Pulling it all together has been that skipper, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin. The baseball lifer in his first managerial job that doesn’t include the word “Interim” in front of the title appears to be the right man at the right time to lead the rebuilding Phils.
Mackanin is using hitters spray charts to shift more often than any Phillie manager in the past. He also expects relievers to go two innings when called on to do so. Both Charlie Manuel and Ryne Sandberg seemed to be married to the idea that anyone other than a long reliever should be limited to one inning.
The most important quality Mackanin brings to the table is the atmosphere which he has helped foster in the locker room. His laid back, open door style has the Phils playing hard and having fun every night. That’s a huge difference from last year when the less than diplomatic Sandberg, whose demeanor was more like a drill sargeant than a baseball manager, was running the show.
The most anyone can ask from a manager is to maximize the talent he’s been given to work with. Mackanin has done an excellent job in doing just that. The talent may not be top quality yet, but he has the team playing hard every game. That is a testament to his style and preparation.