The Phillies advanced to their first World Series since 1993 with a 5-1 victory over the Dodgers, winning the National League Championship Series in five games.
"I've got to think," Manuel said amid the festive winning clubhouse, "that my mom's watching right now."
And, so, Charlie will be at his mother's viewing later today and her funeral tomorrow morning, a strange juxtaposition from the scene in the visitors' clubhouse at Dodger Stadium last night, a scene of champagne and hugs, a scene of pure happiness, and deserved pride.
But that's what baseball is: strange juxtapositions.
A manager who struggles mightily in front of a microphone, and yet is so at ease in small familiar crowds.
A guy who has been ridiculed too often simply for where he was born, yet a guy who still loves people everywhere.
"Charlie," Brett Myers said, "is just a good guy to be around."
There were people in this town who said the newspaper guys shielded him from harsh criticism because of that, took it easy on him when his moves didn't work out so well - when he had guys like Geoff Geary, Terry Adams and Tim Worrell haunting his bullpen.
Charlie should have used the lefty here.
He stayed with the righty too long.
"The players are the ones that make him look good or bad," said Ryan Madson, a holdover from those days who pitched a clean eighth last night. "You go out there and do your job, no matter what decisions he makes, you're going to make him look good."
Joe Torre knows this. He was ripped for his moves as the Yankees' manager when the Red Sox rallied to win four straight games in the 2004 American League Championship Series. He was ripped for his handling of his staff in Monday's pivotal Game 4, with the Dodgers losing a 5-3 lead in the eighth.
Why didn't he let Derek Lowe pitch another inning? He used up his lefties too quickly. He had too quick of a hook for dynamic Hong-Chih Kuo after just an inning and a batter.
