Take Ryan Madson out of the closer role and insert Jose Contreras.
Take Jose Contreras out of the closer role and insert your brother-in-law, who once had 40 saves in a single season of American Legion ball.
Bench Shane Victorino for not hitting. At least against righties.
"You have to give credit to Charlie for keep running me out there," Victorino said after his big day in Saturday's 3-1 victory over the Padres. "He could totally say, 'Let's go with Domonic [Brown] or other guys.' In that regard, I'm grateful he keeps running us out there."
This season is Charlie Manuel's best ever as a manager. Not because he's pushed all the right buttons or even half the right buttons. This season is his best because he's managed to not push that big red button, the one with panic written on it, the one many managers would have pushed weeks, streaks and injuries ago. Most notably, his predecessor, Larry Bowa.
The Phillies would make the playoffs if the season ended today. That's incredible really - Manager of the Year stuff - especially when you add up all the injuries to some key personnel, and the underachievement of some others. Say before the season that someone told you Chase Utley would miss 2 months, Jamie Moyer would tear up his arm, Joe Blanton would be awful for the first 3 months, Madson would break his toe throwing a tantrum, Kyle Kendrick again would be demoted, J.C. Romero would be ineffective, Rollins and Victorino would get hurt and not hit, and Ibanez would be an automatic out for the first half of the season.
What would you say their record should be on Aug. 31?
