Philadelphia Phillies general manager Matt Klentak has talked about perception on two different occasions since the season ended. At his season-ending press conference, he said that manager Gabe Kapler learned that perception matters in his first season on the job. When asked about Manny Machado’s eventful postseason, he again responded by saying that perception matters.
He’s also well aware that the Phillies, for at least three years now, have been seen as a favorite to sign either Machado or Bryce Harper this offseason. For many Phillies fans – who Klentak has gone out of his way to talk about wanting to make proud since the season ended – the offseason will be viewed as a failure if the Phillies don’t come away with one of the two superstars.