Game 61: Manuel blows another scoring opportunity, Phils lose (36-25)

Charlie Manuel is infuriating. The Phillies were facing rookie Rubby de la Rosa tonight, a right-hander who has some major control issues. In the bottom of the 2nd, the Phils were losing 1-0 with the bases loaded and two outs with Placido Polanco at the plate. Polanco is a very impatient hitter: he rarely walks or strikes out. However, he's a smart player, and he knew that he had to be patient in this situation.

De la Rosa had already walked FOUR batters through the first 1 2/3 innings, and he ended up walking Polanco on four straight pitches to tie the game at one.

Next batter, Chase Utley. He takes the first pitch -- unsurprisingly, a ball. Five consecutive balls, five walks in less than two innings, bases loaded, and Utley swings at a pitch out of the strike zone and weakly flies out.

Utley is to blame for swinging, but once Manuel doesn't tell him to take the pitch, it's a split second decision for Utley. The blame falls mostly on the manager for allowing a flyout to happen in the first place. The Phils never had another legitimate scoring chance after that. Thats not the manager's fault, but by now, he should know that's a huge possibility.

Manuel is WAY too aggressive in terms of plate discipline. Do batters swing at JC Romero after he walks two straight batters? No, because their manager is not Charlie Manuel.

The Phils try to win the series tomorrow at 7:05 pm when Cole Hamels faces RHP Hiroki Kuroda.