Culture is created not found. Phillies baseball player development (PD) had long been a process where traditions, approaches, teaching mechanisms, mindsets and even hiring patterns were established protocols unwelcoming to change or even open to conjecture. The organization embedded itself into repetitive methods and isolated networks of personnel. From this outsider’s perspective it was a part of the team stuck in a pattern beyond reproach.
To challenge such a system required guts, a willingness to be mocked and criticized along with a vision of what could improve. It also had to have a backbone of fortitude and belief both from the sergeants instituting change and those higher in the command chain supporting it. I know this experience as I was once one of those sergeants in my prior corporate career introducing/instituting system and procedures (SAP) globally to an often resistant work community.
The Phillies player development process was stuck in a working environment where seemingly only those with professional baseball backgrounds were employed, one where only former players became instructors and methodologies of teaching were limited to what had previously been instituted. In 2015 I began a new journey in my life - an early retirement from a thirty-two year corporate career that had taken me from an introductory level to global leadership. Baseball and the Phillies were always my passion - my corporate life was just a found mechanism of employment. My wife and I moved to Clearwater and I began observing and writing about the player development process inclusive of networking my way into the organization from an outsiders perspective while providing observations internally to those I was able to connect with. My venture was unique, even called “fake” by some in Phillies leadership, they even had security at the Complex forewarned as such however those who knew my sincerity and desire to merely spotlight the players and the process offered support to do so.
Concurrent to my efforts to write about the process the club hired a young man to become their GM and to introduce new approaches system wide. A PD introduction to the hiring of coaches that while lacking prior pro baseball experience had backgrounds and knowledge of new processes along with the introduction of technology to teach and develop it incurred. There was resistance and struggles along with both successes and failures. As is often the case in pro baseball the new GM was later dismissed when winning didn’t happen at the big league level. A savvy veteran with hall of fame credentials was hired as President of Baseball Operations - one who didn’t limit himself to any particular method or approach in regard to player development. He observed it firsthand for a full season, often in person, at affiliates and backfields - I know because I was there as well and saw him, I found it fascinating and still do whenever he’s there to watch. Afterwards he brought in a new young man to oversee the PD process.
The heavy lifting of cutover to the incorporation of data and video to evaluate and teach (and to personnel schooled in it) along with an enlarged presence of nutritional and mental skills support had been established by the first regime in their tenure. However, the internal battles of “old school” vs newer methods was the primary challenge still to fully overcome. Communication and reporting structure were lacking in the process. The new leadership introduced a cross functional structure where scouting and development partnered and shared, where processes were re-visited and further integrated both traditional and “modern” techniques. Staffing became more of a mix of those with professional baseball backgrounds open to new techniques as well and those educated with knowledge of processes developed at different levels of baseball. A major emphasis was placed on building up the strength and conditioning program and incorporating the training personnel into the development process - the continuity of partnership and participation. In addition an enhanced outreach to the Dominican Academy was established with stronger interactions and oversight to insure that every level of development was on the same page.
It resulted in a promotion to GM for the new young man brought in by the savvy hall of famer as the PD process had become modernized while respecting tradition and the PD community had become just that. Yes there will always be naysayers and critics but from this observer who watches and writes about Phillies PD just about every day the change-over in ten years time has been very evident. There is still at least one exception - while I’ve grown in my organizational interactions it’s done without recognition - I don’t have credentials or a placeholder - am still the outsider looking in - perhaps things that are so unique are too difficult to acknowledge. 🥸
Player development is a constant evolution - new structures and personnel will always occur within the standard. That’s the key though - in order for change to occur a standard and platform had to be re-established to allow for it. Such a change has indeed occurred along with a well written charter of “Protecting the Standard” also being enforced. From this observers view who’s witnessed the cutover and continues to report the present status it’s a key to long term success. Nothing is ever perfect but as I used to tell colleagues when I previously traveled the world incorporating change “Perfect is the enemy of Good”. The village has been rebuilt with a strong and flexible structure and it’s a good thing as the old one was crumbling at the foundation. Just sayin.
Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️
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