Are the Phillies taking too long to decide on Gabe Kapler?
One week ago today the Phillies ended their 2019 season with an 81-81 record, and the pressure to fire manager Gabe Kapler intensified. As of 2:00 p.m. on Sunday the team has not publically made a decision regarding Kapler, despite firing pitching coach Chris Young.
While the front office and ownership continue to gather opinions from outside the organization on Kapler, seven other organizations have begun searching for managers. Jon Heyman of Fancred reports that former Yankees manager Joe Girardi is interviewing with the Cubs and “keenly interested” in the Mets job.
Chicago appears to be moving quickly with their search, reportedly setting up interviews with not just Girardi, but also Mark Loretta, David Ross, and Will Venable.
Jon Morosi of MLB.com says Joe Maddon is garnering interest from the Padres and Angels.
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Nearly every team appears to have interviews set up, while the front office continues to gather information. There are reports that owner John Middleton could wait until as late as Wednesday to make a decision on Kapler, raising some questions as to if Kapler is more likely to stay as time ticks on.
Philadelphia can not continue to drag out their decision on Kapler as other teams begin the hiring process. Middleton stands to lose his best options the longer he waits, which could signal he isn’t enthralled with the options out there despite some quality candidates available.
Hopefully, the decision on Kapler comes swiftly and Philadelphia can begin the hiring process sooner rather than later.