I've received several e-mails from readers convinced McCarver wants the Dodgers to reach the World Series. That's funny because - after McCarver recently chastised Manny Ramirez, calling his behavior earlier this year "despicable" - L.A. fans think he's in the tank for Philly. Seems McCarver can't win.

It's a shame. McCarver is a nice guy with a keen baseball mind. I talked with the former Phillie about how he's perceived, the Ramirez flap, and what to expect from the Fightin's.

Are you surprised by the heat you've taken for criticizing Manny?

I am. I love free spirits. Steve Carlton is one of my closest friends. Bob Gibson - people don't know what a big heart he has. They think he's this hulking, arrogant guy. I love him. But you can't do some of the things Manny did. And when you do, the consequences will be criticism. I'm surprised - it's as though I did those things. But I don't retract my comments.

You've always been a catalyst for controversy. People still talk about your run-in with Deion Sanders.

I remember Deion telling the [New York] Times that we shook hands and it's water under the bridge. Not true. Did I miss something? It's over, but it wasn't put to bed. You do something that public, that unforgivable, then you make a public apology and it's over. But have you seen a public apology?

I haven't. If he apologized, you'd forgive him?

If he made it public and said, "I told Tim McCarver I'm sorry about what happened in 1992," of course.

You're still upset.

No. It's been 16 years. But I was for a while. It took time to get over it.

In 29 years as a broadcaster, you've been bashed a lot. Does that bother you?

No. My job isn't to please the players and fans. There are people who broadcast who wave the banners of the home team. I did that for a while, and I was fired twice - by the Mets and the Yankees. My idea of broadcasting is to do things as objectively as possible, as fair as possible, and be right and tell the truth.

The Phils are up 2-0. Is the series over? Tell me it's over, and I'll talk to Philly about easing up on you.

It's not like the Phillies are playing with house money, but they're in a good spot. [Jamie] Moyer might have a tough time with this lineup. Especially with Manny. Manny has 10 homers lifetime off Moyer. But who knows? Things change.

You've spent a lot of time in Philly. What would a championship mean to the city if the Phillies pull it off?

I remember the parade in 1980. I remember Tug McGraw holding the Daily News up, and it said "We Win." Five letters. There were 105,000 people at JFK Stadium. It was extraordinary. And I was at the Canyon of Heroes with the Mets after the '86 season, and they had four million people there. I wouldn't say it took a back seat to Philadelphia, but it wasn't any better.

After some personnel changes, my fantasy team is making great strides. While reconfiguring your roster, here are some start/bench suggestions:

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