Phillies Five Most Influential Moments of 2015

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Jun 26, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA;

There were more fireworks surrounding the Philadelphia Phillies in 2015 than those put on display for fans at the conclusion of a game against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park.

(Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)

For the Philadelphia Phillies, there were a handful of franchise-altering moments during a 2015 season that saw the club finish with the worst record in baseball for the first time in nearly two decades.

Some of those moments led to a complete change in direction at the highest levels of the franchise. Some led to changes in management at the field level. Still others turned the page on the team’s recent championship past.

The end of any calendar year is always an opportunity for us to look back and examine the road down which we travelled for these last 12 months. For a ball club, that road is filled with twists and turns. Injuries, trades, free agent signings, management changes, on-field results.

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Much of what we think we know every January about the Phillies turns out to be way off by the time all is said and done. But that really wasn’t the case in 2015. Entering the year, everyone knew that it would be a season of change. It was simply a question of who, where, and when.

It is my opinion that the following five developments were the most influential on the Phillies franchise. All of them happened during or immediately following the 2015 season. All of them have major ramifications for the team’s future. Just how influential each will end up is something that may take years to evaluate.

Next: 2015 Phillies Influential Moment #5: Goodbye, Chase

Mar 29, 2015; Clearwater, FL, USA;

Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Utley (26) runs around the bases after hitting a 2-run home run during a Grapefruit League tilt against the Detroit Tigers at Bright House Field.

(Photo Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

5. GOODBYE, CHASE

The trading of Chase Utley was done too late in some eyes, when the player was clearly past his prime, and when the club was quite obviously not going to be able to get anything of value. While sentimentality is something for which fans can be excused, it is absolutely not something that should be a major factor for management when evaluating personnel.

The Phillies did indeed wait too long to deal Utley, just as they have with both Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz. On August 19th of this past season, the Phils finally traded the popular Utley to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for a pair of modest prospects, pitcher John Richey and utility player Darnell Sweeney.

While the two prospects are not likely to be significant contributors to the Phillies future, the importance of the deal was in the trading away of an icon. With Jimmy Rollins already gone to LA in the prior off-season, the dealing of Utley to join him with the Dodgers clearly signalled that the Phils were going to do all they could to turn the page from the 2008 World Series champions.

Chase remains beloved in Philadelphia, and that is likely never going to change. He will be welcomed back to standing ovations in future reunion celebrations at Citizens Bank Park. But saying goodbye to him, while overdue, was nonetheless necessary, and a key moment as the franchise rebuild commenced.

Next: 2015 Phillies Influential Moment #4: Sandberg Resigns

Jun 13, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA;

Philadelphia Phillies ex-manager Sandberg (23) looks out over the dugout rail against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning at PNC Park. He wouldn’t last the summer.

(Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)

4. THE SKIP JUMPS SHIP

During his Hall of Fame career as a player, Ryne Sandberg was known for being a quiet but intense competitor. His bench coach with the Phillies, Larry Bowa, said that Sandberg retained that competitiveness as the club skipper.

However, it was clear that an ability to effectively communicate with modern players at the big league level was lacking. Sandberg also seemed to be weighted down by the combination of a 2nd consecutive last place season unfolding, as well as looming changes in the front office.

“I hate to lose. I think that’s the biggest thing that weighed on me. And with some changes at the top looming, I go back to my statement, I did not want to be in the way of anything happening and progress going forward.”

Per Philly.com’s David Murphy, that was part of what the Phillies’ skipper had to say after resigning suddenly back on June 26th of this past season. Not only did Sandberg NOT go down with the ship, and that ship clearly was sinking, but he got off with summer not even a week old.

For many Phillies fans, quitting was unforgivable, even if they weren’t happy with the way he was handling the team. Pete Mackanin would take over on an interim basis, but was eventually hired to return for the 2016 season. Where the Phillies go from here is unclear, but Mackanin has the first shot at showing he can be the longterm answer.

Next: 2015 Phillies Influential Moment #3: MacPhail-Klentak Take the Reigns

Oct 26, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA;

Philadelphia Phillies president Andy MacPhail introduces new general manager Matt Klentak during a press conference at Citizens Bank Park.

(Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)

3. UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

The season began with aging Hall of Famer Pat Gillick as the club president, and Ruben Amaro Jr as the general manager. It was believed all along that Gillick was going to hand over the reigns to a new club president at some point during 2016, and that moment moved closer when Andy MacPhail was formally named the successor in late June.

On September 10th, in one of his first impact actions, MacPhail announced the firing of Amaro, who had been the GM since the aftermath of the 2008 World Series victory. As quoted by Philadelphia Inquirer staffers at that time: “I have a responsibility to the franchise, the fans, ownership to do what I think is best and get this thing back to where it was as quickly as I can and efficiently as I can. That was the basis for my decision.”

After taking a few months to settle into the organization, get comfortable with his surroundings in the front office, and evaluate the player and coaching personnel at the Major League and minors levels, MacPhail was clearly taking the club in a new direction.

“However we need to do it, we will add pitching, pitching, pitching. Because if you can pitch, you have a chance to win every night.” ~ Phillies new GM Matt Klentak

Assistant GM Scott Proefrock as named the interim general manager, and a search began for a new GM to help lead the team into the future. That search culminated with the hiring on October 26th of Matt Klentak to fill that GM role, and the new GM made it clear where his focus would be:

“If you can pitch, you have a chance. That will absolutely become an organizational focus for us. To add pitching at every turn. In trades, through waiver claims, in the draft, internationally, free agency. However we need to do it, we will add pitching, pitching, pitching. Because if you can pitch, you have a chance to win every night.”

Klentak went about adding veteran starters Jeremy Hellickson and Charlie Morton, and veteran relievers Ernesto Frieri, James Russell, Andrew Bailey, and Edward Mujica. He then dealt away closer Ken Giles and a prospect in a deal that brought back five more young arms, including a former first overall MLB Draft pick.

The change from Gillick-Amaro to MacPhail-Klentak certainly turns the page from the past, and places the Phillies organizational focus squarely on the future.

Next: 2015 Phillies Influential Moment #2: Trades Bigger in Texas

Sep 29, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA;

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Hamels (35) shakes hands with manager

(Photo Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)

2. EVERYTHING BIGGER IN TEXAS

That’s the old saying anyway, that they “grow everything bigger in Texas!” Well that apparently applies to baseball trades too. A pair of trades with baseball’s two Texas teams were major signals that the Phillies were turning the page, and brought in a host of new assets to help the rebuild.

First came the Cole Hamels trade at this past summer’s deadline. The Phillies sent their former lefty ace, the man who was the 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP, to the Texas Rangers along with lefty reliever Jake Diekman.

In exchange, the Phils received a six-player/prospect package made up of injured big league pitcher Matt Harrison, prospect pitchers Jake Thompson, Alec Asher, and Jerad Eickhoff, prospect outfielder Nick Williams, and the game’s top catching prospect, Jorge Alfaro.

Then on December 12th, after days of speculation and rumored names, the Phillies trade of closer Ken Giles to the Houston Astros became official, which included prospect infielder Jonathan Arauz going in the deal to Houston.

Coming back to the Phillies were another five pitching prospects: Vincent Velasquez, Mark Appel, Brett Oberholtzer, Thomas Eshelman, and Harold Arauz. Appel was the top overall pick in the entire MLB Amateur Draft just a few years ago, and Velasquez is also a highly rated prospect, while the others will at least have a chance to contribute.

So in two deals with Texas teams, the Phillies sent away Hamels, Diekman, and Giles and brought back 11 players, including nine pitchers. Trades may indeed be bigger when made with Texas, but also bigger now is the talent level of the Phils’ farm system. It is that young talent that will create the next winning Phillies team.

Next: 2015 Phillies Influential Moment #1: Middleton Takes Control

Jun 29, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA;

Philadelphia Phillies part owner

(Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)

1. NEW KING TAKES THE THRONE

Perhaps the most popular show on television these days is HBO’s sweeping epic fantasy drama “Game of Thrones“, which tells the story of a battle for control of power. Wielding power of the Phillies has been a controversial and sometimes anonymous group.

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For a baseball team such as the Phillies, there is perhaps no more important element to long-term success than dedicated, competitive ownership with the ability and willingness to compete at the highest levels of the sport.

Over the last few decades, such ownership did not always appear to be present and accountable with the team. The fan base was rightly upset as the owners, a virtually anonymous group with a figurehead in David Montgomery shoved out in public as their face, basically punted most of the 1990’s while allowing Veteran’s Stadium to deteriorate after just three decades of use.

Even as the team enjoyed tremendous success in the 2000’s, including opening the beautiful Citizens Bank Park and winning just the franchise’ 2nd ever World Series crown, it was seen more as in spite of ownership, rather than because of it. The biggest problem with that ownership was not necessarily an unwillingness to spend money, but more a blind loyalty to sentimental attachments to both players and management.

When John Middleton, previously a member of that ownership group who kept more to the background, stepped to the front as the voice of ownership at the press conference announcing the hiring of MacPhail back in late June, it signalled a turning of the page in that ownership group.

For years, many fans hoped and prayed that the successful, aggressive, and, let’s face it, younger (60) Middleton would somehow find a way to wrestle control of the team and take full charge of its affairs. Among those who hoped for that was none other than iconic franchise shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who stated the following per CSN Philly’s Jim Salisbury:

“He’s a great man. I enjoyed John. Obviously, you guys know his fire and his passion. And all he wants to do is win. I’ve always said if there can be another Steinbrenner, it’s probably him. He wants to do whatever it takes to win. Him stepping forward doesn’t surprise me. I think it’s a place where he’s always wanted to be.”

That Middleton has stepped into the position of power, has finally taken the throne in the Phillies kingdom as it were, is clearly the biggest and most important long-term item of influence to come out of the 2015 Philadelphia Phillies season.

Next: Phillies 2016 Opening Day Lineup

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