While the Padres, Cubs, Mets, Pirates, Angels, Giants, and Royals get a head start on the hiring process in their search for new managers, the Phillies organization has remained notably outside the fray. Although the job security of manager Gabe Kapler has been a hot topic in the greater Pennsylvania area since he assumed managerial duties in Philadelphia in 2018, the former outfielder still finds himself under the club’s employ as of Oct. 7. However, judging from today’s rumblings from The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Matt Breen, Phillies owner John Middleton could soon be arriving at a conclusion in regard to Kapler’s future–or lack thereof–with his franchise (link).
According to a source cited by Breen, Middleton has been seeking input from Phillies players as he attempts to determine whether Kapler is the right man to lead the clubhouse in 2020. Breen relays that the Philadelphia owner has spent the last week-plus since the regular season ended in evaluation mode vis a vis Kapler’s performance, and it appears the skipper’s job status will depend in part on whether the private comments of his players sync up with their public message of support mounted in the season’s final month.
Breen includes several of those season-end quotes, including catcher J.T. Realmuto’s unequivocal endorsement, in which the All-Star said that Kapler is “a guy that this clubhouse really respects”. Similarly, franchise cornerstone Bryce Harper was supportive of Kapler following the season’s final day, saying the club’s disappointing .500 finish was “not his fault”. If Philly’s key players are indeed firmly in the Kapler camp, it may be that Middleton’s prolonged evaluation is meant, more than anything, to merely turn up the heat on the manager’s bench seat for 2020.
If Middleton does ultimately decide to part ways with Kapler, the club may end up playing catch-up in the recruitment of top managerial candidates. To this point, we have already heard reports indicating that Joe Maddon to the Angels is an increasing probability, and Joe Girardi’s affinity (or, at least, interest) in the Mets posting is also well known.
Phillies need to fire Kapler now
If they were going to fire Kapler, they’d have done it already. He’ll get 2020 and most likely it will be him and Klentak packing their bags this time next year if the Phillies Phail to make the playoffs under McFail and company.
He will not be fired. Someone whispered to Middleton that firing Kapler would be like the Browns firing Belichick. Hope so.
Just like Crystal Pepsi, people forgot that even happened (true as it is).
Regrettably I worked with a guy who went to every Walmart he could find buying all of the re-released Crystal Pepsi. There’s one born every minute .
LMAO! Indeed Sir, indeed.
i love crystal pepsi
Yea it was good.
I was a fan as well.
The Browns didn’t fire Belichick. Art Modell, who had also fired Paul Brown, fired Belichick after moving the franchise out of Cleveland.
It amazes me that people still don’t understand this
He’s closer to Gabe Kaplin than Belichick.
Kapler gets canned in June. Interim manager Larry Bowa leads them to the postseason.
Phillies appear indecisive and it’s not a good look. Kapler needs to go.
typical phillies. did anyone expect them to make a decision at an appropriate point in the offseason?
The team’s two highest profile players (Harper and Realmuto) like and respect Kapler. My guess would be that they represents the majority of the team. Kapler won’t be going anywhere yet.
Firing Kapler while retaining those above him would be a weasel move. I would like Macphail and Klentak gone.
Im out if Kapler comes back.
Yea ok the players run loose and enjoy Kapler while the fans watch crappy baseball. If Middleton brings him back he clearly knows nothing about the game. Everyone wants the perfect roster but winners use what they have and succeed
I’m think that Middleton will take his player’s opinions as more important than ours.
You Philly Fans are fully aware chemistry of a ball club doesn’t always happen the first year. Firing Kapler could have negative consequences that could cost years.
That doesn’t matter. What matter to most Kapler haters is that there’s a positive, upbeat Hollywood Jew running the clubhouse and it’s driving them insane. They hated the man for what he is before he even stepped foot in Philadelphia. Sorry, but that’s just the truth, even though people won’t say it anywhere but on a bar stool or dinner table.
Some Philly fans enjoy being miserable and the slight hint of positivism (or something different than themselves) causes severe pain and aggravation.
I’m not a fan of Kapler’s style, but I get it. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, however, For me though, the patience is wearing thin. It’s a package deal though. Firing Kapler is useless without cutting Klentak loose. They either need to get rid of them both right now, or extend Kapler so he isn’t a Lame Duck in 2020 and fire them both after 2020.
Either way, they should just come out and state their intentions (if they have made up their minds). This perception of indecisiveness is not a good look at all.
what an ugly comment…you remind me of someone…I wonder who….we know
Sometimes the truth is ugly. Stop with the PC Police. Don’t act like you haven’t seen it. All the “Captain Coconut” references or “Leatherface” “Beefcake Big Nose” ,etc. It was plastered all over the comments sections in local media. All before he even managed a game. People love to hate the guy.
People bashed him for everything but baseball.
You are a total idiot. The main thing Philly fans are aggravated with is going from 1st to whatever both years of his so called leadership. The manager has to take the hit. Who gives a rats behind what his religious affiliation is or where he comes from. He is ineffectual and needs to go but God help us if Larry Bowa resumes control in any way shape or form.
You must be new to social media. That’s cute.
Hey idiot, go back and read my comment again. People didn’t just bash him for his religion or where he’s from. That was just one thing he got bashed on. They looked at every reason, stereotype, etc they could to bash him. Like I mentioned to that other dense fella on there, go back to the time he got hired and look at the comments.
Kapler got bashed for everything but baseball. It was truly disgusting. He never had a fair chance because people never gave him one.
If you’ve ever read any of my other comments on Kapler, you’d see that I am clearly not a Kapler hater.
Well aren’t you woke!
I’m a Jew and I don’t like him don’t bring religion into this.
Go back and read my comment again. Perhap go to CSN Philly, the Inquirer, Philly Voice etc, at the time of Gabe’s hire and you’ll see what I mean.
Some of the comments are downright disgusting, and they were the majority of the comments. Don’t assume that I agree with them, because I don’t. I’m just calling it for what it is.
I grew up in the Philly area and wasn’t treated differently for that. The area has a big Jewish population and the team even has a Jewish Heritage Night. Citing a comment section on those sites as what everyone believes is stupid. It’s like reading youtube comments of course a lot of them are bad.
I think, from reading through these comments, that everyone is trying to be civil and that no comment is intended to express support for a bigoted viewpoint. That being said, I would just like to remind everyone to be respectful — of the subjects of the comments and each other — particularly when addressing matters that go beyond pure baseball. (Internet baseball discussions get angry enough over mundane matters like statistics, after all.)
This was year 2 for Kapler. Easy to forget this fact as the results were almost identical both years.
I think Middleton will give Kapler another chance depending on the offseason additions if they add the pitching, then if they don’t make the playoffs next year then he’s gone.
Agreed. However, I would think Klentak would be going at that point too.
It’s going to largely depend on what Klentak does to get Kapler talent. Doers he go out and bring back Hamels and possibly get another starter like Odirizzzi? Does he get bullpenm help? Who knows. I guess we have to wait and see.
Over the last year, Klentak hasn’t done bad by getting rid of Santana/getting Segura, Harper/Cutch signing. Even his in season moves were good with Bruce and Dickerson (while giving up nothing for either).
I would think at this point it’s a lock that Kapler is back next season. We saw more fire from him this past season than in 2018. I hope that continues.
They could of gotten hamels last year for basically nothing. I think Strasburg would be huge if he opts out, Then Odorizzi or Wheeler. Possibly hamels
I would see them going for two of those. Personally, I’d rather see any combo of those names as opposed to just getting Cole. I think they would get more value for that. Hopefully a combo of them with Nola and a healthy bounce back by Arrieta. If they can get Seranthony back healthy and lock down a good BP arm, Possibly Moose for 3B?
I still got hopes for Franco putting it all together , in 2018 he hit .271 when he was put in the 7th spot, and this year Gabe barley played him. Maybe Moustakus to bridge the gap for Bohm. I say trade Hernandez to the white sox for alex colome, hopefully the young arms in the bullpen come back to full health. Arano & Seranthony. Prolly by july or august Spencer Howard would be ready.
I think the ship has sailed on Franco. If anything, a change of scenery would do him good. I believe Moose would be an excellent stop-gap until Bohn is ready. We also know he can play 2B, so he could spell Kingery too. I agree on CeHe as well. I’m sure the Phillies could put a CeHe package together to get Colome. They were close at the deadline. His time has come IF they can get a 3B. Last thing I would like to see if the Phillies rush Bohm. If that even means 2-3 months of Franco next season, so be it.
I think one of these two options. Strasburg or Wheeler plus hamels
or Strasburg or Odorizzi plus Hamels
You’re probably the only person in the world who would think Strasburg would be a huge addition
Two straight years where a Kapler led team has imploded after the Allsham game..what more do you need to know
Cole Irvin. Edubray Ramos. Ranger Suarez. Austen Davis. Edgar Garcia. Fernando Salas. Mike Morin. Blake Parker. Jared Hughes. JD Hammer. Juan Nicasio. Nick Vincent. Nick Pivetta. Jason Vargas. Zach Eflin. Vince Velasquez. Drew Smyly.
What more do you need to know?
Here is my bullpen for them next year
Victor Arano
Jose Alvarez
Edubray Ramos
Velazquez
Ranger Suarez
A trade for Alex Colome
put pivetta in triple A
Jose Alvarez for Luis Garcia, that was another move Klentak got right. Hope he has a year next year like he did this year.
Counting out Seranthony? I wish he’d have just gotten surgery when he got hurt (ditto with Robertson) rahter than waiting.
Forgot about Seranthony , put him in there. Im cutting ties with Neris though or put him back in the 8th inning role.
Add Seranthony to that list and I like it. He may be delaying TJ surgery though
What would be the point in firing him? If you replace him the 40 man roster doesn’t change. They don’t magically get four years of bad drafts back. If anything he has overachieved.
true but what you would (hopefully) have is a manager who doesn’t pull his ace after 3 or 4 innings because a computer told him to
Ahh I get it. You didn’t watch much this year.
what a perfect internet comment! you’re so smart!
@frank, ahh i get it. you didn’t watch much after the all star break, or last year. so you’re good with starters going a couple innings and then replaced with a crappy bullpen. overachieved???? gddam what a moronic take. the irony is your username is appropriate while at the same time you’re unworthy of it.
You know you’re talking about Velasquez, Smyly, Vargas and Eflin right? Not Glavin, Maddux, Smoltz. The starters went a couple of innings because it was all they were capable of. They were lucky to get 4 innings of 3-run baseball from anyone of them. And then where can he turn to other than his crappy bullpen? Laughable.
The Phillies were the ONLY team to finish .500 or better with a negative run differential. And it was NEGATIVE TWENTY. So yes, with a AAA pitching staff full of starters who couldn’t go more than five innings on a good night and a bullpen full of guys that you’re lucky to get a clean inning from he overachieved. Take a second to think about that.
Funny thing was him limiting their use early in the year,and then after they were eliminated from contention,he had Nola and Eflin throwing 115 pitches to end the year.
I dont think Phillies owner John Middleton is the same John Middleton that is linked in this story…and pitched in 1922… lol
Another day another “Gee whiz, Joe Maddon likes the Angels” comment. Really?
My guess is they keep him to start the season but he will have a short leash. If they continue to underachieve, they fire him mid season and let Dusty Whatan take over.
You’ve got to be kidding me?! Asking the players opinions on whether or not Kapler can lead this team! What an absolute joke!
Who is more qualified to answer that question?
Ummm, let’s see… let’s ask employees who should be the next supervisor. You dum phuc!
But they aren’t being asked to pick the next supervisor. They’re being asked whether they like playing for him, which is ultimately the most important thing in 2019.
No Frank them liking him is not important. Maybe they like him because they walk all over him?
Frank are you serious? How about asking the President of baseball operations and the GM!
Exactly! You do not delegate the managerial job to the players who are not getting the job done
The players are the only people they should be asking. Lol
I think Kapler will manage next season. But if there not at a certain point in the standings he’ll be let go mid- season. And somebody else will take over until season is over. Than they’ll find a new manager going forward.
First, getting the players input is a mistake. Gabe coddles them too much. They will praise him to Middleton to keep him.
Second, because of the first comment. The Phillies will keep Gabe.
Third, what’s all this “if” Gabe fails at anytime next season. He “WILL” fail again and be gone before the end of the season. Around the same time he fails each year…between the all star break and trade deadline.
Fourth, with Gabe getting fired midseason next year. I am in agreement. The Phillies will bring Wathan in as interim Manager. (Because that’s what the Phillies always do!)
Fifth, of course with the failure of Gabe again next year. Middleton will be fed up with another lost season and another hit on his invested money. With still no postseason or World Series trophy…Klentak will be gone, along with McPhail.
Now that we got all this out of the way.
Tell us how’s Kingery doing? What did the Phillies find out with his blurry vision in the final series of the season? (Too much Fortnite playing before games? Gabe?)
Get a new “good” hitting coach and pitching coach. To hold us over till next year, when you will have to hire a new manager and he’ll bring in his own new coaches over again. (Hopefully this one won’t decide to ship Wathan packing. Like Kapler and Klentak did with Kranitz.)
And maybe we’ll be lucky to see postseason baseball in Philly again in 2021 or 2022.
Middleton needs to listen to the fans, fire him! With no fans, there would be no salary.
That’s a terrible idea. Have you ever listened to talk radio?
Frank I agree listening to the fans is a bad idea but it is no worse than your idea of listening to the players
Phillies fired the bench coach but retain Kepler? Sounds to me like they they are going to retain Kapler, give him a very short leash and have an experienced interim coach ready to go. Firing Kapler would mean upper management would have to admit they were wrong. Letting this drag on and asking the players for their opinion is weak. All one has to do is look at his record after the all star break to realize how much he burns out his bullpen. The guy constantly brings in 5 relievers a game to throw 7-10 pitches then gets stuck trying to win games with the last pitcher in his ‘pen. By August these guys are toasted. Reliever shuts down the situation with 10 pitches, at least let him start the next inning, especially when your starters after Nola, only go five.
Maybe Bryce Harper could be player-manager? Might as well make him earn his money.