Klentak has stepped down

[allentown]

For what this team has actually accomplished and for what they are likely to accomplish in the next three seasons you could just as easily say that they should have traded Hoskins and Nola.

Yes and no. Neither of them, nor Harper plus Realmuto plus Wheeler plus Did, were enough to yield a winning season, as in just one game over .500 -- that's certainly true. The reality, however, is that no position in baseball yields less repeatable season-to-season results than relief pitcher. Position players are the most reliable, until they pass 30-32. So, if you are at a trade deadline situation and want to convert some present talent into future, then trading a good relief pitcher is least likely to hurt you going forward. Neris's good and bad years were not easily predictable. As we've seen from the relief pitchers we acquired this year, forecasting pre-trade deadline to post-deadline is even very, very spotty. It's part SSS. Except for reserve position players, nobody has a smaller season sample size than relievers. Few see as large a variation in workload.

If we are going to leave GM vacant for the season, then the guy I want is Epstein.

[bigegypt0417]

I know it's a longshot but i'd like to see the phillies go after Erik Neander...i think if you offer him the president job and big money, you have at least a shot.

[zambonir]

I agree Epstein and Neander are 1 and 1A. Arbuckle was in the paper today lobbying for Piccolo and he sounds okay too though the Royals are still not the franchise I'd use as my pipeline. What is frustrating is they could have hired Bloom (from the same tree as Neander) or Piccolo the first time. Kantrovitz, who was with the A's, is now the head of scouting for Chicago and presumably would stay/move up when Theo leaves.

The Rays make their trades when A) the players have established solid value that makes the trade return more appealing than keeping the player and B) they've moved into the more moderately expensive arb years. Neris had not done both of those things at the same time prior to 2019.

[fish]

I’m skeptical of anyone in the Yankees front office who has been around for a long time; however, In the last few years someone in the front office essentially figured out what the rays have done to identify talent at the margins and coach them up to be really good contributors. Maybe that was Naehring- I’ve never hear who they attribute that to. I have read that he’s rejected gm jobs because he doesn’t want to move from Cincinnati. I guess that makes him a good candidate for the reds job.

[EDmuch]

If I am Harper, I am politely and privately communicating a trade request. This organization is going to be in chaos for at least the next 3=4 years, prime years of Harper's career. I am completely disheartened by Middleton's inept, non-decisive response to the current situation. No timetable ???? Give me a break. The house is on fire. It should not be that difficult to figure out you should call the fire department.

[zambonir]

Somehow hadn't read this before. It's a perfect column

Matt Klentak wasn’t the problem with the Phillies; the Phillies are the problem...

[DurhamBull]

If I am Harper, I am politely and privately communicating a trade request. This organization is going to be in chaos for at least the next 3=4 years, prime years of Harper's career.

Although I hope for better (and think it's possible), it wouldn't surprise me if it took a few years for the Phils to turn it around. I've grown to really like Harper. He's over the top, but it seems like genuine, heartfelt passion. In many games when the Phils's offense was flailing, I saw Harper try to provide some spark -- steal a bag, turn a single into a double, etc. He's trying to make the people around him better.

I'm sure he'd rather be on a better team, and he might ask for that, but I could also see him having no thought of that. He might just view sticking it out as the loyal thing to do, and he'll do everything he can to make it work for him and the team.

[Mac]

What a ridiculous take

[EDmuch]

Hey Mac !!! I will not use any form of name calling. But the post you are referring to is 2 years old. back when Klentak was still in charge. I mean, really, get a life.

[zambonir]

hahaha I actually thought it would be fun to find some of our cold takes from say, July. Or mid-September. but this is a lot. at the time, it really looked like they weren't going to hire anyone that off-season! Wonder how the Inquirer column holds up.

[Florida_Sunshine]

I think a lot of us could be hung out to dry with comments we have made previously to the last week.

One just never knows.

[zambonir]

by "a lot" i meant for someone to bother digging it up/replying, not the original post.

[Patchmk88]

I’m sure I had plenty of bad ones.

[Sabin]

Lol, no way!

[EDmuch]

Well Z if you want to go back to July or August of 2022, you will find that I predicted that this team would get to the NLCS.

[Philsmania]

One thing I appreciate about this group is that we don't have people who "keep files" on other people. Most of them went off to another group sixteen years ago. Seriously, people who dig through sites looking for others' now embarrassing posts need to get a life.

[andyb]

Interesting takes. I wonder now what we all said about Dombrowski when he came aboard. I was happy with Klentak being gone and definitely wanted a GM that would err towards spending money over trading prospects when we did not have major system depth. Dombrowski has definitely done that. Small trades that get players that are not super old to fill holes balanced by spending on big ticket items (Castellanos having a mediocre year does not make that strategy bad. JT and Wheeler and Schwarber have been worth it).

I just like the idea that they should spend $20 million extra instead of throwing top prospects in trades. The one we traded (O'Hoppe) came back for a younger player so even if we lose that in the long run it was still not a trade prospects for veterans deal.

DD has been what I (and many here) kind of wanted. No idea if it is sustainable but enjoying the ride so far.

[zambonir]

I was not fully sold on DD, or that this team could make the noise they are making now before Nola and Hoskins hit free agency. But here we are. If nothing else, he got the owner to exceed the CBT, and he also was allowed to fire the owner's handpicked manager. And the smaller moves at the deadline, and the general ability to do win-now stuff without giving up too much of the future, have proven to be masterful.

A month or two ago it looked like the rotation was going to be the flaw, but now that looks like a feature not a bug, in that it may have kept them from contending for the division but was just right for the wild card system.

[julio]

I’d have to go back and look, but my recollection is that the major concern with Dombrowski was that he would shred the farm for short-term success…and that has not happened. Yeah, O’Hoppe — but for a 24-year old with upside, not for a veteran who will be outta here in two years. Ben Brown? We’ll see, but TINSTAAPP; Brown may or may not have a major league career. Robertson helped.

I can’t fault Dombrowski here. Painter, Abel, McGarry…none of them was ever even on the table.

[zambonir]

Yup, he has walked the tightrope admirably. As andy said, we'll see if it's sustainable, short or medium-term. Nothing's guaranteed as the Giants, White Sox and Brewers can tell you this year.

Of course having done what they've already done and possibly more, if they come back next year and are in the thick of the division race, one those top 3 pitchers could yet be on the table.. or the rotation! (or both).