The essence of what Charlie Manuel must have yelled and lectured them about: don’t forget what playing good baseball means. Execute each play cleanly, sneakily, be aware of what’s going on around you, who’s there, who’s not there, be quick, be aggressive and in all things never ever give up.Oh we watched them come so close to disproving Charlie’s anger in these games, so many marvelous moments like Ryan Howard’s pinch hit homer out of the hospital bed. Those moments were so short lived, ‘though, not the droppings from the continuous torrents of talent that flow from one player to another and don’t let up that we remember from last year.
Well it may be that Jimmy Rollins’ lousy season is the bell weather of this year. If he doesn’t improve, the gang won’t make it. One does not like to pitch one’s tent on the fate of one batter. Especially when he and Victorino together make a fantastic duo for Utley batting third, driving any pitcher to deepest desperation…I mean that Rollins has to be batting well enough to be leading off. Because he is still, when all is said and done, THE KEY!
