quade its manager to join the Phillies, the team that originally drafted him and ultimately traded him to the Cubs in 1982. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005, Sandberg hopes to overcome the notion that Hall of Fame players cant make good managers. "I dont know too many Hall of Famers who went to the minor leagues for six years to work their way up," Sandberg said. "I thought it was necessary. It was also the only job that was offered at the time -- that had something to do with it. As it turns out, it was the right path." The new skipper also believes he can succeed because hes a great communicator. "Communication is one of my strengths, which is ironic because as a player I think I wasnt strong at all at communicating. I was focused on catching the ball and hitting it, and it kind of stopped there," Sandberg said. "That was all part of going to the minor leagues and aging a little bit and maturing. "And I think raising five kids in the house, all teenagers at once, I think the communication skills really developed then too, and its continued." Since Sandberg took over in mid-August, the Phillies have gone 18-16. They were 53-67 at the time he took over the ballclub. "Based on the body of work that he did for us, we had to kind of take that into account," Amaro said. "It was very, very clear to me right from the get-go the way he handled the transition, which was a very difficult period, having to take over for an icon of sorts in Phillies history in Charlie (Manuel). "It was a very difficult circumstance, and he handled it well. He handled the players well and he handled the clubhouse well. I really liked the instincts and how he handled things." Sandberg signed a three-year contract, taking him through 2016 with a club option for 2017. . They hope to persuade the other team owners and commissioner Roger Goodell to put pressure on Redskins owner Daniel Snyder to drop the nickname they find offensive. "Given the way the meeting transpired," Ray Halbritter, an Oneida representative and leader of the "Change the Mascot Campaign," said Wednesday, "it became somewhat evident they were defending the continued use of the name. [url=http://www.airmaxforuksale.com/cheap-nike-air-max-trainers.html]Cheap Nike Air Max Trainers . The injury bothered Bledsoe in the Suns victory over the Clippers on Monday and he sat out the teams home loss to Memphis on Thursday night. . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments. [url=http://www.airmaxforuksale.com/buy-nike-air-max-90-shoes.html]Cheap Nike Air Max 90 Online . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford.WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Jets have signed first-round draft pick Josh Morrissey to a three-year entry-level contract. The team said Thursday the two-way deal pays him an average of just over $1.4 million a year. Morrissey, 18, is remaining with the WHLs Prince Albert Raiders, where the defenceman has two goals annd three assists in three games so far this season.dddddddddddd He also impressed Jets coaches with his performance in training camp this year but theyre well-stocked right now with defencemen, including 2012 draft pick Jacob Trouba. Morrissey was the 13th pick overall in the 2013 NHL Draft. Cheap China Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China ' ' '