Phillies news!

Feels like it was ten weeks ago that the first Bryce Harper report came out, but now we’ve got a USA Today article from Bob Nightengale featuring quotes from John Middleton about how he wants to approach a really important free agency period.

From the piece: 

“We’re going into this expecting to spend money,’’ Middleton told USA TODAY Sports. “And maybe even be a little bit stupid about it.’’

Middleton laughed, then said without smiling: “We just prefer not to be completely stupid.”

But, oh, how they will be spending.

Yes, he is talking about you, Bryce Harper and Manny Machado.

….

“It’s exciting to contemplate what we may be able to do this off-season,’’ Middleton said. “We know the free agent class this year is really, really good.’’

Could they spend in excess of $700 million to land the two biggest fish in the free-agent sea?

“I don’t know who you’re referring to,’’ Middleton said, with a laugh. “But we will be spending.’’

Yes please.

Please spend stupid amounts of money, because this is a major market team that should be spending like the Dodgers and Yankees and Red Sox. Let’s get some fucking jam in Citizens Bank Park.

Middleton says he wants to win. He celebrates like a madman in Jeffrey Lurie’s luxury box. So let’s go fucking win. Sign Harper, Machado, Keuchel, and Corbin. Send Carlos Santana wherever and move Rhys Hoskins back to first base.

Result = World Series

From The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal:

#Phillies promoting assistant pitching coach Chris Young to pitching coach in place of Rick Kranitz, sources tell The Athletic. Team will allow Kranitz to interview elsewhere. Move prompted by multiple teams showing interest in making Young their head pitching coach.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 14, 2018

Bob says this move comes as a bit of a surprise.

Going back through the season, the Phils’ young starters took a step forward and kept the team afloat for much of the year, with those suppressed flaws finally surfacing in September when the squad collapsed.

In 2018, the Phillies were 6th in starter FIP, 7th in starter WAR, and 15th in ERA. That’s up from the year before, when they were 22nd in FIP, 21st in WAR, and 21st in ERA.

I don’t know a ton about Chris Young, but it’s interesting that Rosenthal says other teams had interest in him.

Thoughts?

Ruben is moving on up, according to Jayson Stark:

Among the many personnel moves announced by the #Mets yesterday: Ruben Amaro Jr. will leave his 1B coaching box behind for a role in the front office advising new GM Brodie Van Wagenen.

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) November 6, 2018

Van Wagenen was recently hired to replace Sandy Alderson, who had been the Mets’ GM since 2010 but took a leave of absence in the summer to address a recurrence of cancer.

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We have an update on HARPER WATCH™. The Yankees were presumed to be one of the Phillies’ biggest competitors for the services of Bryce Harper this offseason, but Andy Martino of SportsNet New York reports that’s not the case:

As the Yankees wrapped their pro scouting meetings last week and determined a preliminary offseason strategy, a pursuit of free agent outfielder Bryce Harper was not part of the plan, according to major league sources.

I, for one, believe that’s a great idea. Stay far, far away, Brian Cashman.

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There’s no denying the public perception of Manny Machado took a hit this postseason after this incident in Game 4 of the NLDS:

ICYMI: Things got heated between Manny Machado and Jesús Aguilar late in Game 4 of the NLCS. pic.twitter.com/jz6HwCMaYw

— ESPN (@espn) October 17, 2018

And this incident from last night:

RT if you hope your team does NOT sign this dirt bag Machado this off season pic.twitter.com/ipZSGgRNJY

— The Breaks (@WatchTheBreaks) October 28, 2018

And, of course, this, after the jump:

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Not according to me, but according to “a panel of ESPN cross-sport experts” who put together a list of the top coaches in the United States.

*Specifically, the exercise was based on these parameters:

You’ve been handed the reins of a major North American professional sports franchise (and congratulations to you!). You now get to choose one coach who will lead your franchise to long-term greatness. Who’s your first choice?

More on the criteria from ESPN:

We stressed this was not a single-game exercise but was about “building a program,” and that respondents were permitted to consider age as part of their criteria.

Meanwhile, the ESPN analytics team devised a “résumé grade,” comparing achievements of leaders across the four major sports based on a formula factoring in win-loss records (regular season through Oct. 14), tenure and championships.

Make sense?

Your boy popped up at #39 overall.

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