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Phillies Coaching Staff Needs to Bear Responsibility for Offensive Slide

There's no doubting the Phillies have been beset with injuries. On the offensive side, Chase Utley is out, Placido Polanco is out. We get that. But at this point in time, but they aren't the only people on the team that can hit. Jimmy Rollins is back and there's Shane Victorino, Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez and Jayson Werth.

 A lineup of those players, even considering the losses of Utley and Polanco should be able to score runs. Perhaps not in droves as we've come to expect, but take a look at the career OPS+ of these players. No, they do not make up a Murderer's Row, but there is certainly at least collectively with the bottom portion of the lineup, enough firepower there to win a game that your pitching staff holds the opposition, the team you are trying to catch in the standings to 3 runs.

Several weeks ago when the offensive malaise began, I remember reading how Charlie Manuel and Milt Thompson were frustrated that the players were not taking into game situations what they had been instructed and coached to do prior to the games. At the time, I remember raising an eyebrow and wondering about the players. But now, weeks and weeks later, whether it is the players' faults or not, this coaching staff needs to step it up and figure out a way to get this team hitting again. This just isn't cutting it.

Charlie Manuel Gives Jimmy Rollins a Noogie

Charlie Gets Tossed in the Loss... Can You Blame Him?

According to Chris Wheeler, Charlie was steamed before the first pitch was even thrown today, and can you blame him? The Phillies haven't hit for weeks now, only scoring runs in trash time or as a result of errors by the opposing defense. The theme continued today and the 9-3 win by the Braves turned first place over to them.

In one of the brighter moments, Brad Lidge pitched a pretty good eighth inning. Of course, that probably means he'll be back on the DL by what, Thursday?

Dobbs Over Polanco a Curious Decision, Even Before the Error

When I first saw the Phillies' lineup for today's game against the Red Sox, I immediately questioned Charlie Manuel's decision to play Greg Dobbs at third base over Placido Polanco. It's a lot less fashionable in 2010 to second-guess Charlie's decisions --winning a World Series cures that addiction-- but nevertheless, this one stands out.

For one, Placido Polanco seems like a better matchup against knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, the Red Sox starter. Sure, Polly has a 1-15 track record against Wakefield, but still, Polanco is known for his bat-control, while Dobbs has a longer swing with a less discerning eye.

Secondly, with Roy Halladay on the mound, there's sure to be a lot of ground balls and here again, in regards to fielding Polanco exceeds over Dobbs. Sure enough, in the fourth inning, Dobbs was the anti-Leighton and let a sure-double-play-ball go right between his legs, allowing two runs to score.

As it stands now, it's 4-0 Sox in the 6th and the Phillies as a team have done next to nothing offensively against Wakefield, so it's not as if Dobbs has been the difference in the game, but still, it might be something Manuel would like to do over [not that he'd admit it].

Update: 5-0 in the 6th... Updated update: 7-0...

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Rockies, Mets -- Are You Crying?

A week or two ago, the Mets, right after Johan Santana had and implosion for the ages, accused the Phillies of stealing signs between their catchers and pitchers.  Recently, the Rockies leveled the same accusation.

The Inquirer's beat writer, Matt Gelb, got a response from Charlie Manuel:

1. 

   magelb Why have the #Phillies been accused of stealing signs? "Because we beat them," Manuel said. "That's why. Keep crying." 12 May 2010 from web

For more commentary, we turn to Jimmy Dugan:

We Need to Go Back There Again

No, that's not a quote from Jack on Lost...

Photo from fOTOGLIF

Love this story Charlie Manuel told reporters about Ryan Howard {link}:

I talked to Ryan Howard right after Christmas,” Manuel said, “and the first thing he said is, ‘Chuck, we need to go back there again. We let an opportunity slip away. We have to win again in the next couple of years. We have to do that every year.’”

As a baseball fan, that is what you want to hear from the players on the team you root for.

If This Baseball Thing Doesn't Work Out, There's Always Esquire and G.Q.

Wow, look at Charlie Manuel:

Apparently, in the offseason, Manuel kept up with the Nutrisystem diet he began during the 2009 season and it's paid off. He's supposedly gone from 286 pounds to 230 pounds [story and picture].

He looks like a new man.  Geez, I hope he still drinks whiskey and drawls.

Manuel Willing to Use the Kitchen Sink Tonight

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel told reporters this afternoon, "...We'll use anybody except Lee tonight." [link]

Wow, even Cole Hamels? Does that mean Manuel is planning on using Cliff Lee to start a possible Game 7 on two days of rest?

Was Chase Utley Safe or Out?

A crucial moment in last night's Game 2 of the World Series came in the top of the 8th.  The Phillies were down 3-1 and Jimmy Rollins was on second base, Shane Victorino on first.  Chase Utley was at the plate, Mariano Rivera on the mound.

With Tim McCarver clamoring for the Phillies to send the runners once Rivera had two strikes on Utley, almost on cue, Utley grounds into a 4-6-3 double-play, ending the Phillies rally before it really got started.  Rivera would go on to lock down the game for the Yankees in the 9th.

Afterwards, in the press conference, Charlie Manuel was peppered with questions about his decision on that play.  He explained his reasoning for not running on the pitch, which was just as good as the reasoning to send the runners, and took another question.  But then, unsolicited, Manuel offered, "By the way, if you want to know the truth, go back and look at it, Utley was safe."

Take a look for yourself [click to enlarge]:

Looks like Charlie's right again.

What a Whirlwind

Shane knocks one out... Clifton Phifer Lee paints the corners... Werth puts on his hulk hands and makes it 2-0... Raul pulls a mini-Holliday... Pete Happy swings at the first pitch [first pitch!?!?!]... Lee comes out for the 8th and gets into trouble, Madson and Ben Francisco in, Lee and Ibanez out... Fly to leeeft, BENNY BABY!!! Charlie's a genius until... Rockies knock around Madson, we're down two runs with only three outs left... Dobbs K's, Jimmy singles... Shane almost hits into a DP... Uts walks... The Big Piece doubles!... Shane almost misses third on the way home, Chase is chasing him, they both score and we're tied at 4!... Werth singles and The Big Piece rumbles home! 5-4 Fightin' Phillies!... Eyre and his loose bodies and sprained ankle come out for the bottom of the 9th... Two outs and two singles later, Charlie calls on Lidge to face Tulo... the Delaware Valley holds their breath... Struck him out!

It's 2:14 AM, Do You Know Where Your Save Is?

Caught in a tight spot in the 7th inning, with men on first and third and no outs, Charlie Manuel called on Ryan Madson to get three crucial outs.  He allowed the runner on third to score and tie the game at 5, but no other hitters reached base and eventually, Jimmy Rollins would score the winning run in the top of the 9th [earmuffs!].

For the bottom of the 9th, all that was left for Charlie was Brad Lidge.  Though he struggled with command, and a runner got to second base, Lidge did not allow a hard hit ball, and got the save at 2:14 AM EST.

A tight, close game -- playoff baseball personified.  But more importantly, as for Lidge are the lights out again?

That's too long a conversation, I'm going to bed.

See you and Cliff Lee at 6:07 tomorrow.

Poll: Game 3 Starter?

Three-Peat!

With Brad Lidge on the mound for the final out, the Phillies beat the Astros 10-3 to win the National League East for the third year in a row!

Pop the bubbly!

[And by the way, what a great move by Charlie Manuel to bring in Brad Lidge for the final out]

Update:  Did you see all of the champagne-and-beer-soaked Phillies run out to the "HK" sign in the outfield to touch it and douse it?!?  Excuse me, there's something in my eye...

Charlie Does it Again

It's the winter of 2009-2010 and an aged, stuffy corporate-type, dressed in a classic dark suit/red tie combination, is at a lectern in a mahogany and leather adorned board room.  He introduces Charlie Manuel to the audience, other similar corporate-types, congratulating him on another World Series victory.  Manuel, clad in his dark, pinstriped suit from the parades, shakes the man's hand, taps the mic lightly with his finger, momentarily causing a hint of squealing feedback.  Satisfied with the signal, he leans down and bellows, "You know, uh, like, we had this mountain, and you know like, at the same time, we uh, had to go to it."

Those assembled take to their feet and erupt in applause.  In the back of the room, Manuel's agent sees dollar signs. 

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Not that he needs it, but if Charlie Manuel needs some extra cash this offseason, his agent should know exactly where to find some, setting him up with plenty of dates as a corporate motivational speaker.

The concept would have seemed unfathomable a few years ago, but at this point, all Manuel's agent would have to do is point to the Phillies record after Manuel calls a team meeting.  By my estimation, it's something like 151-1.

He added to that record yesterday.  With the Phillies reeling a bit, the cause of which could have been any number of things -- mental fatigue, physical fatigue, shaken confidence from so many blow leads, etc. -- Manuel called a team meeting and told the Phillies in proverbial terms that the mountain was not going to come to them, they had to go to it.  By all accounts in the post-game interviews, the players loved it, wished he had done it sooner, and they put up 7 runs in the win over Houston.  Plus, with the Marlins win over the Braves [perhaps Manuel made a video Skype call to the Marlins locker room], the Phillies magic number now sits at just 1.

Who knows how he does it, who knows how many times Manuel can still call such meetings and have it bear fruit.  Of course, that's really something to worry about when the time comes.

Try ANYTHING

In baseball, good teams win 85 or 87 games, very good teams win 90 or 92 games, and great teams win 100 games.  The Phillies have 88 wins with 11 more games to play.  If they go 6-5, they'll end up with 94 wins.  Not too shabby, but think about this:  Brad Lidge has 9 losses on the year.  Imagine if the Phillies won 5 or 6 of those games and Lidge was a more serviceable 0-4 or 0-3, then we'd all be talking about how the Phillies are a great team, on their way to a 99- or 100-win season.

My point?  Brad Lidge is preventing the Phillies from being a great team.  Now, teams with the highest regular season win totals don't necessarily win the World Series, but I think you see where I am headed with this.  Lidge's performance is costing the Phillies greatness.

To be fair, at this point, it's not only Lidge who is preventing greatness, it's also manager Charlie Manuel.  We understand there are significant injuries in the bullpen, we understand he doesn't have many options to close out games, but he does have options.

Again, the Phillies have 11 games left.  There's no more time to fool around.  Try Scott Eyre and his loose body.  Try Tyler Walker. [And by the way, wouldn't it be fun to see how much Tyler Walker sweats in a closing situation?  You'd need a bean-bag chair sized rosin bag out on the mound.]  Try anything else, Charlie, because time is running out and after 63 craptastic appearances in 2009, you can bet the 2008 version of Brad Lidge is not walking through that door any time soon.

Charlie Manuel Exposes His True Feelings About Managing a Bullpen

Charlie Manuel exposes how he, and probably most managers, feel about managing today's bullpens [link]:

"It's always good for a guy to kind of know what his role is," he said. "The public likes it. You guys [the media] like it. Me, I don't like it. I think if I'm the manager, I ought to be able to put you in the damn game when I want to, if you want to know the truth.

"And when you think about it, roles change. You might have a guy you want in the sixth who has thrown and you can't use him, things like that. But for some reason, they like it when you find a role for them. To a certain degree it's good, but it's also hard to stick to."

I've got news for you Charlie, you are the manager and you can bring them in there when you want to do so.  As a matter of fact, for someone who isn't too keen on the idea of relief pitchers having set, defined, carved-in-stone roles, you certainly manage that way.  When Manuel's bullpen is healthy, you can pretty much guess who enters a game when.  Romero in the 7th, Madson in the 8th, Lidge in the 9th.  Lather, rinse repeat.

Here's more news:  There are a lot of fans who would like to see the team's best reliever used in the toughest spots, whether it's the 7th inning or the 9th inning.  The hell with the "save" stat, which was only created by agents anyway.

He'd Finally Seen Enough

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th inning in Washington, only one out and an all-of-a-sudden razor-thin two-run lead, Charlie Manuel strode to the pitcher's mound and took the ball from Brad Lidge.  Ryan Madson would enter the game and get the final two outs to preserve the win.

Based upon Charlie Manuel's post-game comments, he made the change in order to preserve the win.  If you read the comments online or in the newspaper, that's how it sounds.  But if you saw Manuel make those comments on television, and saw the look on Charlie's face, then you have to wonder if it wasn't so much about preserving the win as it was saving Lidge from himself.  In other words after a hit, a hit batter and wild pitch, Manuel couldn't bear to let another blown save and the attention that comes with it avalanche on Lidge for the 11th time this season.

[An aside: To those of you who think sports is all-business these days, I would point you to the look on Manuel's face last night and the tears Pat Gillick shed when the Phillies received their World Series rings a few months ago.]

Manuel claims Lidge is still the closer, but if you listen to him closely, it doesn't sound like an automatic decision either.