Phillies

Very Disturbing Quotes From Charlie Manuel

By Kyle Scott

Published: Jun 3rd, 2010 · 2:29 PM EDT

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It's one thing to lose 11 of 15 games, it's another to be woefully inadequate at the plate with a lineup of All-Stars and to have the manager start calling players "complacent."  [Ryan Lawrence of the Delco Times]

The same quiet confidence that has carried the Phillies to two straight World Series appearances is drawing a raised eyebrow from Charlie Manuel.   He wants to see some intensity, some passion from this team, and you can't blame him, they lack that fiery swagger we have grown so accustomed to over the last three years. 

Perhaps this shows the true importance of their smiley leader, Jimmy Rollins.  Perhaps this is just a long cold spell, or perhaps the injury bug is more devastating than once thought.  But when a team filled with superstars- some arguably overpaid, some underpaid, some trying to get paid- starts getting lumped in with words like "complacent", "slack", and "money", one has to think that there might be something larger going on here.

“I got upset when I walked in and saw everyone looking at movies.  We had a whole audience in there looking at movies and
(crap) like that. I thought, ‘What the hell? We should be getting ready
for the damn game.’ I don’t like things like that. At 11:30 I told the
guys to turn the TV off. I like it when we stay focused.”

“When we go bad, that’s when we really need to stay focused and on the
right path. That’s what keeps you there.  If you get
complacent and satisfied sometimes because you got a big deal or make
more money and know you’re set … it’s hard for a manager to kick all of
the complacency out."

“I think there’s complacency every year that we start the year,
especially since we’ve been to the World Series. Don’t get me wrong, I’m
not saying right now that’s the big thing. But I think that we
definitely have some. In baseball, every team has guys who slack. You
can see that. Look, I’m not pointing the finger at any one guy, but
every team has those. You have to overcome that. You have to be
together.”

Not good quotes from a manager.