Ten things for Phillies fans to look forward to in 2018
By John Town
A new manager
For the last two and a half years, Pete Mackanin was at the helm. He wasn’t particularly bad as a manager, but the front office felt a need for a change from the guy they inherited after Andy MacPhail and Matt Klentak took over. Now, they have their guy in Gabe Kapler.
To say Kapler is unorthodox is an understatement. The fact that Howard Eskin asked about Kapler’s use of coconut oil at his introductory press conference says a lot. Kapler came from the Dodgers and is well-trained in sabermetrics, nutrition, and fitness. He was labeled baseball’s most attractive manager.
However, someone like Kapler could be exactly what this team needs for a fresh start. He has a well-rounded coaching staff behind him, and the team’s young core will likely be more open to his ideas. It will be interesting to see how Kapler employs his sabermetric knowledge in the clubhouse on a day-to-day basis. This team will certainly have a much different look in 2018 with Kapler taking the reins.