The Phillies continue to be one of the classiest organizations in all of sports
With little to no income right now the Phillies could easily lay off hundreds of employees, not pay their minor leaguers, and go home with what they could. But that’s not what they do, and it’s not anything they’ve ever done.
From the days of the Carpenter family’s ownership through the Giles family, David Montgomery, and now to the Middleton and Buck families the Phillies continue to prove, even in a pandemic, that they’re one of the best organizations in sports.
Right now the Phillies are one of a handful of organizations that have said they will not be furloughing any employees through the end of the regular season. Meanwhile, teams across the sports landscape are either laying people off or cutting salaries across the board.
Then on Tuesday, it came out that the Phillies will be helping their minor league players, who may miss an entire season, by giving them an allowance (though the amount is unknown) for the month of June. The White Sox will be doing something similar and hopefully more teams follow suit.
This news comes the same day reports surfaced of Oakland no longer paying minor league players after May 31.
The Middleton’s also helped organize PHLove, a variety show that helped raise money for those in need during the pandemic.
The Phillies have always treated their players and staff like family. There are countless stories, many of which will never come to light, of ownership through the years making sure. that everyone was taken care of.
When Roy Halladay was posthumously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, John Middleton flew the Halladay family up to New York for the press conference. When alumni come to town the team is known for making sure they’re comfortable and recognized, no matter if they played one year or 15 years in Philadelphia.
Kudos to the Phillies for continuing their great history of generosity, compassion, and family during these times.