MIAMI — It had been three weeks since the Phillies last lost back-to-back games. So, after they got thumped by a 14-2 margin over the weekend by the Atlanta Braves, the inquiring mind of Gabe Kapler was curious to gauge the mood of his young team when it reported for work here Monday.
What the rookie manager found was, in his words, a group of players that appeared “pumped up and ready to go and legitimately seeming inspired” for a three-game series against the Miami Marlins.
Kapler was so taken by the atmosphere in the clubhouse that he made a point to bring it up, unprompted, during his pregame media session.