By Steven Lienert
The Phanatic Magazine
Uncle Charlie's days as a Phillies manager are dwindling to an end.
I have no hard evidence of that, no unnamed sources or any inside information. And before I state the facts as I know them to be, I want to go on the record as saying that I have never been a Charlie Manuel fan.
But the things that have been happening to the Phils, who are just 23-26 since June 15th, point to the inmates running the asylum as opposed to the other way around. And when that happens, the inmates don't get canned.
First, let's tackle what the reigning MVP has done this year. Jimmy Rollins' batting average is 21 points lower than where it was at the end of last season, and there is no way he's going to come close to hitting the 30 homers, driving in the 94 runs or scoring the 139 runs he did last season. This season he's scored just 55 times, homered eight times and has 42 RBIs, which are pre-2005 numbers.
Oh, and that's not mentioning that the guy has been benched twice for not hustling. Nice work, J-Roll. Way to take a year off.
When a team doesn't police itself, things like that become contagious. Maybe that's why Shane Victorino thought it was okay to question the manager when he was benched for a more productive Jayson Werth in May.
Perhaps that led to Pat Burrell (justifiably) being passive-aggressive by mentioning that maybe he should stay in the game in the late innings instead of being taken out for a defensive replacement.
Which could have opened the door for Brett Myers and his tirade a few days ago. It wasn't the first time a pitcher and a manager haven't seen eye-to-eye about a change, but the words that Myers used (which were easily lip-read) would make a Marine blush.
Frankly, I'm a bit surprised someone (see Utley, Chase) hasn't called a team meeting, someone hasn't blown a gasket due to lack of run support (see Hamels, Cole) or a meaningful cog hasn't gone down with a major injury and thus ending a pennant drive (see Lidge, Brad).
All these problems may be masked for now, with the team still holding on to first place and all. But they are festering below the skin waiting for just the right time to rear an ugly head, and there ain't no better time than September for a swoon. Just ask the Mets.
This team is teetering on the edge of the abyss and if they fall in, Uncle Charlie's reign will be over.
Steve Lienert can be reached at stevelienert@hotmail.com.
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