Oct. 1 -- MANUEL ON THOME, PHILLIES' MOOD

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Few people know Jim Thome better than Charlie Manuel, and before last night's game play-in game in Chicago, Manuel told his fiancee, Missy, that Thome was going to hit a big home run to put the White Sox in the playoffs over the Twins. Sure enough, Thome hit the game-winner.

"When the game started, I told her that Thome was going to hit a home run to win the game," Manuel said in a meeting with Phillies beat writers. "Call her and ask her. I felt good about it. He's been struggling the last four or five games, swinging and missing a lot. I felt good about him."

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Manuel said he thinks the Phillies are more relaxed this time around in the playoffs. Why? Last year, he said most of the players showed up at the ballpark at 8 a.m., a sign of their anxiety. This year, he said a lot of them didn't get here until about 10-10:30 a.m.

"I feel good about where we're at and how we've been going about it," Manuel said. "I feel like we're definitely ready."