Kapler has confidence in his boss, bosses should have faith in him

PHILADELPHIA » Perhaps until his boss gets serious about celebrating the non-waiver trade deadline the way Baseball thinks its validated playoff contenders should celebrate it, Gabe Kapler’s innate glee will continue to search for fun ways to vent.

Kapler’s Glee was left to founder for itself Saturday, as the Phillies’ game against the San Diego Padres was postponed, and will be made up as part of a daynight doubleheader Sunday.

Rather than discuss the wonders of the weather on this rainy day, Kapler declined media meddling and let his Friday night musings stand on their own.

That included the part where he talked at length about how it’s awesome and cool that with 11 days remaining (now 10) until the deadline, Matt Klentak hadn’t made a move to improve upon an offense that — regardless of Friday night’s 11-5 win over the Padres — still needs some pumping up.

“My job is to take the players that we have and put them in the best possible positions to succeed,” Kapler said. “My job is not to speculate, it’s not to wish or to want. It’s to say, ‘We have a really good talented group that has the best home record in the National League, that is in first place, that is in a position to make a run at the National League East title.’ We got there with a great group of core players that are only going to get better.

“I have a tremendous amount of confidence in Matt and our front office the same way I have a tremendous amount of confidence in our players,” Kapler added, “that they’re going to look under every stone and look for every possible advantage and every possible upgrade. So my confidence level is not just in our players but in our entire organization, and we’re constantly hunting for upgrades and to get better.”

And meanwhile, Kapler’s Glee will have to satisfy itself with its first-place standing (by a half-game over the rained-out Braves) in his rookie year as an MLB manager, along with every day’s little piece of good news.

So, Kapler said Friday, injured players Pedro Florimon and J.P. Crawford were either ready or almost ready to take ground balls and ready to hit away in the cage as they made strides with their long-term injury rehabs.

“It is really good news,” Kapler said. “It’s something for us to get excited about . ... (Florimon) is only a couple of days away from getting some ground balls and start banging in the cage. J.P.’s hand strength is strong enough now where he’s going to take some rips off the tee. So those are two exciting things coming.”

*** If you thought the Phillies have been inordinately delayed and/or postponed a lot this season, know that they aren’t alone.

With the postponement of Saturday night’s middle game of a three-game home series against the Padres, the Phillies thus hosted the 40th postponement of the Major League Baseball season. That’s one more than all of 2017 in the league during this wet season.

With money always paramount in the baseball (and every other) business, the game will be made up as part of a day-night doubleheader Sunday, to not only collect on two games’ worth of gate receipts, but also to maintain the integrity of that greatest of giveaways ... Phillies Sock Day.

The red baseball socks, sponsored by a local utilities corporation whose rates are too high so they won’t be mentioned here, are suitable for cleaning the inside of windshields or as emergency hand warmers. They will be given away at Sunday’s first game, which has been moved up from 1:35 to 12:05.

The actual makeup game, which also features a giveaway item (a W.B. Mason Collectible Truck, and believe me, you’d rather have that) is scheduled for Sunday evening at 6:05.

That the weather forecast is still calling for thunderstorms at various periods during the day and night on Sunday is interesting, since it isn’t so easy to have the Padres jet in for an extra game or two should conditions be unplayable for either game.

*** Other Kapler revelations from Friday: Jerad Eickhoff (remember him?) had a cortisone shot on Monday and he’s going to resume throwing sometime early this week. Also, Zach Eflin is over his blister and will take his scheduled start Monday against the Dodgers in the Chase Utley Retirement Tour stop at Citizens Bank Park . ... There was one casualty of Saturday’s rain, by the way. Photo Day was cancelled. That’s old school. Like you can’t go a little early any day and get a shot from your cell? ... Nick Pivetta will start the first game of the doubleheader Sunday and Saturday’s scheduled starter Vince Velasquez will go at it for the nightcap. Lone Phillies All-Star Aaron Nola won’t have to pitch until Tuesday, a smart move since he needed a little postmid-point breather.

“We’re giving him just kind of an extra blow, understanding we’re going to be depending on him in the second half of the season,” Kapler said. “The timing was right to give him a little break.”