Charlie still cagey on DH
Phils manager Charlie Manuel won't reveal his Game 1 designated hitter.
Charlie still cagey on DH
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
Phils manager Charlie Manuel has one card left to play before Game 1 of the World Series -- the identity of his designated hitter against Rays lefthander Scott Kazmir.
And Charlie isn't showing that card yet.
"I haven't decided on the lineup until tomorrow," Manuel said at his press conference Tuesday afternoon.
Everybody knows the discussion, about how the Phils really don't have a great righthanded bat on the bench right now -- not with the way Chris Coste struggled down the stretch, not with the way So Taguchi has struggled all season. Besides, if you use Coste, your backup catcher, as DH, it does run a risk if starter Carlos Ruiz were to get hurt.
So, the question is, would Manuel consider one of his lefthanders off of the bench as DH? Or would he consider moving left fielder Pat Burrell to DH and use, say, Eric Bruntlett in left?
"I'll be more inclined definitely to probably throw a right-handed hitter in there," Manuel said.
So, has he decided and just isn't telling?
"It doesn't matter," he said. "...I might look and change it right at the last moment. You never know. Seriously."
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The writing of this post was interrupted by a gentleman in a uniform and his bomb-sniffing dog, who cleared everybody out of the press work room at Tropicana Field and then went about the business of sniffing every briefcase and laptop in the place.
No bombs were found, or Pulitzers.
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Driving over the causeway from Tampa to Clearwater, there is an official-looking road sign that reads, simply, "Go Rays." About a hundred yards down, a sign of identical size and design reads, "Go Phillies."
This is known as bet-hedging in the town the Phillies have called their spring training home for decades.
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In the world of see-ball/hit-ball, there isn't a lot of sign-hanging and slogan-making in major-league baseball clubhouses. But in the Rays' clubhouse, there are three signs hanging prominently. They do not quote Yogi Berra, either.
"Integrity has no need of rules"
Albert Camus
"Rules cannot take the place of character."
Alan Greenspan
"Discipline yourself so no one else has to."
John Wooden
Rich - Welcome to Tampa-dare-I-say-Bay! Enjoy your stay...PHILLIES in 6! PK (Lower Merion Class of '76)— PhillyTheKid- Coste should be DH. Ruiz is tough, take the chance to help the offense. Hopefully all this downtime has helped Coste.Is Bruntlett's arm even close to Burrell's? Hey Rich, been to the Palm Pavilion yet this trip?— ChekUrFax
- i like the idea of burrell being the dh. that gives the phils options when tampa gets to the bullpen. you can pinch hit for bruntlet and then move werth to left and put jenkins in right if you need to. or they can put a 10 spot on kazmir and the whole dh thing takes care of itself.— timm2
- Rich: No bombs and no Pulitzers! Very funny. I enjoyed that one my man.— nsidious
- I think it will be Coste, taking the chance that Ruiz won't get hurt during the game. If he did, you could just move Coste behind the plate and bat the pitcher. Its not like the pitcher bats more than a couple of times until you start pinch hitting in the 7th inning anyway. Its worth the risk over Bruntlett/Taguchi.— Gary Varsho
- Scares me that our bench is so bad that we may have to start Bruntlett.— ematusko
- Burrell to DH, Bruntlett in left makes sense.— zman
- Look the DH is easy to figure out. You put Brunlett in left and have Burrel as the DH. You get a defensive up grade and down the stretch Brunlett has been hitting better than Coste and Taguchi.— engineeringagr8tdrive
- Or you could use Coste as the DH. If Ruiz gets hurt you just move Coste there and put in Brunlett or Taguchi as the DH. You can switch positions in the game and stay at that batting order.— engineeringagr8tdrive
- What are the odds that Ruiz gets hurt in tomorrow night's game? Seriously this is a rediculous unwritten rule all managers abide by.— doorspj24
- You do have more options in many situations if Pat the Bat is the DH. For one, you woudln't have to take Burrell out of left for defense. No matter what you do, you'll be one pinch hitter short for the games played in the AL city. Thems the rules. Hopefully, when their pitchers have to bat in Philly, it will be a disadvantage for them.— bwilderd
- Please say it isn't So— nate
No way you bat a lefty like Dobbs against a tough lefty like Kazmir. Coste is well rested. He'll get something done in game 1.— RAS- Coste is in the game if he is the DH, he can still catch if Ruiz gets hurt, and then they can bring someone else in to DH. The pitcher doesn't have to git. There is no risk in having Coste DH, unless BOTH he and Ruiz get hurt.— RichNC
- I guess I am wrong , but I thought if you use someone as a DH he can not play the field at any time.— wiseoldowl
