Charlie Manuel Watch Thread - 2010 Edition

[BlueHen86]

Yea, uh, scratch my earlier commwnt about splitting the 6 games. You watch the end of the game tonight and destiny just knocks you over.

The Phillies are starting to look like the Phillies of the last few years - no lead is safe. Earlier this year, when the Phils fell behind the game was over. Now the Phils have the swagger back. In a few weeks they will be healthy and in a great position to make a run for the divsion title.

[Ivytalk]

Choooooooooooch!

More like CHOOOOOOCCCHHHH!!!!

[GannonFan]

Yea, uh, scratch my earlier commwnt about splitting the 6 games. You watch the end of the game tonight and destiny just knocks you over.

The Phillies are starting to look like the Phillies of the last few years - no lead is safe. Earlier this year, when the Phils fell behind the game was over. Now the Phils have the swagger back. In a few weeks they will be healthy and in a great position to make a run for the divsion title.

Yup, just like they've looked since '07, this team just wins when they have to, against anyone. And come playoff time, with Halladay, Hamels, and Oswalt as the starting pitchers, you have to like the chances for this team.

[Ivytalk]

Crap. Shut out at "New Shea" again.

[93henfan]

Crap. Shut out at "New Shea" again.

Fuggin' knuckleballer.

[Ivytalk]

Crap. Shut out at "New Shea" again.

Fuggin' knuckleballer.

Hell, we shelled him last weekend!

[93henfan]

Fuggin' knuckleballer.

Hell, we shelled him last weekend!

That's just it though. The Phils are feast or famine against knucklers. If you'll recall, the Phils worst slump of the year was triggered by facing that guy and Wakefield within some close proximity, IIRC.

[bluehenbillk]

Must win tonight with Halladay going up against Misch. Rumor is by the end of next week BOTH Utley & Howard are back. Utley supposed to have 1st rehab start in Clearwater tonight.

[BlueHen86]

Must win tonight with Halladay going up against Misch. Rumor is by the end of next week BOTH Utley & Howard are back. Utley supposed to have 1st rehab start in Clearwater tonight.

Not a must win, way too early for that.

[93henfan]

Great win tonight. Little bit of Madson drama in the ninth, but no harm, no foul.

Halladay is unbelievable. Reyes gets the leadoff triple in the top of the fourth, first hit for the Mets, then Halladay gets a ground ball to third which keeps him there, then two Ks. That just took any hope away from the hapless Mets.

[Ivytalk]

Mutts fielded like the Keystone Kops tonight. After getting shut out four straight times at New Shea, the Phils return the favor. And Atlanta is losing!

[93henfan]

Mutts fielded like the Keystone Kops tonight. After getting shut out four straight times at New Shea, the Phils return the favor. And Atlanta is losing!

Well, now we know why Casey Blake and David Wright never had careers as NHL goalies.

[93henfan]

And Atlanta is losing!

And it went final that way, so the Phils pick one up on the Bravos.

In other good news, Utley made a rehab appearance in Clearwater tonight and went 1-3 with a triple.

[93henfan]

The little blurbs that Philly.com puts on their sports page are pretty comical. Tonight's is particularly humorous.

<click to enlarge>

[bluehenbillk]

CSN now reporting that both Howard and Utley could come off DL and play on Tuesday, that's 2 weeks or better for Chase.

[BlueHen86]

The little blurbs that Philly.com puts on their sports page are pretty comical. Tonight's is particularly humorous.

<click to enlarge>

That's hilarious.

[93henfan]

Giants lose, so a win tonight by the Phils moves them into a tie for the NL Wild Card lead.

[bluehenbillk]

How should the Phils be feeling today? Someone cue Tony, Tony, Tony - "feels good, yeah".

[GannonFan]

Just gotta like this team. Just a bunch of gamers. And now Utley comes back weeks early from his injury (Howard's still unlikely, but he'll be back soon enough). And with the Oswalt trade it means the Phils are throwing an ace pitcher every other game (get to pitch two aces against SF while missing Lincecum). As long as they don't flub that 7 game West Coast trip at the end of the month (3 against SD and 3 against LA and 1 against the Rockies) then it should be smooth sailing into September.

[93henfan]

And the Phil take sole possession of the NL Wild Card.

[bluehenbillk]

Key game tonight, if you can get a win with Blanton pitching sandwiched between Oswalt & Hamels.

[89Hen]

against SF while missing Lincecum

Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't he been struggling mightily this year?

[GannonFan]

against SF while missing Lincecum

Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't he been struggling mightily this year?

Well, he's still sporting a 3.62 ERA and has won 11 games. For him, yes, he's struggling mightily, but for anybody else he's having a very good year. I'd still rather not face him if at all possible.

[93henfan]

Looks like there's a decent chance of steady rain tonight. How does MLB handle a reschedule this late in the year? Would they play two on Thursday?

Just glancing at the schedule, the Phils have just about every Thursday but the first one open in September, but the Giants are the complete opposite, having the first Thursday off and playing all the rest. So, it doesn't look like there's a compatible time or geographic intersection after Thursday.

[89Hen]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't he been struggling mightily this year?

Well, he's still sporting a 3.62 ERA and has won 11 games. For him, yes, he's struggling mightily, but for anybody else he's having a very good year. I'd still rather not face him if at all possible.

Maybe it's just as of late. 0-3 in last three giving up 6 in 4.0 and 6 in 3.2 innings in his last two.