How Has Kapler Managed The Phillies To A 26-18 Start?

The Phillies are 1.5 Games behind the  Atlanta Braves who are in First Place in the NL East heading into Monday Night, which is the start of a three game series at Citizens Bank Park.  Phillies are 26-18 so far in the 2018 season, after last season the team had just 29 wins before the All-Star Break.  Despite extensive criticism to start the season, First year Manager Gabe Kapler has this team playing well as they are Eight in Major League Baseball in On-Base Percentage (.325) and also Eighth in MLB in Team ERA (3.56).

Philadelphia Daily News Sports Columnist Marcus Hayes joined Josh Hennig on Saturday discussing how Gabe Kapler has managed the 2018 Phillies:

“One of the interesting things I find about Gabe Kapler, the Phillies Manager, is he doesn’t mind eccentric (players).  If he believes that you’re working hard and you’re doing what you can do to help the team, you can act and look however you want. He doesn’t care what you eat, he doesn’t care how you sleep, if he thinks that you’re doing the best that you can and you’re doing what he asks of you, he doesn’t care if you flip bats, he doesn’t care if you run backwards on the bases. He wants you to play disciplined baseball....Gabe Kapler has a good start to making another group of different personalities work well together.”

Hear what Hayes had to say about if Phillies should be buyers ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline along with his perspective on Sixers upcoming offseason, Ben Simmons, and more