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Uhhhhhh........So it seems as if this short baseball season has been topsy-turvy. Many teams have surprised a lot of experts by asserting themselves into the playoffs despite a small payroll and talent coming together for a common goal of succeeding. Clearly, I'm talking about the two Florida MLB teams (Tampa Bay and Miami). Yet, there is a team that has decided to spend money to get to the playoffs, but haven't reached that goal at this time.
The Philadelphia Phillies were in rebuild mode a few years ago when management, largely GM Matt Klentak, figured to chase after free-agents and executing trades to secure top talent by paying top dollar. It's a risk by abandoning your plan to rebuild through the draft and farm system. The Phillies have a #1 overall pick in their farm named Mickey Moniak, who made his MLB debut this season. Philadelphia has young players in Rhys Hoskins and Aaron Nola, who I think will win a Cy Young award in his career. However, the organization decided to give huge contracts to pitchers Jake Arrieta, Zach Wheeler, David Robertson and position players Didi Gregorius, Jean Segura, Andrew McCutchen and catcher J.T. Realmuto. I mean, they were committed to make moves to propel the team to win. However, they needed to get the centerpiece.
In the 2018 off-season....or near the beginning of the 2019 Spring Training, the Phillies decided to...sigh...swing for the fences and snag the top free-agent in the class....BRYCE HARPER! Philadelphia signed Bryce Harper to a 10 year $330 million contract and despite during his press conference he stated that he is willing to deliver a championship to D.C. (foreshadowing), the Phillies were ecstatic that they secured a generational talent. The playoffs were certain for Philadelphia.
Here's the issue that the Phillies have. It seems as if the team has not gelled as they hoped. With a payroll of $203 million for 2020 (according to Phillie Nation), the organization had big expectations coming into this shorten season. They decided to let go of Gabe Kapler as manager for a World Series champion in Joe Girardi, which is an upgrade, in an effort to improve the team. It will take time.
The epicenter of all this is Harper. As a member of the Nationals, he became one of the faces of Major League Baseball. In 2018, his final season in D.C., the Nats made an offer to Harper, which he rejected. Whispers around baseball was that the organization wasn't exactly sad to see him go. Bryce Harper can tend to be cocky and have a short fuse. During a game earlier this season, Harper hit a high fly towards right center field where Ronald Acuna Jr. made a sensational catch, robbing him of a base hit. Instead of acknowledging that Acuna Jr. made a great play, Harper threw his helmet down in disgust. He has fire and is a competitor who hates to lose, but he seems misunderstood with his cockiness and emotional outbursts that is the focus on a team that should be in the playoffs due to their giant payroll.
Obviously, all the blame should not fall on Harper. Andrew McCutchen tore his ACL in 2019, and is still trying to come back to his old self. Jean Segura and J.T. Realmuto have been up and down. David Robertson has struggled with injuries, while the rest of the bullpen is not exactly setting the world on fire. Jake Arrieta is not the pitcher he was with the Chicago Cubs. I think a full season with Girardi at the helm could be beneficial since he was able to turn a high priced team into World Series champions with the Yankees in 2009. Ironically, that win was against the Phillies.
2021 is a season that is beneficial for the Phillies. If management is able to continue adding high priced talent to the roster, it will make their payroll skyrocket.
Unfortunately, for the overzealous fans of Philadelphia, a $203 million payroll and no playoffs is a total flameout.
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