In Game 2, Manuel used a rookie - Antonio Bastardo - against veteran slugger Jason Giambi. And Bastardo struck him out.
On Monday, in the Game 4 clincher, Manuel used lefty specialist Scott Eyre with a one-run lead to start the ninth - a move that turned around speedy switch-hitter Eric Young Jr.; limited the power potential of lefthanded Carlos Gonzalez; and kept Todd Helton off closer Brad Lidge.
That's right, closer Brad Lidge.
Manuel saw enough of Ryan Madson over the last 2 months to . . . make sure Madson wasn't his closer in the postseason. Not until Lidge had every chance to fail.
Lidge did not fail.
Madson did, grandly, in Game 4.
That won't matter in the NLCS against the Dodgers. Madson is what Manuel has.
He has good numbers against Manny Ramirez, James Loney, Russell Martin and Andre Ethier. That's all that seems to matter to Manuel these days.
This series could be a matchup mess.
For instance:
* Does Manuel let Lidge continue to close? Lidge's numbers this season against Ethier, Loney, Casey Blake, Rafael Furcal, Matt Kemp, and Mark Loretta: 7-for-12. Those are numbers typical of their career numbers against Lidge. Maybe Lidge becomes a situational late-innings guy; maybe he just faces Martin and Ramirez.
Or maybe he's the go-to guy, period.
* Does Manuel go away from Madson? Or does he ride him? He actually has had success against most of the Dodgers this season, though his numbers overall against them aren't stellar. Could we see a typical eighth-inning setup role, followed by Lidge?
* Does Manuel keep Pedro Martinez on the roster, and, if so, does he allow him to pitch out of the 'pen? His numbers against the Dodgers are all over the place, and he hasn't pitched in a game since Sept. 30. Can the Phillies trust him . . . to any degree?
