Rob Thomson on why the Phillies won’t sign the big free agents fans hope
According to the latest report, and Rob Thomson himself, Phillies fans shouldn’t hold their breath for a big move in the rotation or the bullpen.
Five weeks. That’s all that’s left before Philadelphia Phillies players start rolling into Spring Training.
Five weeks for the Phillies to upgrade the roster.
Don’t hold your breath.
The two areas we keep hearing rumblings about are the starting rotation and the backend of the bullpen. But from recent reports and even from manager Rob Thomson himself, fans better get ready for the quiet offseason to continue until mid-February.
Phillies’ plan for the bullpen is not much of a plan at all
We’ll start with the bullpen, as that appears to be the most pressing need for a Phillies team looking to go back to the World Series in 2024. Josh Hader is obviously the top dog available, but even lesser-knowns like fireballer Jordan Hicks would be a great addition to the high-octane relief corps.
As much as some fans believe president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and general manager Sam Fuld need to land Hader, that may not be in the cards.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today believes that the Phillies won’t make an offer to Josh Hader because he doesn’t “… fit into their team.”
Thomson recently appeared on the Mike Missanelli Podcast, and gave some insight into how the Phillies front office’s approach to reinforcing the relief corps looks now a week into the new year. When Missanelli asked if the team is looking for another arm to handle a late-inning, high-leverage role, the Phillies bench boss was non-committal, at best.
“I think if he lands in our lap, sure, we’d take another guy,” Thomson said, whatever that means.
His answer doesn’t exactly exude the assertiveness that fans who are hoping for a bullpen upgrade want to hear.
Thomson explained the position the team is in with their bullpen personnel, and it makes sense from a roster manipulation standpoint. But not from the raw emotional perspective with which fans approach their desire to see a third World Series trophy hoisted in Philadelphia.
