Ricky Bottalico, the Unfiltered crew share their thoughts about Rob Thomson's firing — Unfiltered

[0:00] Welcome in the unfiltered everybody after a nine and 19 start for your Philadelphia Phillies a [0:08] negative 54 run differential and in the bottom of the league and almost every single category at the [0:15] plate on the mound and in the field the Phillies did what we all thought was coming Rob Thompson [0:21] has been relieved of his duties as manager and Don Mattingly Donnie baseball takes over for the [0:28] remainder of the season well let's start what everyone's been waiting for Ricky bow thoughts my [0:34] friend uh let's start with this did Rob Thompson deserve to be fired in this situation the answer [0:41] is no I think everybody would probably tell you it's no because there's too many leftover ingredients [0:47] uh Dave Dombrowski is still here you look as far as the pitching and the hitting coaches [0:53] when you look at this team who's at fault here who is really at fault for this firing those 26 guys [1:01] that put on the uniform every day and go out go out on the field and play those are the guys that are [1:05] responsible many of them have big time contracts and you could go all the way down to Alec Boehm it's [1:12] not like he's getting paid chopped liver this year to play the game of baseball I will give some credit [1:17] where credit is due Bryce Harper came into the season with a lot on his plate from Dave Dombrowski [1:23] and from the fan base that he needed to be elite he has played well you you look at the the rest of [1:30] the team I guess you could say Schwarber's hit his home runs but it's not just pitching it's not just [1:35] hitting it's the whole culture in every little bit of this ball club Rob Thompson was the guy they had [1:41] to go after you have to cut off the head of the snake just to make everybody stand up and notice [1:47] that's why I think this move was made it was something for these players to have to go into [1:52] the clubhouse today when they get in there go look at yourself in the mirror and say was this on me [1:59] was I the reason that Rob Thompson is no longer here because you look at Rob Thompson's record he's [2:05] over a 60 percent winner in the game of baseball with the Phillies that doesn't tell me that that's a guy [2:10] that should be fired now you look at the whole situation it probably had to happen and you have [2:17] to almost wonder why didn't other people go with him is the question that's going to be asked that's [2:22] the question that's going to be thrown out there but as of right now I look at it as an unfortunate [2:28] happening that had to be done yeah I think you said it well my friend I agree with you 100 percent [2:34] and when you say other moves were not made you're right Kevin Long is still here Caleb Cotham is still [2:40] here as the pitching coach so here's what the official moves are for your Philadelphia Phillies [2:44] Rob Thompson relieved his manager Don Mattingly named interim manager to take over for Don Mattingly [2:50] as bench coach they moved third base coach Dusty Watham to bench to replace the third base coach they [2:57] had to bring up the triple-a manager Anthony Contreras that's your third base coach those were the only [3:02] moves that were announced by the Philadelphia Phillies today so it looks like Long is here and it looks [3:07] like Caleb Cotham is here but I'm right there with you Ricky I mean Rob Thompson I think this is the [3:11] right move because you can't fire all the players at once even firing Dave Dombrowski at this point [3:17] doesn't really do anything to try to wake up the team I think this was the right move but here we are now [3:23] talking about the loss of a guy who has the highest winning percentage in franchise history he finishes his [3:30] career 355 and 270 with a 568 winning percentage they've gone to the postseason all four years he [3:39] was manager the problem though was in addition to coming out to a 9 and 19 start this year they've [3:45] lost eight of their last 10 postseason games that's a big problem that's what a lot of people remember [3:49] I think a lot of things really go into this but it's got to start with your roster I mean when you [3:54] look at the roster right now you have all these guys that are signed throughout guys that are signed [4:00] for multiple multiple years here in Philadelphia so why is that Rob Thompson's fault why why does [4:07] why does it have to be his fault I well I guess you say that does he have his players playing to their [4:13] highest potential right now the answer would be no they are not playing to the highest potential [4:18] but I think there's a lot of different ways that people are going to look at this and I cannot wait [4:24] to hear what the fan base has to say today and our callers have to say today our voice memos have to [4:29] say today because there's going to be people that are upset about it there's going to be people that [4:34] are that had to happen it had to go but there's got to be somebody else that has to go with them [4:39] I think it could be as simple as this I think I think and this is honest opinion I think Rob Thompson [4:46] is a stand-up individual it would not have surprised me now I'm I don't know if this happened I don't know [4:54] if it could have happened I'm wondering if he was told to fire the other guys and he declined and he fell on the [5:02] sword himself I I that he's that type of person it would not surprise me not even the least now that's what I [5:09] initially thought to Ricky I mean I'm not saying that definitively happened but there's been more reports [5:15] coming out over the last hour or so and there's an article from Mac Elb Ken Rosenthal and our buddy Jason [5:22] Stark who will join us tomorrow talking about how the Phillies made the offer to Alex Cora when right and here's [5:30] what it says in the article after the Boston Red Sox fired Cora on Saturday night the Phillies [5:37] courted the manager in a swift and dramatic process that one person described as intense [5:44] so if you're telling me when Cora got fired on Saturday the Phillies swiftly moved in to try to [5:50] hire him then this decision was made days ago yeah they already had their decision made if that's what [5:56] they were doing they were swooping in I'm wondering if they had the decision made and maybe they were [6:01] going to do it on the off day and then introduce Cora on the same day if Cora were to say yes but then [6:08] maybe they had second thoughts when Cora said no you ever think about that maybe it was like okay now [6:13] what do we do and I'm a little surprised Don Mattingly took it I thought it was going to be Dusty Wathen [6:19] the whole time uh so I guess I'm a little surprised in that whole uh predicament because that is a [6:27] predicament you get thrown into I mean you're in a weird spot you come in as a bench coach your son is [6:34] is basically your boss and you get hired as the new manager isn't that a little weird first time in [6:39] major league baseball history to have a father son GM manager I don't think that's actually true [6:44] that's what someone put out there put out there I thought Connie Mack father son GM manager I thought [6:52] somebody put that out today I may be 100% wrong interesting Connie Mack did it I mean that had to [6:58] be way I'm not 100% sure I thought I read something like that well we'll confirm that but all right [7:07] let's get back to this this is a shock in in not to me or not to you this is that's what it's meant [7:15] to be in this type of situation this is meant to add shock value to the team and I think it had [7:22] gotten to the point where who was actually running or who actually thought they were running the team [7:28] the players the coaches who was actually running the team and maybe that played a little bit into [7:33] it too but this is a shock value to the players because this is saying guess what guys you're having [7:39] a new leader now you know why because you guys didn't perform this is a in a in a long kind of [7:47] drawn out way this isn't even about Rob Thompson maybe a little bit you brought up the playoffs he [7:52] hasn't won the playoffs he struggled a little bit in the playoffs but is this really about Rob Thompson [7:57] or is this about saying to the players you're not always going to get what you want now unless you [8:02] perform time to perform yeah time to show up now you're right on the money with this because I wanted [8:09] to see them do this I said it yesterday on the show I didn't want to just see a half measure of [8:14] moving on from the hitting coach or the pitching coach I wanted to see them relieve Rob Thompson for [8:20] that very reason I wanted it to be a wake-up call to the players which is the largest payroll in [8:27] franchise history it's the fifth highest in major league baseball but the largest payroll in the [8:31] Phillies franchise history and listen to some of these numbers Ricky we all know they're nine and [8:36] 19 right they've had to roll out 21 different batting orders in 28 games that's on Dombrowski not [8:43] Rob Thompson because he can't figure out how to use these guys who are all struggling right [8:46] they're a minus 54 run differential which is not only the worst in baseball the closest to them [8:52] is a minus 28 like they are almost double worse run differential than the second worst team [8:59] they're 28th and run scored 28th and hits 29th and batting average 29th and OBP 27th and slug 29th and [9:07] OPS all right but it's not just the offense they're 28th and ERA 29th and whip 30th in opponent batting [9:15] average and when you just look at the starting rotation a starting rotation that was number one in [9:21] innings pitch last season is 22nd right now number two in ERA from your starters last season [9:28] last in major league baseball at 30 and the fielding has been shoddy at best as well so when [9:35] you look at all of that you can't fire everybody on the team you can't get rid of all these players [9:40] but ultimately it's their fault and they got to look themselves in the mirror like Ricky said [9:45] and realize this guy Rob Thompson who has always fallen on the sword for us who has always stuck up [9:51] for us now is without a job even though he has the highest winning percentage in franchise history [9:57] because of us and they better wake up and they better win tonight and when you look at what they [10:03] have coming Ricky in the next few weeks this is an opportunity for them to get rolling you got the [10:08] Giants the Marlins the A's the Rockies and then the Red Sox five series in a row where you should be [10:15] able to win a majority of those series wake up and start winning some baseball games well you have [10:21] to wonder is this that did they make the decision right here because of that whole situation looking [10:27] in front of them with the Giants the Marlins sitting in front of you right now you have the Red Sox who [10:33] have not been playing well you have teams that you could kick the living daylights out of standing in [10:37] front of you it was was that the reason why this was the timing of the move that they felt like [10:43] oh you know what they you know what they look at this is going to sound weird that I think they [10:50] would look at it like let's say they went six and three in their last nine topper was still here they [10:54] would say oh well we can't do anything now but I think they found an opening here knowing that if [11:01] they put Mattingly in there right now he could go on cruise control for a little while and the team [11:06] can play poorly and still win some of these games uh the one did you bring up the stat about their [11:12] batting average against no but that is dead last I think I did say it 30th in opponent bat [11:19] 286 so also I what I thought you said and I didn't bring it up not only their batting average against [11:27] something Jason Stark had told us before their batting average on balls in play now this goes to [11:34] how bad they've been in the field 354 opponent batting average on balls in play which is the worst [11:42] since 1899's Cleveland Spiders that's how bad things have been that is terrible and you can't [11:49] put it all on Rob Thompson but unfortunately he's the guy that takes the fall now it's time for them [11:54] all to wake up but here's what we got going on today I want to hear from you Ricky wants to hear from [11:59] you we want to hear Phillies fans opinions on this was this the right move and do you think this is going [12:06] to have an immediate impact on the Philadelphia Phillies there are three ways to get involved [12:11] with the show it's the same number across the board you could send your texts and your voice memos [12:16] to the Davis Honda text line 610-632-0975 but we also want to hear from you so pick up the phone the [12:24] old-fashioned way and you can call and get involved in the show same phone number 610-632-0975 [12:31] was this the right move and do you think it's going to change anything with this Phillies team 610-632-0975