Will a low-key personnel move reap major rewards for the Philadelphia Phillies?
That’s what many Major League Baseball observers are wondering after the Phillies hired Bobby Dickerson as their infield coach. He announced his appointment Friday via Twitter.
I’m really excited & honored to be a part of the @Phillies organization & can’t wait to get to work with this coaching staff and these infielders #Phillies
— Bobby Dickerson (@BobbyDbaseball) January 11, 2019
Dickerson worked in the Baltimore Orioles’ organization between 2010 and last October, when the team fired Buck Showalter as manager and cleared out his staff as well.
He arrives in Philadelphia at a time when the Phillies are in hot pursuit of superstar free-agent infielder Manny Machado.
Dickerson and Machado formed a tight bond during their tenures with the Orioles. The Athletic’s Dan Connolly described Dickerson in an October profile as Machado’s mentor and one of his closest friends in baseball.
The Phillies, New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox have been recruiting Machado heavily for months. The latest reports indicate the White Sox are gaining momentum in the race, but it’s worth watching whether Dickerson’s move to Philadelphia will boost the Phillies’ chances of landing one of the prizes of this offseason’s free-agent market.
