Now What

[67RedSox]

With the Phillies two years into their collapse what do you see happening over the next 3-5 years as they try to rebuild the team and become competitive once again. Is Sandberg the right guy to have at the helm of the ship? Granted he really can't be blamed for his underwhelming performance over the last 42 games of the season but is he really the right guy to play the bad sherriff by sitting the aged and disciplining the young in the coming couple of seasons. The Cubs didn't want to put him in that sort of position. The Phillies are prepared to do so and maybe that explains why Bowa will be on the Bench in 2014 so he can assist in that process rather than his hiring being just being another retrograde move the Phillies seem to like to make.
I wish Sandberg well. I know he's been waiting for his chance and since he's now in his mid 50's he's really got to accept this challenge...and I think the Phillies and the fans need to be patient.

 

[northeastphillyguy]

Sandberg is the right guy for a youth movement. However, Amaro has little patience with players coming up through the system. Look for Amaro to block out the young players by continuing to hire aging Vets to play in their positions. Amaro wants to keep Halladay and Kendrick as starting pitchers, that would be a mistake, He will have enough money to spend on 2 pitchers once they non-tender Halladay. ASCHE, RUF,AND GALVIS WILL NOT GET ANY SIGNIFICANT PLAYING TIME WITH AMARO CHARTING THE COURSE. Sandberg will need to be patient, as for me, I don't think that I can. There will be no more playoff appearences for the Phillies,as long as Amaro is the GM.

 

[Caligula]

Sandberg is Francona all over again. He has been handed a shitty team. He has little room to make actual changes. He will be fired in 2-3 years when he hasn't managed to take shit and turn it to gold.

 

[Omar 382]

Well, possible Red Sox/Cubs/Rockies fan, I am pleasantly suprised with your interest in the Phillies. We are definitely in a rebuilding phase, and there's a number of players (Cody Asche, Darin Ruf, Cesar Hernandez, Cameron Rupp, Jesse Biddle, Ethan Martin, Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez) that should/will get legitimate looks during the 2014 seasons. Look out for Asche. I could see him having a breakout year at the plate in 2014, not to mention the great defense he plays at third base.

 

[Omar 382]

But I agree, the fans do need to remain patient. Realistically, we are looking at another 75 win year.

 

[Caligula]

But I agree, the fans do need to remain patient. Realistically, we are looking at another 75 win year.

And 2015 might be worse than 2014.

 

[Retroram52]

Caligula. That is why Bowa is here. If Sandberg fails (which he undoubtedly will) they have Bowa to promote to head skipper. But what is freakin' puzzling is brain-dead's penchant for messing with young talent by jerking them around with playing time and bringing in old players and retaining the ones we have. And these guys could EASILY be great players with good coaching and PT. I hope Bowa gets the royal shits of this screw-up and during one of his tantrums goes upstairs and bends a chair of that asshole's head!!

 

[Caligula]

Well, that is a shitty plan if they are going to use Bowa as a backup for when they can Sandberg.

 

[Cedrique]

The manager is the least of my concerns with the Phillies. Sandberg seems good enough to me. Whether they win with him or not depends on the players he's given and some luck. I doubt the Phillies are going to take the approach where it would pay to have someone like Joe Maddon to mold their young players into a winning team. They usually don't even bring players up until their mid 20's. They either need to hit paydirt with some young guys that are lucky enough to get a shot to play due to injury, have Ruben pick up the right free agents or have someone absolutely beat the front office over the head with ridiculous minor league stats like Howard did. And they also have to luck out and get some middle relievers that don't completely suck. I think Sandberg is as good as anyone and perfectly capable of leading the team if some of those things actually happen. But if nothing falls into place for the next few years and they lose a lot of games it won't necessarily be because Sandberg is incompetent.
Put it this way- if it could actually be proven that a manager could make a difference of 10 or 15 games a year someone would be paying that guy 25 million a year.

Edit: that someone would obviously not be the Phillies- they only pay crazy money like that for dh/1b types