PHILADELPHIA _ For years, Phillies officials ogled Manny Machado from afar. They lusted after him in trade talks last summer.
But it wasn't until Thursday that they were able to express their admiration face to face.
In the biggest day of Matt Klentak's three-year tenure as Phillies general manager, Machado paid a visit to Citizens Bank Park, as expected. Accompanied by his wife, Yainee, and agent, Dan Lozano, Machado arrived a few minutes after noon, entering through the main executive entrance. Klentak actually opened the locked door and said, "Hey, Manny. What's up? Come on in!"
Machado was scheduled to spend the day with Phillies officials, including team president Andy MacPhail, Klentak and assistant general manager Ned Rice, all of whom are acquainted with the 26-year-old superstar from their respective days in the Baltimore Orioles organization. Manager Gabe Kapler was present, too, and hitting coach John Mallee flew in for the occasion. Owner John Middleton was there, though it's unclear if he's carrying a satchel full of "stupid" money.
On his way into the ballpark, Machado stopped to take a picture with a construction worker, who noted that the Eagles are the defending Super Bowl champions. "Do the right thing and sign. Get that money!" the worker yelled to Machado in a scene that hearkened to the local electricians' union's pitch to Jim Thome back in 2002.
It marked Machado's third recruiting visit in four days. He met with the Chicago White Sox on Monday and the New York Yankees on Wednesday. He isn't believed to have other meetings lined up.
The biggest challenge facing the Phillies will be to persuade Machado to play third base. He has stated a preference to remain at shortstop, even though he's a two-time Gold Glove winner at third and is regarded as an elite defender at that position.
Machado also is believed to be enamored by the idea of playing for the Yankees. Bobby Dickerson, his longtime infield coach with the Orioles, confirmed last week all the common presumptions about Machado, including his desire to follow in the footsteps of childhood idol Alex Rodriguez. The Yankees can also offer Machado a chance to play shortstop because Didi Gregorius is set to miss at least half of next season while recovering from surgery on his right elbow.
As always, though, money speaks loudest. Machado, like fellow marquee free agent Bryce Harper, is seeking a record payout, which means a deal that exceeds either the average annual value of Zack Greinke's contract ($34.4 million) or the total value of Giancarlo Stanton's ($325 million).
Middleton suggested last month that he's willing to be "a little bit stupid" about how much money the Phillies spend this winter. Machado will represent the biggest test of how far Middleton and partners Jim and Pete Buck are willing to go.
How much will it take to outbid the Yankees? Five years ago, the Seattle Mariners landed free agent Robinson Cano with a 10-year, $240 million contract that was three years longer and $65 million more than the Yankees' best offer. It might take something similar to get Machado to choose South Philly.
Unlike the public courting of Thome 16 years ago, the Phillies have kept secret their plans for wooing Machado. It's likely that he will get a tour of the ballpark, particularly the clubhouse and workout facilities. The Phillies posted the obligatory picture of his face with a superimposed Phillies cap on Phanavision. Likewise, team officials surely will seek an explanation for his postseason behavior, including the controversial interview with Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal in which he described himself as "not the type of player that's going to be 'Johnny Hustle.' "
But team officials haven't seemed overly concerned about Machado's attitude and makeup. If anything, they got a firsthand look at his maximum effort on July 23 when he legged out a triple and then slid headfirst into home plate to beat a tag on a medium-depth sacrifice fly to help the Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
"We do our best to evaluate the total player, everything that player brings to the table _ offense, defense, baserunning, their makeup, their work ethic, their age, their health histories," Klentak said last month. "We factor in all of those characteristics and make roster decisions accordingly. It's unlikely that you're going to find the player that is elite in every single one of those areas. Sometimes you have to pick and choose what you're willing to bet on."
Indications were that Phillies were prepared to deliver their most persuasive sales pitch to a superstar whom they targeted long ago. Their strategy, at least in part, is to appeal to Machado by painting him as the player they need to turn them from a young team on the rise into a serious World Series contender for the better part of the next decade.
In short, they likely will talk about building a legacy in Philadelphia rather than becoming A-Rod 2.0 in New York.
"I personally would be especially motivated by being one of the pieces that could help a club reach that next level," Kapler said earlier this week about his hypothetical sales pitch to Machado and Harper, "so I might lean on something like that."
