I have mixed feelings about Manuel. I don’t think he was hired for the right reasons. Before he was the Phillies manager Manuel was a special assistant to then GM Ed Wade. I can’t say for sure but I wouldn’t be surprised if Wade had chosen Manuel to be the Phillies manager the moment Manuel he became a special assistant. The other reason, which Wade told the public was that Manuel’s player friendly approach was exactly what the Phillies needed in the wake of the Larry Bowa’s harsh managing style. However, the problem with Bowa wasn’t the way he managed, it was that he couldn’t motivate the Phillies to win.
The switch to Manuel raised the Phillies spirits, but not their win total. Despite that Manuel has had a big impact on this team. It’s hard to imagine the Phillies making the late run they did last season without Manuel keeping the Phillies heads in the game.
Manuel's contract is up after this season and Gillick probably has him on a short leash. Gillick sent Manuel a message this off-season when he brought in bench coach Jimy Williams and first base coach Davey Lopes. Both coaches have Major League managing experience and could be potential replacements. If the Phillies play poorly in April don’t be surprised if Manuel is looking for a new job.
Sources:
Eager to show his Phillies are good
By Jim Salisbury / Philadelphia Inquirer
Reports: Manuel to manage Phils
By Ken Mandel / MLB.com
Picture of Charlie Manuel from Flickr
In case you didn't already know this...I think Manuel is a dumba$$!
ReplyDeleteI think he's a kind hearted person. I also think that he's not the world's greatest baseball strategizer. When he first came to the NL he didn't seem to get how to use the double switch. Hopefully Jimy Williams who has years of managing experience will be able to help Manuel in that department.
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