Ruben Amaro Jr. has repeatedly said he expects to re-sign his manager. And more than once Manuel said that getting a new deal is "only a matter of time." That's the operative word - time. Time is the issue and always has been.
On the time line of Philly sports, there is B.C. and A.D. - Before Charlie and After the Drought. Before Charlie, the Phillies made the postseason just once in 21 years. Since hiring Manuel, the Phils have reached the playoffs four times in six seasons. They have won four NL East titles. They have reached three straight NL Championship Series, two consecutive World Series, and - here's the important part - ended the city's misery and frustration by delivering the town's first championship in 25 years.
Even more remarkable: After the Drought, the city's sports psyche changed. A fan base that once had an intimate and dysfunctional relationship with disappointment has moved on and now enjoys a much healthier and happier love affair with success.
That wasn't all Manuel's doing, of course, but he deserves his share of the credit. When measured against other managers, Manuel's achievements stack up better than anyone could have anticipated when he landed the gig.
Some still don't dig that he manages by his once-sizable gut rather than being just another mindless slave to the baseball book, but it's hard to argue with his accomplishments. In six seasons, he has led the Phils to 544 wins, more than any other club in the National League. Over that span, his 25 postseason wins are more than any other manager in baseball. His .560 winning percentage is third-best in franchise history, and he's just 103 victories away from passing Gene Mauch for the most career wins by a Phillies manager.
