Phillies GM Klentak: Certainly Possible Club ‘Hits the Jackpot’ at Winter Meetings

By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor

Philadelphia Phillies Vice President and General Manager Matt Klentak is no stranger to a Major League franchise “hitting the lottery” by signing two top, high-salaried free agents in the same offseason.

Under Jerry Dipoto‘s wing on Dec. 8, 2011, Klentak helped the Los Angeles Angels complete two blockbuster signings within an hour of each other: future Hall of Fame slugger Albert Pujols, as well as southpaw starter C.J. Wilson, who was coming off of back-to-back World Series appearances with the Texas Rangers.

Pujols signed the second-largest contract in baseball history in terms of overall and average annual value (10 years, $240 million plus a 10-year, $10 million personal-services contract to follow), while Wilson signed a five-year, $77.5 million pact.

One day prior, the club inked then 16-year veteran reliever LaTroy Hawkins to a one-year deal worth $3 million.

Seven years later, Klentak sees himself in a similar position with Manny Machado and Bryce Harper available on the free agent market. When asked on Thursday if he sees the Phillies signing both, Klentak said he “does not know,” but that the Phillies are “going to be active.” Soon after, Klentak referenced the Angels’ trio of signings — Pujols, Wilson and Hawkins — at the 2011 Winter Meetings.

“I was with the Angels at the Winter Meetings in 2011 when we signed Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson and LaTroy Hawkins in the matter of about an hour at 4 o’clock in the morning,” Klentak said. “The Winter Meetings woke up … to the news that the Angels had ‘hit the jackpot,’ so to speak.”

Klentak went on to say it is “certainly possible” the Phillies repeat the Angels’ “jackpot” luck by signing both Machado and Harper, but that you “cannot really go into the meetings like this expecting that.”

“You just have to take it day-by-day, have the conversations, [and] play everything out,” Klentak said,”and if it comes to fruition at the meetings, great.”

This year’s Winter Meetings will commence this Sunday in Harper’s home city of Las Vegas, Nevada.