Horse Racing

While Charlie Manuel sifts through the waiver wires, minor leagues and other repositories of left-handed pinch hitters, here's something else for him to keep in mind regarding lefties: bench Raul Ibanez and start playing John Mayberry every day.  Mayberry has earned the spot based on his hitting to say nothing of his fielding.  Raul can get the occasional start vs. righties, but that should be about it going forward.

* * * * * * *

Bob Brookover, the Phillies beat writer, made the following point this morning regarding Manuel's decision to leave Roy Halladay in for the ninth inning in Tuesday's 3-2 loss:

The second-guessers had it all wrong when they questioned whether Roy Halladay stayed in too long Tuesday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In fact, it might have been the least educated second guess in the history of the game when you consider that Halladay was 52-0 when taking a lead into the ninth inning, he had thrown only 96 pitches through eight innings, and he had retired the side in order in the eighth by striking out all three batters.


Ah, yes, Bob, dismiss those uneducated, unwashed second-guessers but when you do, remember this:  the odds suggested a good thing cannot last forever and, indeed, Halladay lost the game and he and Manuel bear responsibility.  The odds may have favored another win at the start of the inning, but that first hit should have been sufficient evidence to bet against them continuing.  And that, Bob, is what makes horse racing!