Fighting to Sign Top Talent
The Philadelphia Phillies tried hard to sign star Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Team owner John Middleton even flew to Los Angeles on his private jet in December with six other Phillies executives to meet with Yamamoto for three hours. They showed a video of Bryce Harper inviting Yamamoto to join the Phillies. Their offer was more money than any other team bid, according to sources. But Yamamoto picked the Dodgers, who gave him $325 million, the biggest deal ever for a pitcher.
The Phillies knew Yamamoto preferred the Dodgers or Yankees over them. When he visited New York but not Philadelphia, the message was clear. “I’d still try just as hard again,” Middleton said. “You have to look in the mirror and know you did all you could.” Other players like Jordan Hicks and Robert Stephenson also turned down Middleton’s money. It still hurts Middleton when talent picks other teams. “I get angry. And people should too if you care enough,” he said.
Spending Big, Chasing a Title
After the pandemic, Middleton was unwilling to cross the luxury tax threshold. But he smashed through it with big deals for stars like Schwarber, Castellanos and Turner. The Phillies payroll has skyrocketed from $244 million to $255 million to over $260 million projected. Only a few teams will spend more.
“I intend to win, even if it means pushing our spending,” Middleton said. He asks Dave Dombrowski if every potential pickup is a “difference maker” first. This winter, Dombrowski recommended saving money for now and potentially big trades in July instead of more free agents.
Middleton likes keeping this roster mostly intact. Young players should improve, and veterans aren’t declining yet. “You didn’t see a lot of change in the 1980 or 2008 teams during their runs,” Middleton said. He has no thoughts of shake-ups after falling short like past owners did. The players connect well with fans too. Over 3 million people went to Citizens Bank Park last year for the first time since 2013. “The personalities fit Philadelphia. And that’s by design,” Middleton said. A World Series victory would take it even further. The pain of last year’s NLCS collapse motivates Middleton: “I use that anger to fuel me.”
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Hungry for Revenge
Losing the 2022 NLCS crushed Middleton. Blowing series leads of 2-0 and 3-2 at home was devastating. “When you have your foot on your enemy’s throat, you kill ’em. And we didn’t,” he lamented.
Middleton still feels the pain of World Series losses in 2009 and 2011 in Philadelphia and division series disappointment in 2010. “You don’t get second chances. I’m angry. And frankly, people should be angry too,” Middleton said.
But he is fueling that agony into motivation again, just like many top athletes have done in the sports world. For example, one of the best Polish footballer of all time Robert Lewandowski was branded too ‘short’ and ‘skinny’ early in his career before he went on to blow opposition teams away first in Germany and now in Spain.
Middleton wants to keep Wheeler, Harper, Turner and others together for a long run at championships. Talks have begun with Wheeler on an extension beyond his $30 million salary. Harper is signed further than anyone else (2031).
With fans returning and revenues booming, money is no limitation. “The good news is, I’m sensing our guys have focused on the same way,” Middleton said about obsessing over the title miss. No one involved plans to let it happen again.
