One-on-one: Manuel profiles Ibanez, previews rotation

The second in our series of fireside chats features Phillies manager Charlie Manuel sparing 12 minutes of his time to compare Pat Burrell with Raul Ibanez, offer his take on Ryan Howard's situation, preview the catching situation and explain the challenges facing a manager asked to lead his team following the emotional high of a world championship, plus more. The interview picks up partway through Manuel's take on last season's pitching staff due to technical difficulties, and by that I mean I forgot to turn on the recorder. Other than that, it's an informative and enjoyable interview with the likable and candid skipper. [Listen]

Comments

[Alby]

"I predicted our exact win total last year and have called us a playoff team two years in a row."

Then you're wasting your time here. Get in touch with a bookie.

[CY]

AWH - Sheets almost got to 200 innings last year. You may get it partially right. I am hoping for the whole thing though.

[Andy]

ae - Thanks. Eppa Rixey.

" will have his agent call the Phillies "

The Phillies are probably in constant contact with Sheets agent, since he is also Howard's agent.

[phargo]

"I think we can all easily agree that the World Series would never have happened without the addition of So Taguchi."

Excellent analysis, NEPP. Although you couldn't tell it from his on-field (on-bench?) performance, his impact in the clubhouse was huge. According to my sources.

[MG]

On the outfield arms analysis link - it is a nice system but the author points out that this is huge variance yearly between observations (always kind of a red flag when talking data) and that there really isn't a huge impact unless you take the absolutely worst arm vs. the best arm.

[Andy]

phargo - NEPP:
It may be that Taguchi played an integral part. But I will always attribute their long-sought success to the off season acquisition of a partical left handed relief pitcher.

[MPN]

I'll take Phargo's source(s)(Coste?) over DPatrone's sources any day of the week and twice on Sundays...

[MPN]

I'll take Phargo's source(s) (Coste?) any day of the week and twice on Sundays over DPatrone's source(s)...

[AWH]

Aren't the 'baseball gods' funny?

So Taguchi has 2 World Series rings.

Think of all the great players who don't. Some that readily come to mind are:

Tony Gwynn, Barry Bonds, Jr. Griffey, Robin Yount, Jim Rice......

It's really amazing how long the list is.

I wonder which list is longer, the marginal role players (Taguchi, Mirabelli, Jose Molina......) or the stars who never had enough talent around them to win the big prize?

[MPN]

I'll take phargo's source(s) over DPatrone's source(s) any day of the week and twice on Sundays...

[CJ]

Alby: Unfortunately when money gets involved... things go horribly wrong.

[Brian G]

zp: haha... nice post.

[ae]

forgot about Rixey, although the Phillies did get ol' Greasy Neale in that trade, who was a washed-up baseball player but did end up coaching the Philadelphia Eagles to two NFL championships and getting into Canton (not Coopersburg).

[Bob]

Adam Eaton,

Just the topic to brighten a cold, grey wintry day.

It seemed every time I had tickets to CBP, Eaton pitched. And every time he would get knocked out around the fourth inning and my son would say, "Dad, he isn't very good is he?" And I would just shake my head and say something like, "I guess he's having a hard time getting himself untracked. Sad."

In all seriousness, I remember at some point circa August 2007 after getting lit up for the umpteenth time, Eaton responded to the press after the game along the lines of :"More than anyone else, I realize if I were pitching anywhere near as well as I'm capable of, this team would be in first place by a comfortable margin." At least at one point he was assuming some of the responsibility for his performance.

[mikes77phillies]

zp said, "his excuses and clueless ineptitude have been worth every penny of his contract to me. I'll be sad not to see him looking bewildered..."

LOL. post of the month.

[thephaithful]

ZP - haha, you definitely should have followed through with the Eaton Excuse Generator.

I agree with the post that someone made in regards to how it is curious that Eaton's value has seemed ot hit absolute zero throughout the majors.

I thought he would have a #5spot locked up for one of the lowbudget cellar teams like the Pirates/Royals since the Phils are willing to eat the whole contract. As bad as he is, you'd think he could stay above water for a few months for one of those teams.

[Alby]

CJ: Rats. I wanted to piggyback on your next prediction. Maybe I will anyway.

[NEPP]

At least our entire WS team wasn't playing coked up.

[thephaithful]

Yeah, they only get coked up for the parade afterwards

[Klaus]

got my friend through law school

[Bubba]

Eaton is still on the Phils roster, once they release him I bet someone picks him up as a stop gap injury replacement for league minimum and the Phillies pay the balance of his obscene salary.

[CY]

PhilSuck - Guess you have never done Coke. It enhances everything.

[skeeter4]

Hardly embarrassed. He plays a position that is paid higher than anyone on the team and is under the biggest microscope. When he plays poorly, he gets criticized. When he plays well, he gets praise. It's pretty plain and simple. And if NY fans pretend that Eli doesn't go through the same things then they are just fooling themselves.

[stjoehawk]

"Honestly though, how embarrassed were all you guys when McNabb starting playing well and you had to root for him again?"

Probably not quite as embarrassed as Giants fans were when they watched as McNabb & company sent them home for the season.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Who farted?

Oh, it's just that guy again.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

The Mets rotation of Santana, Pelfrey and Redding is quite scary. And I hear they're talking 4 year deal with Perez. I agree with Seth Everett: With the Braves pitching staff, they might be the Phillies biggest obstacle, not the Metros.

[AWH]

hawk: LOL!!!

Yo, Mets' troll, AKA "steMhead" on this board:

Do you expect Delgado to "rebound" again this year? Do you think that his amazin' turnaround last season just 'happened'?

I'll remind you of one thing: MLB does not yet test for HGH.

Now, get lost and go bother the other steMheads over at metsblog.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Of all homers to whine about (and with their constant targeting of CBP, Mets fans know how to whine), you call Stairs' shot "BS"? Huh?

[JBrod]

Good thing the Phils got that HR from Joe Blanton. Then the game would have only been 9-2.

[EastFallowfield]

The Mets are one lucky WS win (thanks to epic choke artistry by the Red Sox) away from celebrating the 40th anniversary of their only title.

Why do their fans act like they have so many titles?

[stjoehawk]

"yea, the Phillies haven't benefited from the Mets choking though, right? The Phillies are two epic choke jobs by the mets away from not making the playoffs in 15 years."

I'll disagree on that one. Even if the Mets won the East in 2007, the Phillies would have been tied for the Wild Card at the end of the season. And in 2008, if the Mets won the division, the Phillies would have won the Wild Card outright.

[skeeter4]

I don't know how any Mets fan even show up on this board. We are WFC.....end of any argument.

[MPN]

I find it amusing that Phils Suck shows up at around 2:20 in the afternoon. ...About the same time a school bus would drop a kid off.

[EastFallowfield]

I thought the conventional Mets fan 'wisdom' was that the Mets only choked in 2007, not in 2008. 2008 was supposedly a valiant effort by an injury-riddled team that fell a little short, or something like that.

Otherwise, why would any Met fan be upset when Hamels agreed with the radio guy who called them choke artists?

Considering how much time our Phils were in first in 08 (79 days), it would have been a choke if they lost to the Mets (39 days). Thankfully, they won.

[Andy]

"About the same time a school bus..."

Seriously, MS, don't you have to go farm in World of Warcraft or something? Chat wit' yo homeboys on facebook? Do your freaking homework?

WFC

[Andy]

Same dumb Freudian slip there. I typed "MS" meaning Mets Suck when clearly the dolt goes by some other stupid name. My bad: "PS"

[Andy]

EF - No. The 2008 rhetorical angle was that if the games ended after 6 innings, the Mets would be the WFC. It's Zelig's fault for making them play all 9 innings.

WFC

[EastFallowfield]

Funny quote from Metsblog when the Mets were eliminated from the playoffs...

The only plan I have left for this season is to troll like a mofo on the Phillies blog when they get eliminated.

Guess they had to adjust that to "troll like a mofo in January of 09 when school lets out".

[EastFallowfield]

Found This Pic of "PhilSuck"

[Bubba]

I thought the official Queens Mets Troll Handbook indicated that the Phillies were just lucky.
Andy _ i think your correct PS needs to do his homework.

[Andy]

EF - Awwww... Now I'm gonna feel bad for that kid!

[AWH]

Cheapest ticket to a Phillies game: $20

Monthly cable bill to watch Phillies: $99.95

Citizen's Bank Park WS ticket: $175

LF's picture of Met fan crying: Priceless!

[AWH]

LF, here's another favorite:

http://thesexycrimes.files.wordpress.com/
2007/10/crying-kid.jpg

[EastFallowfield]

No, this is the kid you could almost feel sorry for. (2007 choke, not the 2008 one)

But then he'll grow up into this guy.

[AWH]

Here's the bilingual version:

http://rksbaseballbookshelf.files.wordpress.
com/2007/10/mets4.JPG

[Andy]

EF - The difference is that in your first photo I felt sorry that his/her parents stuck that stupid orange wig on himher. In the second, well, I feel sorry that someone's made him believe that the Mets hat is any better than the stupid orange wig.

[EastFallowfield]

Another Stemhead

One more

[EastFallowfield]

Another classic...

when Metsblog decided to put up the Magic Number AGAIN in 08. Funny stuff.

[AWH]

LF, I wish I knew how to post a link. My favorite pic is the one of the NY Daily News with the headline :"FROM CHAMPS TO CHUMPS".

I like this one too:

http://brooklynmetfan.com/images/uploads/1481.jpg

[AWH]

Here it is:

http://rksbaseballbookshelf.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/mets21.JPG

[Andy]

Yo, new um...you know.

[EastFallowfield]

Yo, new thread...

[EastFallowfield]

Sorry, didn't see the 'Next >>' at the bottom of the page.