TRUTH, AND THE TRUTHFUL TRUTH-TELLERS WHO TELL IT

Bet you thought that I would begin someplace heavy, like politics or religion, right? Wrong. If you knew me, you would have had an idea where I would begin. Baseball is not only America's national pasttime, it also happens to be The Greatest Game That God Ever Invented.

So where better to begin than with my own beloved Philadelphia Phillies and their current manager. Don't we all just love to  second-guess moves (and non-moves) by managers, coaches, players and ownership of our favorite sports teams? That was, of course, a rhetorical question.

Truth is, ALL of us who are truly sports fans take on the role of "monday morning quarterback" from time to time, and here in Philly we take on that role more than in most places. Our current football coach, Andy Reid, is one such frequent target. We will save him for another day. Today is Charlie Manuel day.

The truth about Charlie Manuel is that he is neither a horrible manager or a great manager. He does some things extremely well. For one, he is a "people person" in the clubhouse, which is a very important quality in today's age of pampered, spoiled player egoes. Manuel knows how to massage an ego as well as anyone.

On game day, the truth is that Manuel is an outstanding hitting coach, an excellent judge of offensive talent, and strong at putting together a batting order. However, the truth is also that Manuel has proven to be a horrible manager of his pitching staff. He consistently makes bad moves with his relievers and his starting rotation options.

What is also the truth is that the Phillies have been winners since Manuel took over the reigns entering the 2005 season. The Phils finished in 2nd place in the NL East each of his first two seasons, then won the division title a year ago. He currently has the club in 2nd place at the time of this posting, off to their best start in a half dozen years. Despite serious injuries to a pair of lineup regulars in 2007 NL MVP Jimmy Rollins and speedy centerfielder Shane Victorino, and despite a horrible start by 2006 NL MVP Ryan Howard, the Phils are right in the thick of the early race. His overall Phillies regular season managerial record is currently 274-235 for a .538 win percentage.

So while the truth is that Manuel is not a great manager, and frequently makes mistakes in managing his pitching staff, he is a winning manager who runs a steady ship in what can be a long, turbulent sea cruise of a season. The truth is that, at least for the time being, Manuel is the right man to manage the Philadelphia Phillies, and their best chance at success this season.