The Philadelphia Phillies reportedly have their man. According to multiple sources, the team plans to hire Gabe Kapler to be their next manager. They won't announce the move until after the World Series ends. He will become the team's 54th manager, including their third in the past five years. The former outfielder will be tasked with doing what the previous couple of managers have failed to accomplish - leading a team of young prospects towards contention, a la this year's Houston Astros.
Phillies manager search
There were known to be three major candidates for the Phillies manager job.
If Kapler eventually gets the job - which he should, barring something unexpected - he will have beaten out two candidates with more managerial experience than him. One was internal: Triple-A manager Dusty Wathan. Meanwhile, there was an external candidate as well in recently fired Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell.
His main responsibility will be to get the young players into fighting shape. Pete Mackanin was supposed to usher in the next great era of Phillies baseball, but the young players seemed to take a step back this season, instead of the anticipated leap forward back towards respectability. Since Kapler hasn't been out of the MLB for very long, there's a sense that he'll be more in tune with the players' needs and struggles, forging a strong connection between player and manager going forward.
Kapler's career
Dave Roberts managed to win the manager job for the Los Angeles Dodgers a couple of years back, leaving Kapler without his opportunity to kick off his managing career. He instead became the team's director of player development. He has experience in coaching, however, serving as the coach for Team Israel back in the 2012 World Baseball Classic.
The new Phillies manager is also a fan of the sabermetrics movement and new nutrition practices.
He was an average player with a lengthy career behind him. He played for 12 seasons, splitting his time between the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, and Colorado Rockies. Prior to his 2010 retirement, his slash line sat at .268/.329/.420.
Managing the Phillies will be a new challenge for Kapler, one Mackanin and Ryne Sandberg couldn't conquer. Prior to them, Charlie Manuel won a World Series title as the manager - that will be the goal of the 42-year old when he takes over for the 2018 season.
