In the last few weeks, we saw the Phillies make several moves as they continue in the organization's rebuilding 
process.  The Phillies ushered out the 2015 baseball season by trading away Cole Hamels, Jonathan Papelbon, 
Ben Revere, and finally, by dismissing former general manager Ruben Amaro.  The Phillies spent the last several 
years fooling themselves into believing that they could operate without a business plan and succeed.  In the end, 
there was no option except to make those moves.

     Matt Klentak replaced Ruben Amaro following the hiring of Andy MacPhail, and what we have seen is the 
construction and initial execution of a plan of business which seems to have a philosophy and the consciousness 
about the bigger picture.  This is something that is been sorely lacking in Philadelphia for the past eight years.  
The team started by retaining manager Pete Mackanin and for the 2016 baseball season.  Then, with an eye to the 
future, the player development system is being restocked, the rule five draft looks to be productive, and the recent 
Ken Giles to Houston trade puts the Phillies in a position to move forward with an eye to the future.
 
    We've been stressing the need for the Phillies to move out of their own system and hire people with philosophies 
that were not simple outgrowths of an old and antiquated regime.  Bringing in MacPhail and Klentak did exactly that, 
and we are seeing a change in philosophy.  The farm system has gone from one of the worst to one of the better in 
the game, the emphasis on pitching is an intelligent move, and the Phillies are willing to part with pieces like Giles 
in order to move to the next level, something we haven't seen here since Pat Gillick ran the team.
  
     Anytime you make a move in professional baseball, that move should satisfy some current need, but it should also 
set the stage for any number of moves which may need to follow.  That requires insight, and understanding of the 
business end of the game, and a keen eye to the future needs of the organization.  You never kill off one part of the 
organization simply to feed another, and kill off is exactly what Ruben Amaro did.  Amaro financially strapped the 
organization, and in the process, purged the farm system until it was no longer productive.  No good general manager 
does both of those at the same time.  In fact, no good, general manager does either at any time.  To the point, a good 
general manager tries to keep his team in the game, while at the same time building for the future.  In addition, any 
good general manager knows that you have to build from within, and you never ever decimate your player development 
system, i.e., your feeder program.

     This is where it's important for fans to understand the bigger picture.  It's important for Phillies fans to get 
away from temperamental emotional reactions which are all too often based upon limited information. We all need 
to understand the bigger picture.  Unfortunately, the last eight years didn't provide much of a classroom for this 
educational process.  Fortunately, however, the new regime is presenting moves that are based on a sound 
business plan, and they're explaining what they're doing.  So, in this week's how do you fan presentation, we 
suggest the following:

     1.	Get all the information you can about every transaction, and the players involved in that transaction.
     2.	Make every attempt to understand how a Phillies transaction is designed to address the immediate need and the 
        bigger picture.
     3.	Think long-term.  Impatience an immediate gratification have no place in major league baseball.  Everything has 
        to be built to survive in the long run.  
     4.	Ask questions.  Be intelligent and unemotional when you do so.  Let your brain override your emotions.
     5.	Try to think like a general manager.  Think about building an organization that in the next two years can win, 
        and has that feeder program, which continues to produce quality talent for the parent club.
     6.	Take what the press writes with a grain of salt.  They are subject to deadlines and often sensational information 
        to sell their product.  Slow down and get all the facts.
     7.	Enjoy the moment, but always think to the future.  Get out of that win now mode of thinking.  We want to build 
        an organization that is substantial, always competitive, intelligent, and with an eye to the teacher.  In 
        short, we want to have the potential to be competitive all of the time.
     8.	Think big picture.  Don't limit yourself.  Think before you talk.

     Anytime you see a move being made by the Phillies, ask yourself if the move addresses some current need, but also 
ask yourself how the move affects both the other components of the organization, and the organization's future.  There is 
a marked difference between demanding fans and intelligent fans.  We become more efficient in our understanding of major
league baseball, and in particular, of the Phillies when we take our time.  Think about what we are being presented with 
and always think for the long term.

     So, how do you fan? - Always with an eye to the future and always in big picture fashion.