Phillies Playing Kapler’s Giants Shines Spotlight on Girardi
By Colin Newby
The Real Problem for the Phillies
Neither Gabe Kapler nor Joe Girardi can solve the true problems that have prevented the Phillies from recapturing a spot atop the NL East over the last four seasons. Poor roster construction and the necessity of using free agency as a building block have resulted in a lack of starting pitching depth, ineptitude in the bullpen, and sloppy defense.
Lack of development in the organization’s minor league system is evidenced by the nonexistent contributions of former top prospects Scott Kingery and Adam Haseley and varying degrees of struggles from first baseman Rhys Hoskins and starter Vince Velasquez (among others).
The resurgence of the Giants is impressive. Kapler’s improvement from a first-time manager who looked lost at times to a more confident skipper in his second managerial position is undeniable. However, it should not affect the decision-making of the Phillies organization or the perception of the fan base. The only true relevance of this ironic twist of fate for Girardi and Kapler is the position of the Giants as a National League foe in this weekend set.