Your World Series Champions...The Philadelphia Phillies

When the Nielsen ratings are published for the 2008 World Series, I suspect that the vast American public and I will have something in common: neither of us paid a great deal of attention to the Phils vs. the Rays. That said, I'm glad for Phillies' manager Charlie Manuel. Charlie is a baseball guy.
He was the euphemistically named "utility man" during his brief Major League career of 242 games spread over six seasons. He played in left field more than anywhere else, but was stuck behind such stellar talents as Steve Brye, Brant Alyea and future thirdbaseman Graig Nettles. Tell the truth: you didn't know Nettles played left either, did you?
His career took off when Charlie went to Japan. He packed up his robust 4 homers, 43 RBIs and .198 batting average and headed East. During his Japanese leagues tenure, Charlie became a star. He had seasons of 39, 42, 37 and 48 home runs (the last setting a record for American players in Japan). His career stats in Japan are very different from his ML numbers: .303 cumulative average, 189 homers and 491 RBIs. But it was in Japan.
He came home to manage in the Minor Leagues. For nine years. He won championships in the International League and in the Pacific Coast League, and was Minor League Manager of the Year three times. He served two terms as the Indians' hitting coach. With Manuel guiding the hitters, the Indians went on a rampage. They led the AL in runs scored three times in the nineties, and in 1999 became the first team since the 1950 Red Sox of Williams, Doerr, Stephens and Dropo to score over 1,000 runs in a season.
Charlie became the Indians manager when Mike Hargrove was let go in 2000 after winning five consecutive division championships. Two-and-a-half years later it was Manuel's turn to go, in a contract battle. That's what bad ownership does: get rid of good managers. The Phillies hired him for a front office job after he escaped Cleveland. He was ready to take over when Larry Bowa wore out his welcome in the Phils' dugout after the 2004 season. The team desperately needed a change in temperament, and Charlie Manuel's personality is about as far from Bowa's as any two men could be. Let's be clear: Bowa is a jerk. Charlie Manuel is a tremendous guy.
Manuel's even keel has kept him in perpetual hot water with the Philadelphia fans, as though that is hard to do! Remember, this is the city with a history of booing the pregnant wife of a player, and even Santa Claus! "Charlie don't care!" "Charlie doesn't push the players!" "He doesn't have the fire in the belly!" Those and much worse were the accusations from his hometown fans. A question: have you seen Joe Torre, Bobby Cox, Tito Francona? They are "players' managers" too. They stay positive, never criticize in public, always treat their players with respect. And they have been the most successful managers of the last 15-20 years. And Charlie Manuel has now joined them.
It seems just desserts for a guy who has given his life and health (a heart attack, quadruple bypass and cancer) to the game. He just had to go from winning the National League pennant to bury his beloved 87 year old mother, June. Obviously, he's still grieving that terrible loss. I hope Miss June knows her boy just won The Big One.
Even now, I hope Charlie enjoys this win. He's waited all his life for it. And he's earned the trophy, and, perhaps now, the respect that he should have had all along.