Also, I take back everything I ever said (or was planning to say) about Manuel being boring in comparison to Larry Bowa. True, Bowa flipping out on reporters was a matter of course, but his schtick wore thin after a while. He never had such a major meltdown after years of relative calm. If Bowa was a regular Old Faithful, Manuel is a full-blown Mount Vesuvius.
And while the Baker Bowl was watching to see what he'd do next, another crisis almost slipped under the radar: Ryan Howard scratched from Thursday's game against the Nationals due to a ligament pull he suffered running the bases. Obviously, this situation is being addressed in the most sensitive way possible by Nice-Guy Charlie:
The postgame limp paled in comparison to the pained look on Ryan Howard's face as the injured first baseman tried to block out the agony.Hey, when did Norman Mailer start writing for the Phillies website?Howard stood, then dragged his 250 pounds to the small medical area outside the clubhouse. That's where athletic trainer Scott Sheridan placed a wrap on Howard's left leg -- around his knee -- as Howard lay back staring at the ceiling. Just outside the entrance, manager Charlie Manuel held a private vigil.
Asked if he was concerned, Manuel nodded yes.
Anyway, it seems that Charlie's taking a page from the Scientology playbook and prescribing silence, secrecy, and isolation to reduce the body thetans that are causing Howard's boo-boo. Is this really the cure for what ails the MVP?
Sounds to me like it's more of a cure for what ails Goodtime Charlie.
Of course, the Phillies finally win once Howard's out of the lineup. But realistically, if an injury to Howard means more Greg Dobbs, then we can all feel his pain. Get well soon, big guy.
Howard Hurts Leg Against Nationals [Phillies.com]
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