2019 Phillies Season Discussion (part 2)

[EDmuch]

Boy after reading some of the columns in the Inquirer, it sure looks like the buzzards are beginning to circle around Klentak and Kapler.

[BostonRoss]

MLB can certainly do something with the baseballs to make it harder to hit home runs. If they make it hard enough so that the average player is only going to have, say, a 2% chance of hitting one, then most of them won't try to do it all the time when they will mostly be popping up or striking out. The stronger guys or guys with sweet swings will have higher HR probabilities and may continue to go for the long ball even if they don't hit as many. Eventually the others will find ways to adjust.

The question is whether MLB cares enough to do something--meaning will it cost them money if they don't. While attendance is down, it's not clear whether that's due to the type of baseball being played. Many fans attend the games without really caring about the outcome--they're there for a good time. And many of us will go tho the games even if they're less interesting than we'd like. The real question is whether more boring games are decreasing revenue in media and merchandise.

[Austinfan]

Raising the seams slightly would both increase drag and improve pitcher's command. It's an easy fix, one that ML baseball doesn't even have to announce, just do.

One reason games have slowed down is with easy HRs, pitchers nibble more than they used to b/c they're afraid to throw anything over the plate when 380' fly balls become 400' HRs - every park becomes Wrigley with the wind blowing out!

I'd like to see electronic strikes and balls, umpires are so inconsistent it doesn't add a "human factor" but a undesired distortion to the game. The electronic strike would eliminate framing, a skill based on fooling umpires and therefore easily eradicated from the game without harm. It would also establish the strike zone as legislated, and not at the whim of an umpire.

[LoneStarPhan]

It would also seem logical to me that the same baseball be used at all levels of the minors as is used in the majors. I can think of no reason to not do this.

[California_Dreamin]

fish...goggle is wrong. They did it in August of 1980 against the Mets. I remember that series like I remember what I ate for dinner last night. 8-1, 8-0, 11-6, 9-4, 4-1 were the scores, Espinosa, Christenson, Walk, Carlton and Lerch were the winners. This was the series that catapulted them back into the race.

[Lawman]

Jay Floyd on Twitter

Jay Floyd on Twitter

Jay Floyd on Twitter

[Philsmania]

Boy after reading some of the columns in the Inquirer, it sure looks like the buzzards are beginning to circle around Klentak and Kapler.

I think the media doesn't like him either. They think he obfuscates. Rich Kotite infurated them for the same reasons so they piled on when the fan base turned on him.

[zambonir]

Hard to tell. Seems like Hayes was just writing columns defending Kapler a month or so ago. He's like a WIP guy, writes whatever column pushes the buttons.

Didn't think much of Brookover's column either (where he said the players should decide whether Kapler is back. What if they love him but he should still be gone?)

No rumors or cryptic off-the-record statements yet, or did I miss something? It's understandable this is the topic now because the season is finally over, but the team is basically performing at the exact same level it has been all summer, so the question is, was the guy's job truly in jeopardy on August 1 and only a miracle could save it, or has it never been in jeopardy?

[Dirk41]

Who is even the next "big" name executive to bring in? Would much rather have someone from the Rays or A's tree than the Red Sox or Cubs.

[zambonir]

Well Klentak is certainly not going anywhere. The only way I could see that happening is if he's asked to fire Kapler and refuses.

[fish]

Well Klentak is certainly not going anywhere. The only way I could see that happening is if he's asked to fire Kapler and refuses.

I agree that it’s unlikely, but did you see the way Klentak looked at the Malee firing? Bags under his eyes, defeated and exhausted looking. A competitive, PO’d owner has to be really doubting that guy, right?

[andyb]

Safe to say that pretty much every game is must-win from here on in. 12-2 is needed to get to 88 wins (and that only assumes the Nats and Cubs play .500 ball.

[EDmuch]

I want Klentak fired so badly. "McFail" too.

[Philsmania]

Well Klentak is certainly not going anywhere. The only way I could see that happening is if he's asked to fire Kapler and refuses.

I agree that it’s unlikely, but did you see the way Klentak looked at the Malee firing? Bags under his eyes, defeated and exhausted looking. A competitive, PO’d owner has to be really doubting that guy, right?

I could possibly see him refusing if Middleton demands that Young be removed from his position.

[bkeich]

I could possibly see him refusing if Middleton demands that Young be removed from his position.

Given the state of the pitching staff, even despite the injuries, Young is almost certainly gone. Very few of the relievers, none of the starting pitchers have had good seasons, Nola has been a little disappointing (although maybe my hopes were a little too high), all the other starting pitchers have failed, the bullpen is an unholy mess with only a few of them doing well and the vast majority having horrid seasons (excluding injuries). I can't think of one thing that will save Young's job at this point, I am shocked he has survived this long.

All this with the best catcher in the game.

[bkeich]

I honestly believe that both Klentak and Kapler need a response to the obvious statement that Middleton is going to make, which is "we added X dollars of payroll, more than any team in baseball this offseason, and the results this year are the same as last year, a .500 team and no playoffs". Both of them better have an answer to that better than "injuries" because honestly if they don't they are in big, big trouble.

I would not be at all surprised to see one of them throw the other under the bus to save his own job at this point. Unless they have a great answer I greatly suspect at least one of them is gone, and even if not they are going to enter next season both on very, very hot seats.

Either way one has to think that Kapler's staff is going to take multiple hits.

[EDmuch]

I just want to add another of Klentak's goof ups. Sure we all saw that he missed big time on Keuchel in June. But let's not forget that in the off season he could have added Charlie Morton who currently has 15 wins for the Rays. And Morton was not looking for a long term deal and his salary demands were commensurate with his performance. Not being involved in the bidding for Morton was another in the long list of Klentak's mistakes. I have no idea how MIddleton can overlook Klentak's numerous personnel mistakes. I know Klentak was given an extension before the season started, That seemed to be based upon the Segura, Realmuto trades and the signing of Harper. But after seeing how the season has played out and how far off Klentak was in his confidence in Pivatta, Valasquez and Eflin, I cannot believe that Middleton doe not have some very harsh opinions about Klentak's performance.

[Philsmania]

I honestly believe that both Klentak and Kapler need a response to the obvious statement that Middleton is going to make, which is "we added X dollars of payroll, more than any team in baseball this offseason, and the results this year are the same as last year, a .500 team and no playoffs". Both of them better have an answer to that better than "injuries" because honestly if they don't they are in big, big trouble.

I would not be at all surprised to see one of them throw the other under the bus to save his own job at this point. Unless they have a great answer I greatly suspect at least one of them is gone, and even if not they are going to enter next season both on very, very hot seats.

Either way one has to think that Kapler's staff is going to take multiple hits.

I don't know about that on McPhail's end. I got the impression that he basically had to be talked out of retirement when the Phillies hired him so I suspect he really has no expletives left to give. I doubt he throws Klentak under the bus and I don't see how Klentak can do the same for McPhail. But, I agree I could see them both bail on Kapler and, if necessary, blame the Kranitz-Young switch on him.

[Philsmania]

And yes, it's fair to wonder if Middleton will go Dallas Green on these guys when they have their meeting on 9/27.

[Philsmania]

I just want to add another of Klentak's goof ups. Sure we all saw that he missed big time on Keuchel in June. But let's not forget that in the off season he could have added Charlie Morton who currently has 15 wins for the Rays. And Morton was not looking for a long term deal and his salary demands were commensurate with his performance. Not being involved in the bidding for Morton was another in the long list of Klentak's mistakes. I have no idea how MIddleton can overlook Klentak's numerous personnel mistakes. I know Klentak was given an extension before the season started, That seemed to be based upon the Segura, Realmuto trades and the signing of Harper. But after seeing how the season has played out and how far off Klentak was in his confidence in Pivatta, Valasquez and Eflin, I cannot believe that Middleton doe not have some very harsh opinions about Klentak's performance.

Speaking with a friend of mine last night, he wondered if their experience with Arrieta may have made them gunshy about Kuechel.