Philadelphia Phillies: 5 Things Charlie Manuel Should Do to Save His Job
December 10, 2012 by PHIL KEIDEL
Filed under Fan News
Charlie Manuel‘s Baseball Reference managerial page tells you a lot more about him than his career wins and losses at the helm of the Cleveland Indians and the Philadelphia Phillies.
He has 947 major-league managerial wins. Barring a midseason firing in 2013, he will get to 1,000 in a Phillies uniform.
In seven prior seasons as the Phillies’ manager, he had never won fewer than 85 games in a season. That is, until the 2012 Phillies staggered to 81-81.
He enters the 2013 season as a lame duck whose most recent contract extension will run out at the end of the season. Seeing this, the Phillies already seem to have his heir apparent, Ryne Sandberg, training on the job in the coming year.
Given that Manuel left the Indians in 2002 under strained contractual circumstances, that may not bode well for his job prospects in Philadelphia beyond 2013.
But what jumps off the page of statistics depicting Charlie Manuel’s managerial career is his birthdate. Manuel will turn 69 on January 4, 2013. Does he even really need this aggravation any more?
The Phillies’ 2013 results will almost certainly dictate whether the club gives Manuel another contract extension or decides to change course.
If Manuel wants to stay, though, there are some things he really needs to do as soon as possible.