The writing was on the wall. Charlie Manuel knew it. Ruben Amaro knew it. The beer vendors knew it. So did the entrepeneurs standing in front of the Pattison Avenue subway entrance, hawking their soft pretzels, Gatorade and $5 t-shirts. Heck, the entire baseball world knew what was going to transpire at One Citizens Bank Way.
The moment it was announced that Ryne Sandberg would join the Phillies coaching staff for the 2013 season – the writing was on the wall. Charlie Manuel was entering the final year of his contract. The team fell well below expectations the previous season. The fan base, which has grown accustomed to winning the past decade, had started to get impatient. And so, the season began.
Just one month ago, the Phillies were playing their best baseball of the season going into the All-Star break. And then? Not only did the wheels fall off, the entire engine block fell out.
At 5-19 over the last 24 games, General Manager Ruben Amaro and ownership decided that now was the right time to make the change. Ryne Sandberg, who has been a successful minor-league manager, essentially has a 42-game audition to show the organization that he is the right man to lead the club into the future.
It has been reported that Manuel was aware of the the team’s decision before Wednesday night’s game in Atlanta. As unceremonious and heartless as this seems, baseball is after all, a business. Manuel leaves as the winningest manager in franchise history – a 130-year history. His last victory, on Monday, was the 1,000th of his managerial career. One of only 59 managers in Major League history to achieve the milestone.
All eyes will be on the Phillies and Ryne Sandberg tonight. How will the players respond? Many of whom, especially the veterans, seemed to have quit on Manuel – checked out – already planning their vacations for the first week of October. Sandberg did state during his introductory press conference that the team’s “lackadaisical play” has been a concern of late. Oh really? There are a few million Phillies fans in the Delaware Valley willing to provide the box of matches to light the proverbial fire.
The inevitable has been done. Now, the eyes turn to Ruben Amaro – the architect of this mess. If Ryne Sandberg doesn’t get this disaster turned around, Amaro knows what’s coming.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
