In the two years that I've covered the Phillies for The News Journal, I've always known Charlie Manuel (right) to be unfailingly positive. The affable manager can find a silver lining in the bleakest of times. Last season, while the Phillies were in the midst of a midseason free fall, Manuel remained upbeat. Even after the July fire sale that sent packing Bobby Abreu and others, he publicly said the Phillies could still compete for a wild-card spot. The crazy part was he really meant it.But, over the past few days, I've noticed a change in Charlie. He was angry Thursday night after Fabio Castro, Jim Ed Warden and Justin Germano were hammered by the Blue Jays and when another batch of relievers -- Antonio Alfonseca, Brian Sanches and Kane Davis -- got pummeled by the Tigers on Friday in Lakeland. And today, after Alfonseca got hit hard again, Manuel's frustration persisted. Hardly a day goes by that he doesn't tell reporters, often unsolicited, that the Phillies' bullpen needs help, and he uses words like "concerned" and "frustrated" to describe his feelings about the relief corps.
It's all been, well, very un-Charlie-like.
But Manuel knows the Phillies need to start strong, or else it may cost him his job. He's a lame-duck manager, in the final season of a three-year contract, and chances are, he won't survive another 10-14 April. Not this year, when "playoffs or bust" may as well be the Phillies' motto. Since October, he's talked about needing to bolster the bullpen, but so far, all GM Pat Gillick has been able to do is sign Alfonseca, a 34-year-old former closer who hasn't pitched a full season in the majors since 2004. And, if this bullpen doesn't get better fast, it may drive Manuel to the unemployment line.
That, of course, would be unfair. But it's also the reality Manuel is facing. So I expect we'll keep hearing his uncharacteristic criticisms of the Phillies' relievers, at least until they begin to fill him with confidence that they can hold a lead in the late innings. Maybe then, the Charlie Manuel I've come to know will resurface.
More tomorrow after union chief Donald Fehr has his annual meeting with the Phillies.
2 comments:
April 2nd is getting closer and closer.
You've been saying this team needed bullpen help for quite some time now, and still nothing's been done.
Remember when we all applauded when PG didn't overspend for guys like Baez and Bradford and to some extent Borowski? Now it's hitting home that Fabio and the 6-fingerballer aren't cutting it, and Charlie (rightfully so) begins to get frustrated at the notion of breaking the season with these guys.
I'm officially the biggest Geoff Geary fan alive.
Great blog, Scott.
Any idea why Gillick didn't hold on to Germano? It's inexplicable to me.
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