The Philadelphia Phillies were baseball's also-rans for well over a decade. But, their fortunes changed when Ed Wade focused on the farm system, Citizens Bank Park was built, Charlie Manuel was hired and Pat Gillick agreed to come to town.
Manuel could become the undisputed champion this season.
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The mid-to-late part of the first decade of this new millennium proved to be one of the best mini-eras in franchise history. Now, in order to try and extend their success, the Phillies have put a different type of plan into place.
Addressing Manuel's detractors
It does not matter what any begrudging personality type continues to bitterly believe. Charlie Manuel was the perfect fit for the Phillies leading up to the 2008 season. Anyone who chooses to invent various hypothetical realities, where the teams after that championship season win additional World Series tittles, is irrational. There are plenty of fervent opinions to support those type of ideas, but zero pieces of actual evidence to prove those flawed points.
False logic creates scenarios where any baseball team would have done this, or could have done that, and then pronounces that is exactly what would have happened with the certitude of a tyrant.
Manuel was a player's manager who the front office trusted. Apparently there are people who can't seem to grasp that baseball is also a real business populated by human beings.
In many ways working is baseball is similar to working at any job. At the time in history when Manuel was hired, the Phillies top brass was looking for someone to manage the personalities on the roster. That choice was made because they knew their talent was ready to flourish.
People who convince themselves that Ed Wade, Pat Gillick and Ruben Amaro, Jr., were and are collectively less informed about Manuel's managerial abilities likely hold others who are in positions of authority in contempt as well.
Next subject
With all of that red meat still freshly lying on our baseball diamond, we arrive at a second point.
It has been proven, to all impartial minds, that statements about past Phillies history are arguably true. However, it is fair to look to the future and ask how well Manuel may mesh with the newest Phillies era?
This is a different question, because all managers who lead their teams for extended periods of time experience significant roster turnover and need to demonstrate flexibility in order to survive.
One of the tests Manuel faces this season will involve his handling of an interchangeable lineup that relies on intellectual OPS (on base plus slugging percentage) strategies far more than the physicality of a three-run home run.
If he captures another World Series title, than any honest person will rightfully acknowledge this Phillies manager as the greatest in team history. If he does not, he will still be one of the better sports leaders that Philadelphia has ever seen.
Sean O'Brien's professional writing career began in 1990, when he first began working in the Philadelphia Phillies farm system. He was a freelance sports writer for five years and is currently a Featured Contributor for Yahoo! Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @SeanyOB and read his daily Sports Blog: Insight.
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