Phillies don't plan to spend big in offseason
Oct 3, 2017 - 5:42 PM PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Phillies president Andy MacPhail says management had to persuade ownership to keep a lower payroll. The team finished last in the NL East for the third time in four years and hasn't reached the postseason since 2011, but a slew of talented, young players have created a solid foundation for the future. "I'm very encouraged by what I've seen and I saw a lot of positives," MacPhail said Tuesday. He cited Philadelphia's record over the last 70 games (35-35) and winning mark against division opponents (39-37) as part of the reason for optimism. Overall, the Phillies were 66-96. MacPhail said the ownership group led by John Middleton is eager to win and willing to spend whatever money is necessary to accomplish the goal. The Phillies used to have one of the highest payrolls in the majors, but management feels this offseason isn't the right time to sign overpriced free agents because of the current composition of the team. "They didn't react extraordinarily well to the plan," MacPhail said of ownership's initial reaction, adding that it's on board now. He also made it clear the team won't pass up an opportunity to add an expensive player if he's the right fit. But MacPhail said he feels it's best to allocate financial resources to other areas. The team plans to install a new field, add lighting, improve the speaker system and upgrade the fan experience throughout the ballpark. Analytics and sports science are major priorities along with increasing the scouting staff internationally and on the domestic level. "We have to seek competitive advantages, especially if resources are not deployed toward payroll," MacPhail said. Rookies Rhys Hoskins and Nick Williams came up from the minors and energized the offense. J.P. Crawford and Jorge Alfaro showed they belong in the 2018 lineup and Odubel Herrera, Aaron Altherr, Cesar Hernandez and Freddy Galvis are valuable pieces. "This is as deep an organization as I've ever been involved with," MacPhail said. Hiring a new manager to replace Pete Mackanin will be general manager Matt Klentak's first priority in the offseason. Improving the pitching staff will be No. 2. But don't expect the Phillies to spend big bucks on high-profile free agents like Yu Darvish or Jake Arrieta. "My philosophy hasn't changed," MacPhail said. "There are times you have to dive into that pool, but it's not my favorite place to be. You don't want to pay for past performance." ___ More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball ___ Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddiNo one has shouted yet.
Be the first!
Be the first!
Related News
- Rise and Phight: 12/26/2023 Dec 26
- John Middleton’s A Christmas Carol: Part Two Dec 25
- John Middleton’s A Christmas Carol: Part one Dec 24
- TGP writer interview: Brian McQuilkin Dec 23
- Weekend open thread Dec 23
- Matt Strahm would pitch on the moon if you asked him to Dec 22
- Rise and Phight: 12/22/2023 Dec 22
- Smarty’s 2023 Winter Solstice post Dec 21
- Rise and Phight: 12/21/2023 Dec 21
- Retroactive Phillies offseason grades: 2015 Dec 20
- José Alvarado loves coffee and strikeouts Dec 20
- Rise and Phight: 12/20/2023 Dec 20