PHILLIES PHODDER

A brutally honest assessment of the Phillies is today's post..

I was at yesterday's Father's Day ballgame between the Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks. The Phils were swept, losing 5-4 in 10 innings, and in the process getting swept in the weekend series. The team continues on the road to a projected 110 losses, an embarrassing  and historical total.

The game was long and boring. The afternoon was  humid and soupy, which made the agony worse. I had a Tony Luke's cheesesteak, which helped to sooth the pain. The Hawaiian shirt, which was the Father's Day giveaway, was nice. The highlight of my day was meeting the great Ray Didinger * he was really nice).

Rather being depressed on the way home, I felt angry again with the Phillies, which prompted me to write the following review:

* It's pretty obvious that GM Matt Klentak is tanking. At first I didn't think Klentak knew what the hell he is doing, an inexperienced, nerdy, geeky, analytical guy who can't relate to Philly fans. OK< maybe the nerdy, geeky part remains, but Klentak knows exactly what he is doing. He recently mentioned that the Phils needs to emulate the rebuilding process of the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs. Both were horrendous several years ago. Both are now winners and strong contenders for a World Series title.

Without saying so, the Astros especially were tanking. It paid off but until the pay-off it was agony for Astro fans.

Klentak sees that the Sixers got away with tanking. He sees how the city accepted losing So he is trying for next summer's no. 1 overall draft pick.

It's harder to tank in baseball. Unlike other sports the no. 1 selection in baseball isn't always a sure bet. As organizations like the Dodgers, Yankees and Cardinals have proven, one can build solid farm systems, with prospects ever-flowing in the pipeline, without having a no. 1 pick. Good scouting and solid player evaluation can do that.\\So, Klentak is full of shit. By not fielding a competitive team now, he is giving the finger to the loyal fans who have stuck by the team for years. Plus,doess a free agent after the 2018 season such as Manny Machado. really going to want to come to a loser organization, a 110 loss tea, with no improvement on the horizon?

* The current team has a dysfunctional line-up. No true lead-off hitter, no clean-up hitter. Aaron Altherr hits int he third slot, normally saved for your best hitter, because he is the best they got. No ace on the pitching staff, no closer. No direction from the front office, no clue.

Their sorry record reflects the dysfunction. They truly are what they are.There are no stars on this team, no one who can single-handedly carry the team for a month. Who would you really pay to see play?

* Mackanin: I like Pete, but I am starting to think he is in over his head. I mean, let
s be honest; Mackanin got his job because Ryne Sandberg quit. Macjanin is just happy to have a manger's job after  begin a baseball lifer.

Macjanin is a puppet for the front office. They can pull his strings and he knows it.

He manages like he is desperate, like he didn't get that contract extension. Why isn't Pat Neshak, the closer? Mackanin has tried Neris, Gomez and Benoit in the closer's role and all have failed. Why not give the only reliable guy in the bullpen- Neshak- a shot? What fo you have to lose at this point?

Questionable moves like that doesn't give me much confidence in Pete. I get it that the front office is pushing more playing time for washed- up bums ;like Michael Saunders. I'm tired of Mackanin's excuses (: We play the good teams tough"), his earlier attitude not to bench lackluster, lazy players like Herrera when they don;t hustle, and his stupid "encouragement" for players like Franco who don't care and won't listen to advice.

This is what Mackanin is doing now with a  really bad club. Do I really want to see how he might manage a good team? Does the entire coaching staff need to be fired after the season, a fresh, household cleaning?

& Once again, the Phillies front office has over-evaluated their personnel. Guys like Franco and Herrera are over-rated. Herrera is a Rule 51 guy, without a real pedigree. Rule 51 players, such as Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino, can blossom. With Herrera's attitude, his arrogant habits ( bat-flipping) and brain-dead lapses on defense and on the bases, he will never win a batting crown or become a special player.

You just have to hope they haven't over-evaluated their kids too. The promise of the future is with the prospects and if the Phillies screwed up the talent level ont he kids, the organization truly is buried for years to come.

* The organization is now paying for the sins of the past. Bad drafting, bad money managemnt, bad contracts, bad planning. Klentak is inept but former GM Ruban Amaro was no bowls of cherries either. We forget his woeful tenure in Philly too soon because we detest Klentak so much now.

* President Andy MacFailure needs to step up and speak. The team is a disgrace. The fans deserve better. MacPhal should speak, let the city know this current shit if unacceptable. Changes will be made. Someone in the organization hears the concerns and can relate to the anger and frustration. MacPhal cans how a human side people can relate to, not the analytic, robot, no feelings, cold attitude of the Boy Wonder General manager.

Same with owner John Middleton. He was out-front and center in April when the team wassplaying well. Since the implosion, Middleton has vanished, hunkered down in his bunker with MacPhal, leaving Klentak out to dry. He bragged that the team has the money to do whatever it takes to field a winning or at least competitive team. Middleton looks foolish now, as he hides in shame.

Does Middleton clean house and fire everyone? It can't get much worse than potential losing 110 games this season. Either way, the organization looks idiotic. In the case of Macjanin, if they allow him to continue to guide such a putrid team, they look stupid. If they pull the plug and fire his ass, they look stupid as well, giving a contract extension to a guy and then watching the team totally have a meltdown.

To me, you admit the blunders , eat the contracts and move on. What sense does it make to continue on with a losing plan?

Bring up the kids- Kingery, Williams, Couzins, Hoskins, etc. Give the fans some hope and something to watch for the rest of the summer. Evaluate what you have so you can proceed in the off-season. Spend money and screw service time. Show the fans you want to win, not just talk about it.

I didn't expect the 2017 Phillies to win anything. I hoped they would improve and continue to build, while at the same time to evaluate and allow the younger kids to play. I never expected them to lose so badly, and neither did the front office.

Hard decisions need to be made soon. Free agency, trades ( Rupp, Hellickson, Kendricks, Saunders, among others to go)future drafts- do I really want Matt Klentak to oversee all of that. Do I have faith in him? Or will the organization fall deeper in a hole?

Even worse, many loyal fans- including mysalf- just don't care anymore. Apathy is setting in. Going to the ballpark in the summer is fun. But do I turn on the radio or TV without thinking anymore? No. The Phillies once again stole my summer.I will think twice before buying a 6-game pack next off-season. A bad taste is in my mouth now. Show me something. I won't be fooled again.