The unspoken agreement within the walls of Citizens Bank Park when this ambitious rebuilding quest began was, one day, the owner’s patience would wane. Those tasked with running the baseball operations understood this. It is what made the promise of this experiment both tempting and daunting. These Phillies executives were given a clean slate with a blank check from a passionate owner; few rebuilds could boast that kind of latitude and resources.



And, now, the days and weeks and months that will shape the future of this franchise are here. “We’re going into this expecting to spend money,” John Middleton told USA Today last week, as he broke his silence at the owners’ meetings. “And maybe even be a little bit stupid about it.” Inside the walls of Citizens Bank Park, those candid comments will reverberate. Everyone in the game knows the Phillies want to spend money. For years, before the ballpark opened, fans chided absent Phillies...