Phillies 2026 News and Discussion

[David_Criss]

It is so frustrating being a Phillies fan. Massive payroll for several reasons:
1. 8 men in the bullpen and we hear from the interim manager Stubbs would have to pitch while the team is fighting for its very playoff survival.
2. Horrible free agent signings
3. Trading for the top leadoff hitter and putting him the 4 hole.
3a. then playing guys out of position and jeopardizing Harper and choosing Bohm over Harper's health when De La Cruz can play RF, too
3b. not moving Turner to the OF
The list goes on and on.

I still love the team. I still hope they succeed, but looking at this roster construction, the managerial moves, the defense, the very inconsistent offense, the gigantic fails when it comes to free agent signings and I just don't see how DD is a hall of fame executive.

[phillychuck]

You don’t have to move Turner...just sit Bohm, play Harper at 1B, and platoon RF. For now that’s fine. But they have such a loser attitude right now it’s not going to matter what they do.

[RolenRules]

Agree %

[majik]

If we had the 2022-2025 Bohm, .280 hitter/.333 OBP 15-20 HR/90RBI player that improved defensively at 3B, things would be better, but he has cratered this year. I’m sure the issue with his parents has had an effect on his performance.

That being said, it is better for this team to have Harper at 1B and some combination of Hill and DeLaCruz manning RF. Would like to see them give Crawford more playing time as he has actually improved over the last month or two and is the future while Bohm is the past.

[Philsmania]

It all depends on what the Phillies put into and take on in a deal. There are other clubs with albatross contracts that they might want to shed. This is where the FO would need to be creative.

One model for something like that might be the Chris Johnson for Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn trade between the Braves and then-Indians. All three players were released by their new teams right after the trade. All three were bad contracts. The Braves got earlier relief from the contracts (ate more in one year for Swisher and Bourn) while the Indians were able to spread what was the money for Swisher and Bourn over two years instead of it being a lot to swallow in one..

[Philsmania]

This team is losing active fans at an an alarming rate, almost as fast as they are losing games. It’s a shame.

Especially being the Eagles being the Eagles, the Flyers seemingly on the way up and all of the buzz that has come over the Sixers over the summer. If the Phillies head into a rebuild, I could easily see a situation like we saw in the late-'90's-early '00's when Philadelphia didn't tune into the Phillies until after both the Sixers and Flyers finished and tuned out once Eagles camp started, times when the Phillies' season attendance struggled to top 1.8 million (and often finished south of that number).

Even after the Phillies got good again, it took the Thome signing for it to crank up again (and some of that may have been inflated by the Vet's nostalgia-induced farewell season and the first season at CBP). The last good memory that Phillies fans had prior to 2001 was 1993 which, as fun as it was, was also an unfulfilled dream. The fans came back quicker at the end of 2010's when the most recent good memory was the 2007-11 run which included 2008's title. The current future "last good memory" will also be chempionshipless, so that may make it slow for fans to come back.

The Phillies largely lost Generation X in the Delaware Valley in the '90's (aside from them being occasional bandwagon fans). The same will probably happen with Generation Z.

As much as people here on this forum look down upon Philadelphia fans in general, Philadelphia fans can spot a competent--and incompetent--front office from a mile away. The Eagles are arguably THE model well-run NFL franchise. The Flyers just might have finally threaded the needle of finding FO leadership that is both filled with Flyers guys AND competent forward-thinking executives (as opposed to guys who were stuck in the past or just not good in their jobs). The Sixers--after The Process was long bungled by Hinkie, Colangelo and Morey--seem to have found themselves an absolute crackerjack GM in Gansey. Meanwhile, the fans increasingly view Dombrowski is not terribly sharp or a guy who the game and business have passed by and is driving the franchise over a cliff while Middleton appears to be completely oblivious to that out of personal loyalty to a guy who has basically become his crony.

[zambonir]

Turner is not al albatross contract. He is still a talented player. He may be an albatross is the future. But not now.

Ed is correct. Turner is having an off year but last year he had an MVP-type year. We shall see what the future brings, but the combination of what he actually can still contribute and the replacement cost makes him someone you don't really want to lose. Any trade would just be for someone likely worse or more grossly overpaid (like any of the three SF players). Any attempt to replace him on the FA market could just mean more disappointment or more future money (just like Bichette and Tucker this year). And the Phillies still have too many offensive holes without opening up another one (the only way they maybe don't is if Miller can play and Arraez is re-signed).

It's unfortunate the huge contract does make it hard to try and do a creative deal for him where the player coming back could be truly helpful, like another team has too many OFs and we have too many middle IFs.

[zambonir]

Meanwhile, the fans increasingly view Dombrowski is not terribly sharp or a guy who the game and business have passed by and is driving the franchise over a cliff while Middleton appears to be completely oblivious to that out of personal loyalty to a guy who has basically become his crony.

It's still hard to say that a trip to the World Series, four straight playoff berths and two division titles is a failed era. But the combination of that plus DD's HOF credentials seems to leave them blind to the possibility that it might go bad, or how to do anything differently. Right now we're in the awkward spot where a continued collapse might be the best thing for the direction fof the franchise. But, a hot September and you still never know.

Either way, hard to imagine DD isn't hiring the next manager, and he's surely getting his extension too because otherwise next year would be the lame-duck season.

[Philsmania]

The media has already mentioned an expected extension for DD this offseason. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if he actually gets a small ownership share (like Gillick did) to permanently keep him out of Nashville. If it includes a succession plan with either P. Mattingly or Fuld succeeding him, he will probably move up to a lifetime "Senior Advisor to the President of Baseball Operations" position or something like that.

And, I'm not saying this is a failed era, even without the championship, just as the Whiz Kids, the "60's teams (winning seasons from 1962-67 including the near miss in '64) and '93 were not failures. Plenty of good teams in any sport that are good enough to win championships never win a championship. Here in Philadelphia alone, see also the Buddy Ryan-built Eagles, the Lindros Era Flyers, the Iverson Era Sixers and the Reid-McNabb Era Eagles. I bet you fans in almost every other city can come up with a similar list.

[zambonir]

Yeah that's really the only question. The duration of time he is actually in the PBO role after 2027 could be as short as one more year. I'm just saying a complete collapse could change the plan. But the reality is, Dombrowski hasn't even hired a manager during his time here (only promoted two interim guys) and they would probably spin that (plus shipping out a few players) as the new direction.

It will be Mattingly though, on the baseball side. It's possible Fuld will be team President (with no baseball involvement) and Mattingly PBO or even VP BO. Fuld will start to do more things currently handled by Middleton himself and DD, as far as being the overall CEO type.

[andyb]

Meanwhile...

Raining in Iowa all day. Might clear out by game time but there is probably a strong chance of the game being pushed to tomorrow. Imagine that is why they left the day off after the game like on opening day. Teams might need to scrounge for a hotel though.

[Philsmania]

Meanwhile...

Raining in Iowa all day. Might clear out by game time but there is probably a strong chance of the game being pushed to tomorrow. Imagine that is why they left the day off after the game like on opening day. Teams might need to scrounge for a hotel though.

Not to mention fans who traveled to IA and only booked one night and/or only took one day off from work.

[andyb]

There are only 8,000 seats but even that might strain the Dubuque hotel scene.

[zambonir]

I would imagine a lot of local ticketholders though (including a lot of community-connected people). Also I bet the teams and Netflix blocked out the rooms.

We get an extra player too. Not a pitcher.

[andyb]

Looks like the worst rain has stopped so I think we are good to go tonight. Buxton activated for the Twins.

[andyb]

Kameron Misner the extra man tonight. I guess potential pinch runner/defender was all we were going to get.

[zambonir]

Nice thing for him, $20,000!

[JoeBas]

Meanwhile...

Raining in Iowa all day. Might clear out by game time but there is probably a strong chance of the game being pushed to tomorrow. Imagine that is why they left the day off after the game like on opening day. Teams might need to scrounge for a hotel though.

Rain is gone. Likely light sprinkles (>70% chance) during the game, but a less than 5% chance of a rain delay over 30 minutes.

[JoeBas]

I just have this image of Shoeless Joe walking out of the cornfield, turning around, seeing "BET ESPN" billboards on the wall, saying "What?!", and just noping out, leaving Kevin Costner wondering what that was. /movie.

[andyb]

If you build it, I bet he will come.