The Phillies Success Blueprint Offers Hope for Nationals

Posted by Jeff Bergin on Nov. 5, 2009 at 7:27 PM
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In the history of baseball, there has been no team that has emodied failure and ridicule as much as the Philadelphia Phillies, as evidenced by their historic 10,000th loss a couple of years back.  As much as they are trashed, cajoled and mocked, they have become a symbol of success in the National League, as well as in all of baseball.  As a resident of the Washington DC area, I am left to ponder, "If they can do it, why not the Nats?"  So how did they do it?

The Phillies success did not happen overnight, and it would be too simplistic to just say, "Howard, Utley, Rollins, Hamels".  The Phillies have won 80+ games EVERY year sine 2001, and have won less than 86 games only once, yet in that same time period have had 3 managers (Francona, Bowa, Charlie Manuel) and 3 GM's (Ed Wade, Pat Gillick, Ruben Amaro, Jr.).  What is more telling, and eye opening for Nationals fans, is how a move towards championship first starts with respectability before it can become the team you see today.  In order to build, there are three key pieces a team must focus on:

1. The Draft
2. Player Development
3. Team Identity

The Draft

While much has been made (book, movie) about Billy Beane's draft strategy, no one has pointed out that the Phillies have probably had the best return on investment of any team in the draft. In order to build that impressive team, the following shows the Phillies successful picks for a straight decade:

• 1993: Scott Rolen, 2nd round
• 1994: nothing good
• 1995: Marlon Anderson, 2nd round; Dave Coggin, 1st round
• 1996: Jimmy Rollins, 2nd round
• 1997: JD Drew (didnt sign, more on that); Randy Wolf
• 1998: Pat Burrell, #1 overall; Jason Michaels, 4th round, Ryan Madson, 9th round; Geoff Geary, 15th round
• 1999: Brett Myers, 1st round; Marlon Byrd, 10th round
• 2000: Chase Utley, 1st round
• 2001: Gavin Floyd, 1st round; Ryan Howard, 5th round
• 2002: Cole Hamels, 1st round
• 2003: Michael Bourn; Kyle Kendrick...Bourn became Brad Lidge in a 2007 trade
• 2004: JA Happ, 3rd round 

That return on invesment is amazing.  Think, when you watch the Phillies tonight, 7 of these players may have played (Rollins, Myers, Madson, Utley, Howard, Hamels, Kendrick, Happ) with another player (Lidge) having come to this team via a draft pick (Bourn).  While the Phillies have shown an unreal eye for talent, the key to getting them to the field is player development, and the Phillies are equally impressive there. 

Player Development

What is missing from this list of draftees are the marginal prospects the Phillies got from other teams that have become contributing players.  Rule 5 picks like Shane Victorino or former prospects bordering on washout status like Jayson Werth have solidified this team and filled the gaps where the Phillies need help. In those 8 years of drafting and building the franchise, it is the player development that served as the mortar to this foundation. 

Player Development is a critical component of a budding franchise, and one that requires the long view of the organization's future as well as extreme patience.  It is in the area of player development where so many struggling teams fail, due to a myriad of issues such as flagging attendance, waning interest, and lack of supporting talent on the major league roster.  

It is this lesson that the Nationals need to take to heart the most. With top picks like Zimmerman, Detwiler, Zimmermann, Marerro, Strasburg, Storen, Ian Desmond and Derek Norris, the Nationals NEED to have an infrastructure at every level of the organization where these kids are taught the fundamentals of the game, and move on with improved performance.   It is through this rigorous process that the team will truly equip these players with the skills and maturity they need in high-pressure situations. 

Team Identity

As the Nationals move into the Mike Rizzo era and the search for a manager intensifies, the Nationals have an opportunity to define what type of team they want to be.  While this may sound academic, it is a critical component in building a competitive, respectable team. 

The Phillies lack of mental errors (they are one of the best defensive teams in baseball) is not something they acquired via the draft.  While players like Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard were immense talents, it was the dedication to fundamental baseball throughout the organization and a commitment that they would be a grinding, defensively-minded team that allows them to focus on those tenets at all level. On offense, their ability to grind out at-bats and see multiple pitches per at bat is something that is taught and reinforced by the Phillies coaching staff.

This last piece is something that has evaded the Nationals since their move to DC, and I would argue is just as important as the other 2 components.  When the A's were competing in the AL West for the last decade, Billy Beane used to demand that all his players in all levels of the organization had to see multiple pitches per at bat.  The idea of OBP was central to their identity.  While you can argue that hinders a player, the A's had an organizational identity that was modeled at alll levels of the organization, and the result was a decade of respectability.

The Nationals have a long way to go to gain that competitive respectability, and the sad reality is that some of our current stars may not be here to enjoy the fruits of that dedication.  Just like Scott Rolen in Philly, Ryan Zimmerman may miss out on the Nationals Renaissance, and while that would be disappointing, his role on this team will be central to this team advancing towards respectability. 

So as you begin to assess this franchise, and where they should be in regards to the players, it is essential to take the long view, and see how they Nationals are building their minor league operations, assess how their prospects are maturing (are they developing skill sets beyond what they were touted for), and have patience in how long those players spend in the minors.  The reality is that is the only way for us to get better.

So, here is to 2015 and the first of many NL East championships!