Win covers up blunder of yanking Oswalt
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Win covers up blunder of yanking Oswalt
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
SAN DIEGO — As Roy Oswalt walked off the field having retired 13 Padres in a row, Carlos Ruiz made a prediction.
“You’re going to finish this game,” his catcher said.
But as soon as Oswalt entered the dugout, Charlie Manuel told the righthander he was done. Oswalt was due to leadoff the ninth inning and Manuel wanted to extend the one-run lead. Plus, Manuel said, he had Brad Lidge to pitch the ninth.
“Oswalt had already done good,” Manuel said.
Lidge, of course, loaded the bases with by hitting Ryan Ludwick on the hand with an 0-2 count. Then, one strike away from winning again, he balked in the tying run.
In the end it was a blunder erased later by Jimmy Rollins’ fantastic slide and Chad Durbin’s fine relief as the Phillies won in 12 innings, 3-2.
But Manuel’s decision to remove Oswalt was a head-scratcher — and this is hardly second-guessing.
Oswalt needed just 11 pitches to finish the eighth. He was at 102 and had cruised past the Padres, his only mistake a solo home run to Yorvit Torrealba in the third inning. He had retired 13 San Diego hitters in a row.
If that’s the other Roy — Halladay — does Manuel do the same thing? He’s had a long leash on Halladay all season. Oswalt, apparently, has yet to merit the same trust.
“I wanted to go back out,” Oswalt said. “I feel like I probably could have finished the game.”
Oswalt said he lobbied his manager. Twelve times this season, he has thrown more than 102 pitches in a game. Manuel didn’t budge. He wanted a pinch hitter to begin the ninth with the top of the order due up. He sent Domonic Brown up for Oswalt. The rookie popped out in foul territory behind third base on the second pitch he said.
“But I understand,” Oswalt said.
It very nearly cost the Phillies their chance to gain ground on the Braves for the first time since Aug. 14. Incredibly, the Phils stand just two back of Atlanta despite not having scored more than three runs in five straight games.
Oswalt has pitched at least seven innings in each of his last four starts and has a 1.24 ERA.
“My mechanics have come around after the first start,” Oswalt said.
He was robbed of a fourth consecutive victory Friday. Oswalt has played every bit the part of ace the Phillies expected when they acquired him. He struck out six and walked none against the Padres on Friday.
He threw 78 of his 102 pitches (76.5 percent) for strikes. He wants to pound the strike zone with regularity. Consider that done.
“Actually,” Oswalt said, “I looked down there one time and I had like five balls in the fifth inning or something.”
It wasn’t good enough for an Oswalt victory Friday, but the Phillies still won. And Oswalt has played every bit the part of ace so far.
Maybe it's time for Manuel to start treating the Roys equally.
Congrats to Matt Gelb for having the stones to call Charlie out for removing Oswalt. Other writers here would typically either allude to it, or report Charlie's nonsensical double-talk explanations about why he did it.— jman- Thank You for actually pointing out this blunder in print— DPL
Cholly and his pig-headed stubbornness, and his management like a paint by numbers, he is so predictable, are sickening. Blind loyalty to under-achievers like Victorino and Howard, a bias against the rookies ( why isn't Dom Brown starting consistently ), and what appears to be no accountability for gruesome blunders and lapses. Ask yourself this: WWDGD = WHAT WOULD DALLAS GREEN DO? His screams would still be echoing an hour after the game. This team needs a manager with a whip, not empty excuses.
I like Charlie's call to Brad Lidge and the pinch hitter...if the Phillies get another run in the 9th and/or Lidge doesnt hit the batter in the ninth...extra innings are not needed...but that slide by Jimmy in the 12th was worth the stress caused by the balk...that was the most amazing slide I have ever seen!
Lidge's health has been such a question mark the past two seasons, why does Chollie STILL have 100% faith in him?— wylies99- PhillyboyinNYC, as much as I liked Dallas Green and his tactics back in the day, the Phillies recently had Dallas Green lite (Larry Bowa) and it didn't work. Nowadays, screaming doesn't work. Maybe benchings would, but some of these guys seem to only care about collecting a paycheck, which they would do whether playing or not. (Maybe Charlie Bumbles could threaten NOT to take them out for snow-cones after the game!)— jman
- danielboyer, I think Jimmy asked himself WWJWD (what would Jason Werth do?), and did the opposite.— jman
- If Lidge doesn't lose his grip on the ball, game over and another save. You all wouldn't be complaining...well, I guess that's a stretch.— MGB
- If Lidge doesn't lose his grip on the ball, game over and another save. You all wouldn't be complaining...well, I guess that's a stretch.— MGB
- Howard should be benched!— slade1955
- you have to be kidding me...putting your closer in at the 9th inning is a blunder? If we can't count on lidge in the 9th, maybe we should just go back to the old school ways of pitchers pitching complete games every time out. Whatever...you dolt— MFPhils
- MFPHILS .....AYE— tobyjoe
Howard should bunt in his first at bat today to avoid another strikeout. Painfully brutal to watch him right now.— shawnmac- charlie manuel must be spending time with andy reid. i think he is starting to lose his mind.— sackvicknow
- and if oswalt gives up the tying run in the 9th the article would be crucifying him for leaving him in...clowns.— spittooncj
