Phillies Notebook: Manuel sticks by Howard for Game 6

NEW YORK - Less than 2 weeks ago, Charlie Manuel was routinely asked to explain Ryan Howard's remarkable groove at the plate. Yesterday, before Game 6, he answered questions about whether he should move the first baseman down in the batting order.

One of the reasons the Phillies found themselves fighting for their postseason lives last night was the sudden disappearance of Howard's production, but Manuel stood behind his star slugger, brushing off the suggestion that he should have hit him somewhere other than fourth.

Howard rewarded his manager's faith by hitting a two-run homer off Andy Pettitte in Game 6 last night, in the Yankees' World Series-clinching, 7-3 win. But in the eighth inning he also set a World Series record when he struck out for the 13th time.

"What kind of message do I send to Howard, after 3 or 4 years he's been in the big leagues, all of a sudden in a big, important game in the World Series, I drop him?" Manuel said before the game. "What I am going to do, call him in and say, 'Ryan, I'm hitting you fifth or sixth tonight because this is the sixth game of the World Series?' What's that telling him? If my manager did that to me, I'd have some words with him."

While Manuel later emphasized he was not putting Howard's feelings ahead of the good of the team, and that he felt the best lineup for the Phillies was with Howard hitting cleanup, Howard entered last night mired in a five-game slump that coincided with the first five games of the World Series.

Despite hitting .359 with a .455 on-base percentage and 22 RBI in his previous 17 postseason games, Howard entered last night with just three hits in 19 at-bats this World Series. He was 1-for-4 last night and finished the series at .174.

While he has endured similar struggles at times during his career, Howard's current slump surprised many given his electric performance in the first two rounds of the postseason.

He entered the World Series having hit safely in eight of nine games this postseason, with a .355 batting average, .462 on-base percentage, two home runs, 14 RBI and just eight strikeouts.