"Let me think," Manuel said. He was in the Phillies' dugout, leaning forward with both arms on the railing, chin on the railing, watching the Dodgers take batting practice. You know how you can tell when people are happy just by the aura around them? That was Manuel yesterday, yelling something at Manny Ramirez after he was finished hitting, talking baseball with a few of his lieutenants, now intrigued by a memory from a time long ago.
The Phillies and Dodgers, managed by Manuel and Torre, are in their second go-round in the National League Championship Series. These men could not have traveled more different paths to the top. Torre was a great player, Manuel a career bench player. Torre never managed a game in the minor leagues, starting as the Mets' player-manager. Manuel managed in the minors for nine seasons, from A to AAA. Torre was a sub-.500 manager with the Mets and the Braves and the Cardinals and still was given another chance by the Yankees, where he became a genius and won four World Series. Manuel had a shot in Cleveland and almost never got another.
But here they are today, both world champions. And after a second of thinking back to a long-ago afternoon, Manuel said, "Seaver, right?"
Baseball people are savants that way sometimes, no matter the time or the distance involved. Yes, the Mets' pitcher that day was Tom Seaver. Manuel was brought in as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning, with two outs and runners on first and third and two runs already in. And, because he is Manuel, there is more to the story.
"In the dugout, Walter Alston calls me over and says, 'This guy's perfect for you,' " Manuel remembered, mostly because Seaver was a hard-thrower and Manuel was a fastball hitter.
