Will the Phillies fire manager Gabe Kapler if they don’t make the playoffs?

That’s the title of a story written today by Bob Nightengale over at USA Today.

The answer is no, according to him. He says Kapler actually “remains beloved by the front office,” which is an excerpt I’ve clipped for y’all after the jump:

….the prevailing belief among Phillies’ executives is that Kapler’s job is safe.

The Phillies haven’t won, and the fans are furious, but he remains beloved by the front office. They love his passion and sincerity. They love his willingness to be fully indoctrinated in their organization, whether it’s telephoning and welcoming new employees, making ticket sales calls, or volunteering for research projects. They love his conviction and beliefs.

They still believe he is the right man for the job, and besides, if they dared let him go, word is that the San Francisco Giants would quickly turn to him, replacing outgoing manager Bruce Bochy. He has strong ties to Farhan Zaidi, president of baseball operations, from their days together with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Big, if true. I’m sure that’s a disappointment for the Phils fans who are anti-Kapler. The manager himself is quoted later in the article, if you’d like to give it a read.