The overhaul is underway. This weekend the Phillies have rid themselves of David Bell, Ryan Franklin, Cory Lidle, and Bobby Abreu. I expect that by 4PM tomorrow that John Lieber will join that group. This means that Pat Gillick is now on the clock. He has a strong nucleus of players, but won't be able to add to that group until the fall. This team will be bad until then (trust me, we haven't seen real bad yet). There is no reason to keep Charlie Manuel around at this point. Don't let Howard, Utley, and Hamels get used to the losing attitude. Manuel has given up at this point, and the worst thing you can have is a short-timer such as him spoil this team.
There are those that say that the manager doesn't go out there and play the games. That the players have let him down. But the attitude, mistakes, and unpreparedness is a clear sign that Charlie Manuel doesn't deserve to manage one more game.
Manuel won't be here next year. So why wait until October to fire him? Let him go now.
