Phillies: Is John Middleton playing politics with losing his catcher?

At this point in the offseason, Phillies fans have to wonder what, exactly, John Middleton is doing.

One of the puzzlements of the early MLB off-season is the behavior of the Philadelphia Phillies managing partner, John Middleton. He didn’t quite fire his GM, and he isn’t quite replacing the GM he demoted. Worse, from the fans’ point of view, is the fact he hasn’t yet signed his catcher from the past two years, J.T. Realmuto.

Middleton made his All-Star a qualifying offer, one that his former player brushed aside, and a count of the days no one has signed Realmuto began.

And no one has heard word one from the Phillies acting GM, Ned Rice.

It is very likely that no one but Rice and Middleton know what Rice has been instructed regarding their former player, but fans are unhappy in Philly. Criticism has abounded, including from this writer.

The managing partner’s actions regarding his former catcher appear inept. Why would any MLB owner let the guy even get to free agency? Moreover, his actions regarding the semi-vacant GM seat in his organization should have Phillies fans yelling for John Middleton to go back to selling cigars. Curiously, they aren’t, or at least not loudly, despite the fact their team is now wandering through the second-longest playoff drought in in the majors.

Then I started thinking about the whole matter, and maybe the fact that I began watching House of Cards later than anyone else in the electronically connected world is affecting my thinking. I confess. But here’s what’s starting to creep into my mind: Is John Middleton pulling some sort of Francis Underwood move?

(For those few unfamiliar with Underwood, he is a conniver. Enough said.)

Here’s what I think now: John Middleton doesn’t want to sign J.T. Realmuto despite the fact he has said doing that is the team priority. More than once.

He has to say that, and he’d love to have the guy on his team, but he doesn’t want to sign him for what he suspects another team will give him, plain and simple. He has already saddled himself with the Bryce Harper contract, and if we’re being charitable, he’s worried about the Phillies’ other needs.

So, that’s that, and Ned Rice is the fall guy. Once Middleton doesn’t get Realmuto at the price he wants, there’s Rice to fire or demote. “Hey, Ned didn’t get him. Nobody wanted to move to be a GM in Philly in a pandemic, and, again, Ned just didn’t…. Sorry.” He won’t say that exactly, of course.

This is the real reason the Phillies have no permanent GM right now. Losing Realmuto could have been pinned on a permanent GM as a first failure before the coming “cold stove season” even starts. Or in the middle of it. Or at the end. It doesn’t matter.

Francis Underwood would be proud. It’s now up to John Middleton to prevent us from calling him “Francis.”