At his Phillies introductory press conference, Gabe Kapler was asked about coconut oil masturbation.

That was not the case on Wednesday in San Fran, where Kapler was introduced as the Giants’ new manager.

After a bunch of blah blah during opening statements, plus some due diligence and explanation regarding the handling of sexual assault allegations dating back to 2015, Kapler said the following:

  • he talked with Bruce Bochy during the process of interviewing for the job
  • in Philadelphia, he learned how to blend “information” with “some of the confidence building” that goes along with players (he talked specifically about not being “bogged down by numbers”)
  • he will lean on Buster Posey as he transitions to a new clubhouse
  • San Francisco as a city excites him. He connects with the people, food, walking around town, stuff like that (he’s a California native). He called San Fran “diverse and accepting” and mentioned his parents being involved in “social justice and social change.”
  • the first two questions were to Farhan Zaidi and basically asked why they made a controversial hire (if you go to any social media post, the comments regarding Kapler are mostly negative)
  • other things he learned in Philly: Kapler alluded to micro-managing and an over-reliance on data, as compared to letting players go with their gut (he again used the word “blend” when talking about mixing analytics and instincts)
  • he also talked about meeting with Phillies players after the 2018 season and talking about the changes they’d make in the clubhouse for the next season, which he says made the team more invested during his second year in charge
  • there was yet another question about the 2015 Los Angeles incident
  • he said Phillies players supported each other and remained tight through the 2019 season, they were “sticking up for each other and fighting for other” on the field

That’s as long as I lasted. Seemed like some of the reporters were out for blood RE: that Dodgers incident, which I guess seems like old news in Philadelphia, but would be something that’s relevant and newsworthy out there.

But yeah, the takeaway for me is that it seemed like he was insinuating that he has a better feel for the game and that he would trust his instincts more in San Francisco.

Here’s the full video if you’d like to watch it:

Edit:

Here’s a specific cut with one of the Philly quotes –