Phillies' Manuel will finally take a break

For Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, this off-season will really be an off-season.

"He should go hibernate," general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said.

Amaro delivered that message to Manuel in person after the Phils' bid to repeat as World Series champions came to an end Wednesday night in a loss at Yankee Stadium.

Over the last two seasons, no major-league skipper has participated in more games than Manuel, who has presided twice over spring training, taken two trips to the World Series, and managed an All-Star Game.

Off the field, Manuel spent last winter fulfilling countless media requests, tending to team promotional obligations, and enjoying the spoils that go with winning a World Series. He also attended the general managers' meetings last November and the winter meetings in December.

Manuel, 65, has been so consumed by baseball since the start of spring training in February 2008 that he barely had time to grieve when his mother, June, died during the Phils' march to the World Series title in October 2008.

This winter will be different. The fast-forward button will be turned off. Manuel will spend some time catching his breath before another spring training begins in mid-February.

Manuel is not scheduled to attend the GM meetings, which will be held tomorrow through Wednesday in Chicago, and Amaro hopes Manuel takes the Joe Torre approach and skips the winter meetings next month in Indianapolis.

"We can communicate by phone,'' Amaro said.

Manuel, who survived a heart attack in 1998 and kidney cancer in 2000, said he was in good health. He is happy with the results of an in-season Nutrisystem diet that helped him lose more than 40 pounds. Still, he said he is ready for some downtime over the next few months. He intends to play some golf in Winter Haven, Fla., where he makes his off-season home, and he might fire up the backyard grill a time or two.

"I'm looking forward to going home and taking it easy, relaxing a little,'' he said. "It seems like it's been a steady go for a couple of years, but at the same time everything about it has been good. These have been my two best years in baseball. The last three, really, have been great.''

Manuel took over as Phillies manager before the 2005 season. He and Danny Ozark (1976-78) are the only two Phillies managers to preside over three straight division championship teams.