By mid-July, the front office will determine promotions for the top prospects at the highest two minor league levels in the Philadelphia Phillies’ pipeline after the first half.

The Tie-Breaking Month:

If you need a deciding factor for any situation, odd numbers are the solution whether it’s three, five, seven or nine.

During the course of any 162, management makes transactions that puzzle their fans, who add up these moves over time and conclude the GM is incompetent. And when the locals combine losing with these perceived errors, the calls for dismissal will lead to a firing of a pitching or hitting coach, a skipper and a general manager. Usually, the decision-maker will terminate a coach to quiet the faithful. But if the product on the field doesn’t improve, the manager and the exec respectively will receive their pink slips; however, the higher-up may have an addition season to satisfy the paying customers.

Regarding those so-called annoying mistakes, some are not poor choices by the front office. Rule-wise, every franchise can only provide a slot to 15 additional players besides the active 25. And signers who are 19 or older have four years before roster protection becomes necessary. So, before many parent clubs advance a youngster to the majors, they must have a satisfactory answer to every question on their checklist: for instance, offense, plate discipline and defense.

If a minor leaguer in his second campaign has two solid months at Double-A, a call-up – even in September – will require a 40-man roster spot and protection from the Rule 5 draft. In other words, the team promoting him will forfeit two years of control, which means the star will be a free agent two summers earlier. And if he leaves at that time or can’t live up to a long-term commitment with his original team – any guesses? – fans will perceive incompetence by the GM. Ergo, a no-win situation.

Barring an immediate need, an organization doesn’t have to replace a productive regular. A temporary trip to the disabled list by a starter is usually a good opportunity for a fill-in to demonstrate his talents for the decision-makers. In other words, management is not going to sacrifice two controlling seasons for a six-week stint or a turn or two in the rotation.

With July 31 approaching, a general manager’s routine powwow at the Triple-A affiliate created a chuckle between the GM and the skipper. Beat writers – the exec pointed out – thought the visit meant a deal may be in the works, and they wanted the scoop. Of course, the scheduled meeting and monthly trip by the decision-maker is just part of his job in April or July, but he smiled with bemusement as scribes clamored for any scrap of information.