The nadir of the Phillies' Latin American scouting and development program is easily identifiable. Look back at the 1989 season, and you'll find an opening-day roster that included as many players born in France as the Dominican Republic.
When Juan Samuel was traded to the New York Mets later that season, the French population ruled over the Latin one inside the Phillies' clubhouse. Vive la France never was a great slogan for a big-league baseball team, and since born-in-Paris shortstop Steve Jeltz was the only French representative, it really would have been a rotten one.
Not surprisingly, the Phillies of that era were awful.