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Today they hired three former managers to help out ol' Cholly.

Jimy Williams -- bench coach
Art Howe -- 3rd base coach
Davey Lopes -- 1st base coach, baserunning instructor.

So when Manuel gets fired after a slow start I guess they'd have an interim manager with some experience.

"contigency plan"....

Oh well, I am more interested in the players they can aquire then a first base coach.

Gillick hints he wants to move BurrellBy MARCUS HAYES

hayesm@phillynews.com

With free agency looming in 2 weeks the Phillies have begun to compile their wish list. It appears to be headed by possible free agents Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez, big righthanded bats who could replace Pat Burrell in the order and hit behind lefty MVP candidate Ryan Howard.

General manager Pat Gillick indicated that the Phillies would look to move Burrell, perhaps eating some of his remaining $27 million over the next 2 years, as long as he would waive his no-trade clause.

"We're going to have to continue to look for a little more offense. We know we're probably... Pat has had a really difficult time protecting Howard," Gillick said.

He noted the Tigers' run to the American League pennant was driven by pitching. "We have to improve our pitching. We have to continue to work on our bullpen, and we have to continue to work on our starting pitching."



Like to see how Gillick could possibly pull this off. What sucker team out there would want Burrell.

One almost got him last year.

They still have to talk him into dropping his no-trade. I don't know why Hayes doesn't bring that up

Heard Dave Montgomery on the drive in this morning say that payroll would be in the mid 90s next year, although I didn't hear the interview from start to finish.

I was listening as well, and they keep bringing up the old "Leyland would've made a great manager here" bit and kept ragging on him about the Manuel choice. Guys, give it a rest. They have who they have, and there's no way Leyland would've gotten the same out of this lineup as he would've with the Tigers.

"Heard Dave Montgomery on the drive in this morning say that payroll would be in the mid 90s next year, although I didn't hear the interview from start to finish."

That's what they've been saying from the start, however, it's up to Gillick whether or not the money is spent (he said payroll won't be that high if he can't find guys to spend it on)

BTW, I'm not a Manuel fan, but WIP really needs to mention the reasons why Leyland wasn't brought it. For one, he left the interview to get cigarettes. After he didn't get the job, and the Mets hired Randolph before formally interviewing him, he said his reputation around baseball was ruined.

"I was listening as well, and they keep bringing up the old "Leyland would've made a great manager here" bit and kept ragging on him about the Manuel choice. Guys, give it a rest. They have who they have, and there's no way Leyland would've gotten the same out of this lineup as he would've with the Tigers."

bass, as the tigers make their championship with leyland at the helm, this is the perfect time to beat the phillies up for their decision. not simply because they didnt hire leyland, but because they hired an obviously far inferior manager because, by most accounts, he wasnt a yes-man and was going to push for some big changes. ol cholly was sure to keep his mealy-mouth shut.

the phillies missed the last two postseasons by what, 2-3 games? no guarantees, but i'd put my money on the fact that leyland may have been able to squeeze out those wins and the phils are in the playoffs, at least one of those years.

fck dave montgomery, fck bill giles and this entire ship of fools.

Then he really should learn to interview better. There was something going on, b/c nobody wanted him that year

Don't the Phillies have like 4 managers now.

BTW, flesh, I do agree that they effed up, anyway.

I actually wanted Pendleton when they were doing interviews

the phillies missed the last two postseasons by what, 2-3 games? no guarantees, but i'd put my money on the fact that leyland may have been able to squeeze out those wins and the phils are in the playoffs, at least one of those years.

I'm not saying they didn't screw up; they did. And I somewhat understand their reasoning behind it (if they were trying not to go for a fiery-type manager, but even that excuse can't be taken at face value).

My point is that I don't agree with the sentiment that just by simply switching Manuel with Leyland would've gotten "this" team as far as the Tigers. That's all.

KB, grady little is as often maligned for being as stupid a hick as charlie is, and he got his team to the post season. so i'm not really trying to imply its totally charlie's fault.

its just the constant, incestous in-house promotions and hirings for a team with such a long history mediocrity is insane. i have to believe the only reason amaro wasnt hired instead of gillick is because montogmery knew it would a huge p.r. disaster.

bass, agreed.

flesh, I agree with all that. I don't think manager means that much, so it doesn't bother me as much as some, but I'm sick and tired of the Old Boys Network as well.

KB - Manuel's cost this team some games with his questionable decisions. I think that would've been the difference between a playoff berth and, well, nothing.

I don't think a manager has as much of an effect on a team like it does in the NFL or NBA. But when you're on the cusp or a possible playoff spot, you need to know your guy at the helm is solid, something Manuel isn't.

And personally, if I'm Manuel, I'm slightly offended by all the ex-managers that were brought in. This has the possibility to be nothing but bad.

I think it's plain to everyone that while the players enjoy Manuel and he creates a good clubhouse, the man simply cannot manage past the 6th inning.

I wonder if they would have made up the game they needed if they would have kept Coste up from the jump and kept Fasano's worthless butt in Clearwater.

"KB - Manuel's cost this team some games with his questionable decisions. I think that would've been the difference between a playoff berth and, well, nothing."

And if the pitching staff wasn't giving up 9 runs/game the first half the year, they easily make up those 2-3 games (like Little, Francona, etc.)

Let's not start acting like Leyland is a great tactical manager, either.

But there would be no need for the 70s porno music!

And I'm not saying Leyland's a lot more than someone who says "Strawberry, go out and hit a home run". I'm not calling him a tactical genius.

I'm just dealing with the present issue as it is. Not asking for a switch, but saying how this team as it is missed the postseason. Improve the mix here since the clubhouse obviously favors Cholly (and Leyland's piss and vinegar act would've done the same thing with these guys that Bowa did, if the team stayed the way it did).

Tis true. Even with Fasano, if Lieber doesn't pull a groin, Myers doesn't pimp-slap his wife, and Wolf was healthy all year then that team probably makes the playoffs. Or have the entire Tigers pitching staff swap uniforms the Phillies and I think it's pretty obvious they do.

No, i know, bass, that was an aside comment. I was just trying to point out that there are a billion factors that played into that one game. The pitching was the biggest problem for a big chunk of the year. Imagine if Hamels pitched the whole year?

Leyland left the interview to go get cigarettes, KB? How long did you guys have to wait on him to come back?

Agreed, KB.

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