Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel Is An Idiot
By Wyatt Earp | September 9, 2009
Boo! Get off the stage!
Now, before all of you militant, Kool-Aid drinking Phillies fans send me hate mail, I am well aware that the Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series last year. How much of that was because of Manuel? Signs point to zero.
Luckily for those of us who are indifferent to the Fightin’ Phils, Manuel keeps getting dumber. To wit:
Brad Lidge is still the closer for the defending World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies.
Thank you. Case closed. But in case you need more convincing . . .
Despite blowing 10 of 38 save opportunities and allowing two runs, two hits and two walks in a loss to Houston on Saturday, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel reiterated his support for the embattled reliever on Tuesday night.
Oh yeah, this vote of confidence will probably do wonders. Maybe instead of an “Atta guy,” Manuel should address the fact that BRAD LIDGE COULDN’T HIT WATER IF HE FELL OUT OF A F**KING BOAT!
“Lidge is our closer,” Manuel said before the Phillies played the Washington Nationals. “You’ve definitely got to show confidence in him.”
Lidge is 0-7 with a 7.15 ERA. He has allowed 59 hits in 50 1-3 innings and walked 31. Last season, he allowed two home runs in 69 1-3 innings. This year, he has given up 11. (H/T – CBS3)
And there it is. Look, the Phillies are a great team. They can hit the cover off the ball and their starting pitching has been pretty good – well, except for Cole Hamels. He sucks.
That being said, this team cannot and will not win another World Series if Lidge remains the closer. The guy is gasoline on a fire, and if Charlie Manuel thinks he can get by the St. Louis Cardinals with him as the closer, he is drinking way too much moonshine.
Topics: Philly | 13 Comments »
September 9th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Oh Wyatt !!!! And that’s all I’m going to say — sniff —–
September 9th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
The Girl – You sniff because you know I’m right. He almost blew another one last night . . . TO THE FREAKIN’ NATIONALS!!!
September 9th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
I know nothing about baseball except that the Phillies wear red and white outfits-but this does not sound good.
However, in a sports related topic, I did run into Tony Danza today in the Italian Market. Wasn’t he a boxer or something?
September 9th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Mrs. Crankipants – Actually, he was a bad actor-turned-Philadelphia teacher. Sad, really.
September 9th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Who’s next, Gary Busey and Loretta Swit?
September 9th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
Well, Madson has now saved two in a row.
I suspect Charlie may put himself in sometime in a save situation. He couldn’t do any worse than Lidge.
September 9th, 2009 at 10:37 pm
Mrs. Crankipants – At least Busey would keep the little bastards in line!
Bob – Nor could you or I. They won’t make the World Series this year, I’m afraid. Not with this pitching staff.
September 10th, 2009 at 8:02 am
You may not realize that Charlie has to tell Lidge he is still the man or completely loose him the rest of the way ( even if he may already be lost)! Charlie is not a stupid man, he may not be able to present himself well in front of the media but he is no dope by any stretch. He is a players manager and Wyatt you sure you have not been listening to Eskin for too long? You sound a lot like him.
September 10th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Ed – I would erase 610 from my radio if I could. Can’t stand that station. And I think Manuel is in idiot for this specific instance. I know he’s not the most eloquent. Who cares?
That being said, I would agree with you . . . if this were May. It’s September, the season is winding down, and the Rockies and Cards are playing much better ball right now. Frak Lidge’s feelings. Manuel needs to deal with the situation in the pen.
September 10th, 2009 at 9:02 am
Lidge was done in Houston after Pujols lit him up. Confidence? Gone. I was glad to see him do well last year but he now expects to blow saves. Pasture prime?
September 10th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
MIE – I wonder. They used Madson the other night, so maybe they’ll try and rotate closers?
November 2nd, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Charlie is a chucklehead. He’s always making bad decisions. And Ryan Howard is overrated. He strikes out too much.
November 4th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Wyatt, I am a die hard Phillies fan, and I completely agree with you. Charlie Manuel is an idiot. My mother could pilot the 2008 and 2009 Phillies to the World Series. This team made it IN SPITE of Charlie Manuel making some of the most stupid decisions a manager could make. Now we are 5 games into the WS and the list has grown even longer – too long to list here. How many times are the Phillies going to hit into a double play with guys on 1st and 2nd when they should be bunting? Lidge came in and lost another game for us in Game 4. Why did he pull Victorino in Game 5 when both Shane and the trainer said his hand was fine? This guy is a country bumpkin hick with a 3rd grade education who should be milking cows, not managing baseball teams. The best thing that could happen to the Phillies tonight in Game 6 is that Charlie oversleeps and misses the game.