The Zo Zone

Good for Charlie, I think he did a great job last year, considering the pitching staff he had to work with all season. Still can make you scratch your head on occasion with some moves, but I think he got his players to play to their ability every day.
If he would have kicked Eskin's butt that night, it would have put him over the top.

I echo jimmymack. I wish Charlie won, but you can't argue Bob Melvin. He did a great job as well this year.

Gotta throw in several comments over a couple days' worth of reading here:

Suze: sorry I made you mad. This is nothing to get mad about, though. Just facts.

Charlie: nice twist on my name, and there IS some Irish in me, plus I'm a big Michael Fox fan. I changed my handle in your honor. But you're still wrong.

John in LA: hope you're right about Eaton. I do believe the problems there are all mental; if someone can turn the right screw in his head, it might just happen.

Joe: not an optimist, but a realist. Rowand's .311 is likely to sag, and Burrell's year IS likely to improve. I like the probable 2008 OF a lot. But to prove my realist credentials, I need to point out that 5 SPs isn't enough on the Phils. Check their trends over the last several years. Last year was maybe the worst, but they still need a minimum of 6, and usually 7, SPs every year. Even if they get ONE more, they'll probably keep Myers in the rotation and stash Kendrick in AAA. Only if they find TWO more SPs can they afford to make Myers the closer again. They will NOT move him from whichever role he gets slotted for during the year.

Re Manuel: I'm surprised to see so few posts here about him so far. Based on what I've heard from most of my Phan Phriends, he's nearly universally hated in Philly; I expected to see a littany of his foibles listed here. I myself have no prob with him, and am glad he came so close; to bring home a team with these injuries and that pitching staff, even though he got lots of help from up North, required some talent on his part.

I’ll be the first to admit that if you talked to me in April last year I would have been calling for Manuel’s head, but for the most part I’ve been a supporter of Charlie and anyone that doesn’t see Charlie’s leadership and that this team loves him and players hard for him is a fool.

When you look at the “best” managers in the game with the exception of La Russa (Torrie, Leyland, Francona ect) none of them are known as great x and o guys. They are all great with managing the personalities on the team, and keep everyone together. Charlie clearly does that and he does it well.

Bob: From the previous thread, you were saying that the Phillies need a center fielder and third base more then a starting pitcher. I understand where you are coming from Bob but I disagree.

While there are 5 starters right now with Hamels, Myers, Kendrick, Moyer, and Eaton.
Do you really expect that all 5 guys will stay healthy all year long? Are you truly confident that Kendrick will repeat what he did last season or improve on that? Do you really think Adam Eaton can be relied on even if he is healthy when he has never shown that in his career? I’m not. I want pitching and plenty of it. All five of those guys were here last year when the team had the second worst ERA to ever make the postseason.

I don’t see how running out the same rotation from last year with Kendrick instead of Garcia an upgrade is really. Moving Myers back isn’t enough.

Also, I’m not sure you could get a order of french fries for Chris Robertson and Wes Helms right now, so I don’t see how you would get Rolen or anyone one else of any worth at this point. Both of those guys have to prove they can hit major league pitching before they have value, and right now no one knows for sure if Helms can and Robertson never has done it and we don’t know if he ever will.

And on moving Utley to third, they tried that back when they though he could take over for Rolen when he left. They played Utley at third in Triple A. Turns out Utley doesn’t have a third baseman’s arm. That’s why he plays second. Pretty good idea though.

Good call on ol'Charlie boy. He may not be the best guy to make the right statistical or logical move, but he does get his guys to play their tales off. It seems you cant say that about alot of managers out there. I'm sure through out next year we will once again cursing out ol'Charlie boy, but he sure does make things interesting doesn't he......And as far as this offseason so far....at least the Phils have been active and made a couple moves to improve the team, lets just hope they stay aggressive and their moves work out!!

こんばんは (You know that's Japanese for Good Evening)

You know, TODD, TODD a pretty good writuh, BUHR you know he tell y'all about me comin in secund for managuh of the year. Bob Melvin win the award, What the hell?

BUHR, you know I was operatin on da one year contract but the team finish pretty strong this year so PAT, you know PAT the general managuh give me the two year extension. He let me keep my coaches too, those guys pretty good!

But you know without da team I never get da contract or da recognition. You know the team pretty good this year they help me out a litl bit.

You know JIMMY, JIMMY our leaduh you know he play every day and he make da play in the hole you know and he hit the trip BUJR... he have faith in the team he say we da team to beat!

But you know the team struggle litl bit with the injuries all year so I say to the team, you know, team, you just come to play everyday and you show up and you play every day, good things will happen. The team listen to what I say, I help them when they need it.

And you know the young playuhs comin up big all year. KYLE, you know KYLE Kendrick win ten games for us and CARLOS, you know CARLOS pretty good young catchuh he take the job from ROD.

And you know, BRETT, BUHR, you know he start as our opening day startuh but he struggle litl bit so we make him the closuh, and I tell Brett, DUH.... I know BRETT disappointed litl bit because he comin back to the rotayshun but I tell Brett you a pretty good young playuh YOU THE BEST WE GOT.

And you know, I can't forget about AARON!

AARON, you know he good team leaduh he run into walls for da team he a consistent right hand bat in da lineup, cause Pat struggle litl bit from time to time. AARON, well he show the young playuhs like SHANE and JAY-SON how to play like winnuhs.

You know, I go into Ruben's office a couple days ago and I say, "Ruben, you know AARON a pretty good playuh. I want AARON on da team because he the best we got. We a good young team but we ain't early no mo." I hope they find a way for him to stay.

BUHR, I just gonna say before I go to bed thank you to all the fans you know they the best this city got.

what the hell is that previous entry????

I believe the previous entry was intended as a Charlie impression.

It definitely was, and bravo.

That was an egregiously bad Charlie impression. Worst ever.

That was a bad Charlie impression. He IS Southern but he's not a cartoon character.
That sounded like Foghorn Leghorn.

With how the market seems to be shaking out here early on I’m really starting to think there is a really good chance that Rowand might come back at a reasonable price. It seems early on no one is willing to get crazy with money with position players.

There is no doubt that the team is better off with Rowand then without him. All I ask is they don’t over pay. 3-4 years in the 10-12 range. Maybe I just woke up optimistic.

It makes me very happy to read that the Phillies are talking to Bartolo Colon. He’s been one of my favorite guys to watch when he’s healthy over the years.

Actually that was a great charlie impression. Not nearly as good as Joe Conklin's Gary Matthews...now THAT is an impression as well!