Sandberg Says There Will Be 'Some Roster Changes Next Year'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Chris Stigall talked to Phillies Manager Ryne Sandberg on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT about finishing this season and starting to prepare for next year.
Regarding management's decision to make no moves at the trading deadline, Sandberg believes they will do what is necessary to get him the players he needs..
"My job on the team is to win baseball games. Ideally I want to have the best players possible going forward. That's what it takes to win baseball games. Once we get in the clubhouse and get the team together, that becomes our goal, to win baseball games. With the optimism of contending, and having a chance and going forward, especially with some of the main pieces that we have, some of the core guys that are still having good years…So I look at this year as a year of just looking at things and going forward just adding some pieces to go for it and help us win baseball games," he said.
He stated that whatever happens in the offseason, he will do his best to prepare the team to challenge for the playoffs.
"I know that if there's going to be some roster changes next year, which there probably needs to be, then they'll be some smart decisions and it will be my job to gather the guys and to play good baseball and to have a shot to contend," Sandberg commented.
Sandberg is trying to keep the team's attention on the task at hand each day and not on the fact that they are in last place.
"We show up everyday to win the game, like last night, it's more fun to win than to lose. To have a winning streak here at home would be a good step in the right direction. We're playing the Astros and the Mets, so if we can move up in the standings as a goal and catch the next team up above us and if we can play good baseball and win games and have fun doing that, [those are] all is positive things as far as going forward," he said.
He also revealed that pitcher Cliff Lee will probably not return this season from the latest arm injury he suffered last week in Washington.
He's getting scanned and getting an MRI and getting checked out, but it looks like it's a total re-occurrence of what he had before and his last one took him too months to come back, so that would be tough. I'd be very surprised to see him come back this year," Sandberg stated.
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