Even with that praise and an open invitation from the team to return, Lopes told The Inquirer on Saturday he is unsure whether he will be back for a fifth season with the Phillies.
Lopes did not want to comment extensively out of respect for the team and only said he does not yet know which direction he will go in.
He did confirm he has been asked to stay on for the 2011 season, as have the other five field coaches.
"We are very satisfied," Charlie Manuel said Saturday. Manuel said he had spoken with Lopes to express that but that the first-base coach "has some decisions to make."
It has been a difficult year for Lopes. Three days before the season began, his brother Michael died in a house fire in Providence, R.I. Lopes missed the team's first six games to be with his family.
In spring training, Werth hinted it could be Lopes' final season but the 65-year-old coach said then he hadn't made up his mind.
"I'm having more fun now than I have in a long, long time," Lopes said then. "When we won the World Series, I was more elated than when I actually played in it. I've been fortunate. These last three years have probably been the best of my career as far as a coaching standpoint."
In 2007, the Phillies set a major-league record with an 87.9 stolen-base percentage. In 2008, they posted an 84.5 percent mark, which is second-best in baseball history.
This season, the Phillies lead the majors with an 84 percent conversion rate.
Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. declined to discuss the specifics of Lopes' situation. He praised the entire coaching staff for the job they did in what, at times, was a challenging season. In July, the Phillies fired hitting coach Milt Thompson and replaced him with Greg Gross.
"We would like to invite everybody back," Amaro said. "We'll see how it goes."
Extra bases
Manuel said shortstop Jimmy Rollins will not play Sunday as previously expected. Rollins has missed the last 14 games with a strained right hamstring and told Manuel after Saturday's game he is still a little sore. "I told him, 'We can wait another day,' " Manuel said. . . . The Philadelphia Broadcasters Foundation selected Temple senior Daniel Koob as winner of the Kalas Award, which is given annually to a college student in honor of the late Harry Kalas.
Contact staff writer Matt Gelb
at 215-854-2928
or mgelb@phillynews.com. Follow on Twitter @magelb
