Manuel Speaks Out

The first few weeks of the season haven't gone the way the Phillies wanted. The pitching staff has been one of the worst staffs and baseball, the offense has had its ups and downs, as the Phillies are 5-6.

The Phillies had multiple off the field distractions and tragedies. During the offseason, they focused on their title. When the season came around, they continued celebrating the 2008 World Series with pre-game ceremonies. They mourned the loss of Harry Kalas and had multiple rain outs. They haven't been able to get on a roll, but when they had a chance too, something broke it up, and Charlie Manuel expressed his concerns.

"We haven't gotten in sync yet," Manuel. "But also, we've got some real good
players. We've got some very professional players. We've got some players that
love the game just like they always did. But we've also got some guys who need
to look back and think about how we got there and what we did to be a winning
team. I think that sometimes you can do things to get away from the fact that
the game is the first priority and winning the game is the first priority. The
game counts more than anything."

"I've seen some differences in guys.
I've seen some differences in the way guys go about their business. I've seen
some differences in how they act. Cockiness sometimes is good, but it's kind of
how you handle things, too. I've seen some changes. I've seen differences in a
lot of people around here, too."

Manuel said he didn't need to address the team or players individually, but wouldn't mention names, and didn't say if the changes were for better or for worse. Jimmy Rollins doesn't notice much of a change.

"We just haven't put the W's and the L's in the right order yet. We're still
playing solid baseball at times. It probably doesn't look that way because it
seems like we're behind a lot. That'll come around. Charlie's in the back a lot. He
comes in after the games. Sometimes managers just see things much differently
than everyone else. They have a lot of pressure on them."

Cole Hamels was the first to admit that he hasn't done well, and is taking the blame.

"I should be ready, and by not being ready I'm jeopardizing the team," Hamels said. "I think
that's what I've done the last two starts because I pretty much didn't fulfill
my end of the bargain and get ready the way I should have."

QUOTE SOURCE: Phillies.com, Philly.com