GANNETT CONTENTONE
Mike Lopresti: Gannett sports columnist
Originally published: November 2, 2009
Phillies' Manuel is a man of wit and wisdom
By Mike Lopresti, Gannett
PHILADELPHIA - By Monday, Charlie Manuel probably wasn't having all that much fun at the World Series. These Yankees, they know how to hog a room.
Besides, every little thing in town was going wrong. The Philadelphia Inquirer mistakenly ran a huge ad Monday morning congratulating the Phillies for winning back-to-back championships. Oops.
But no matter how this has gone for the Phillies, he's certainly kept October entertaining with his quotes, be they funny or frank or fractured. November, too.
So as Philadelphia stacked the sandbags for a last stand Monday, it was time to compile some of the better Manuel-isms from the long postseason ride.
The Best of Charlie.
His choice of closer before Game 1 of the division series:
"I'll answer that when we get there. Whoever you see walking out there."
If he imagined he would start J.A. Happ in a game:
"I don't imagine nothing. Seriously."
How to handle the long layoff before the World Series:
"If you've got six days off or seven days off, you've got to practice. You can't play, unless you go somewhere and play college teams or something, and not tell nobody."
His opinion on the need for more replays to help the umpires:
"I look at it, baseball is a human-nature game. Umpires are going to make mistakes, players are going to make mistakes, everybody in the game is going to make mistakes. Even managers make mistakes sometimes."
His reaction when pitcher Cliff Lee stole a base in the division series:
"I thought, 'What the hell is he doing?' "
How his love for the game carries through playing in awful weather:
"I like it. Even when I hate it, I like it."
His reaction when Manny Ramirez dropped his bat and admired a home run he had just hit against the Phillies:
"I think anymore nowadays it is kind of a show, because the game is a show. Everything about it. Look at my bracelet here. I've got a little Phillies bracelet on, and I don't think I would have worn that 20 years ago."
How he helped Jimmy Rollins break out of slump during the season:
"Every day when he came to the ballpark, I'd sit him down and talk to him, and he probably got tired of me talking to him, and that's probably why he started hitting."
His reaction after quirky fate had Los Angeles catcher Russell Martin unable to get down a sacrifice bunt, then grounding into an apparent double play that turned into a costly Chase Utley error.
"You know what I call that? I call that baseball."
Why he considered letting Lee pitch the ninth inning of an 11-0 win, but didn't:
"If he threw about 10 more (pitches) it wasn't' going to hurt him. Of course, you guys might get mad at me, but who gives a damn? You guys can manage, I'll write."
If the Phillies offense had grown stale a few days after crushing Dodger starter Hiroki Kuroda with six runs in two innings?
"I don't think our lineup is stagnant by any means. Go ask Kuroda."
If the Phillies are a low- or high-maintenance team:
"I think we've got guys who like to pitch and we've got guys who like to play and the guys who like to play, they stand out on the field. I don't have to tell you who they are, because you'll see them."
How tough it is to make hard decisions that might hurt players' feelings:
"I think first of all, when I talk to the team, the number one thing is to win the game. You can take your feelings, they're out the window. My heart is good, but at the same time, for me to win the ballgame is more important than my heart."
If he planned on a team meeting before Monday's win-or-else Game 5:
"You know what guys, we've had a lot of meetings. I think the last meeting we had, I told them everything I need to tell them. I think we know what winning's all about."
The problem is, so do the Yankees.
Contact Mike Lopresti at mlopresti@gannett.com
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ABOUT MIKE
Quote: "Of course, I have to say who won. But I'd better say more. If not, I'm useless. They don't need me. I have to give readers something extra than what they've seen on TV. Or why read?"
Favorite sport: college basketball.
Career: Sportswriter, (Richmond, Ind.) Palladium-Item, 1970-1981; Gannett News Service and Gannett ContentOne, since 1982.
First GNS assignment: Super Bowl XVI.
Born: Richmond, Ind.
Ball State University graduate.
Married since 1976.
In the press box
World Series: 27
Final Four: 28
Super Bowl: 26
NBA Finals: 25
Masters: 25
Olympics: 14
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