Usually I just question the lineups, decisions, and strategies. I don't usually mention him by name or say how much I can't stand what he does. There have usually been players (one in particular comes to mind) who I could blame things on, while our manager just continued getting away with everything because of 2008. I didn't like him before we won the World Series, and I have, for the most part, avoided saying anything like that since then, at least publicly. He's a players' manager, and that's all that should really matter in baseball, right? Well, I'm pretty much done hiding it now.
I don't like Charlie Manuel.
I know that is tough to really comprehend. But it's not that I'm saying I hate him. I just don't like him. He almost seems too stupid to hate, and I say that with the utmost respect. And not stupid like you may think (and like he displayed the last 2 games), but more the uneducated type of stupid. He did help us win a World Series, and we've now won 5 straight NL East titles with him. So we can look at all of the good and say, "How could you possibly not like him?!"
We can also look at what he hasn't done, which becomes tougher to ignore with each passing season. In case anyone hasn't noticed, we've been getting worse as our team has been getting better. If you look at our last 4 seasons, 2008 should not have been the championship. Jamie Moyer was our 3rd starter. Our ace was Cole Hamels, who is now our 3rd starter. Our 3rd baseman was Pedro Feliz, not Placido Polanco. Carlos Ruiz was a solid defensive catcher and nothing more.
I have students who are failing every class, and it's because every teacher hates them. Or they sit next to someone annoying. Or the teacher lost their paper. They've got every excuse in the book, and I say that those are fine reasons for failing a class. The problem is: it's not just one class, it's every class. I tell them that with one class I might question the circumstaynces, but with every class I have to question the student.
So in 2009 we can question the circumstaynces. We didn't have the bullpen we had before, despite our starting pitching being better. In 2010 we could do the same thing. Same with 2011. But at some point we stop questioning the circumstaynces, and we need to question the student.
Charlie Manuel is the constant through all of this, and what is he doing to make this team better or get them to where they need to be? We hear every year about how limited our window is to win championships. We've put together teams to do it, but we aren't doing it. It's tough to complain about having only one championship in Philadelphia, but it's even tougher to come out of this era of Phillies baseball with that as the result.
While this series with the Pirates was not a championship series by any stretch of the imagination, it did a great job of showing some of the areas that Uncle Chuck just sucks at managing. Here are a few things I noticed:
Saturday night:
Situation: 1-1 game in the 9th inning. Hunter Pence walks to lead off the inning. Laynce Nix is then sent up there to bunt. Nix pops out. Jim Thome pinch hits for John Mayberry, and Pence steals 2nd during this at-bat. Thome strikes out, Ruiz walks, Galvis strikes out. Inning over, runners left on first and second.
What's wrong with it: I understand Nix going up there to bunt because that puts someone in scoring position. But does he know how to bunt? Evidently not. You know who does know how to bunt? Juan Pierre. And the ensuing substitutions saw Laynce Nix move into left field (replacing Mayberry, the better outfielder), when it would've been a better move (if you have to take out Mayberry) to have Pierre out there, especially when you compare the reliability to lay down a bunt. And if you're going to have Pence steal a base anyway, why not just make all of those moves one batter sooner? You have Thome hit for Nix (he can stay at first), and you keep Mayberry in the game (a player who can actually hit and play defense).
What I will do when given the job as Phillies manager and must face the same exact situation: I pinch-hit for Nix with Thome. I realize that he's going to be more prone to a double play, but I'd rather take my chaynces of a double play into a funky shift. But I don't really worry about a double play because if I think Pence can steal, I have him steal here. Sure it's risky, but I like risking a steal more with nobody out than with one out. I think the risk is lower against the shift, too. Also, as manager, I've been telling Jim Thome all Spring to secretly practice his bunting. If and when they put the shift on, Pence ends up at 3rd because Thome can push one down the third base line that ends up in the outfield. No matter what, I don't take John Mayberry out of the lineup at this point just because I can't get over what hand a guy throws a baseball with. If I'm trying to set something up, I want the guys best suited for their roles in the right position. If I bunt, it's with Pierre. If I want Thome put in the game, I pinch-hit with him at a position he can actually play after this inning and keep my best defensive outfield on the field in a tie game that might not end until Tuesday at this rate.
Situation: 9th and 10th innings, Michael Stutes, Antonio Bastardo, and Joe Blanton pitch.
What's wrong with it: Michael Stutes, Antonio Bastardo, and Joe Blanton pitched.
What I will do when given the job as Phillies manager and must face the same exact situation: I want to give my team the best chaynce to get another at-bat. Can we all agree that my closer is my best relief pitcher? Yes? Yes we can? OK good. Then I put Papelbon in the bottom of the 9th inning because I don't want to lose then. Then in the 10th I put in Michael Stutes because I think he's my next best option. If we get to the 11th (which we do), I start having all of the majokes in my bullpen play Rock, Paper, Scissors to decide who gives me my first heart attack of the night due to their general inability to play baseball. And if Antonio Bastardo wins that contest, I tell him to shut up and learn how to throw strikes again before ever stepping onto a pitcher's mound again.
Sunday afternoon:
Situation: 9th inning, tie game, David Herndon pitches
What's wrong with it: DAVID HERNDON IS PITCHING IN AN IMPORTANT SITUATION.
What I will do when given the job as Phillies manager and must face the same exact situation: I realize we don't have a great bullpen. I didn't realize it really until the past 2 games happened. Now, however, it is very clear to me. But that still doesn't mean that we should choose to have Joe Blanton and David Herndon lose games for us. If Joe Blanton and David Herndon lose games for us, it should be because we've exhausted all other options. Let me say this again: I want our best pitcher available pitching in the 9th inning and beyond. If we are winning and it's a save situation, that's fantastic. If we're tied, that works as well. If we're down by one or two runs, probably still a good idea. So Jonathan Papelbon pitches the 9th in a close game. Who gives a crap about him getting a save, other than his agent? If we get a one-run lead, I'd rather have Joe Blanton or David Herndon give up a run at that time rather than when we are tied and a run means everyone walks off of the field because we lose. That's what walk-off means. Someone please tell Uncle Chuck.
Situation: Herndon on the mound, 2 outs, runner on 3rd, Andrew McCutchen at the plate. Herndon pitches to him and gives up a walk-off double
What's wrong with it: With 2 bases open, we are choosing to pitch to their best player with our worst pitcher
What I will do when given the job as Phillies manager and must face the same exact situation: WALK HIM!! Is that not obvious to EVERYONE?! I probably walk Neil Walker, too. Even though he doesn't have many hits, I'd rather not face Walker on the left side of the plate when he's been hitting the ball well. Bring up Garrett Jones with the bases loaded. You have the option of forcing Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker, or Garrett Jones to win a game for you. Who do you choose? This is so easy! This didn't really happen today, did it? I would ask what Uncle Chuck is thinking, but I'm confident that he's not. Although, if he weren't thinking, he probably would've made the right decision, considering that decision should require no thought whatsoever.
I know it's early to be calling for Manuel's head or anything like that, and that's not what I'm doing. But it is definitely looking like it could be a long season of Uncle Chuck stupidity, and I want you to know from the beginning what we may be in for this year in terms of how I react to things. I don't want anyone to be surprised by my negative opinion of his managing. If we move to the American League, I'd love to have Charlie Manuel as my manager. But as long as we have real decisions to make throughout a game, I'd say I'm a little frustrated with the person making them.
One final thought: Can we do that whole Clockwork Orange treatment on Antonio Bastardo, only with footage of JC Romero? Please learn to throw a strike again. He was the best reliever in baseball the first half of last year, and now he sucks. I hate JC Romero, and I completely blame him for forcing Bastardo to travel the same Phillies career path that he did.
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