And it’s not Mackanin’s fault. He’s a baseball lifer and spent decades in a game that had a certain way of doing things. It’s not easy to change, even if you want to, and the Phils felt they needed someone who could not only deal with these changes, but be a proactive part of the change process. That’s why Gabe Kapler is here, and Pete Mackanin isn’t.
On Episode 178 of the Felske Files (the podcast will soon to be re-named Hittin’ Season, listen to the first few minutes of the podcast for an explanation), I spoke with The Athletic’s Ben Harris about the many changes we’ve seen so far, and dove into some of the performances of key members of the team during the first full week of games down in Clearwater.