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The Phillies have announced the firing of manager Charlie Manuel, per Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Reports indicate that he will be replaced by third base coach Ryne Sandberg , much to the presumed anguish of Chicago Cubs fans.
In nearly nine seasons as Phillies skipper, Manuel won 780 games, five division titles, and the 2008 World Series, the second in the franchise's 129 seasons, a five-game triumph over the Tampa Bay Rays. He was the longest tenured manager in the National League.
The Phillies have gone 5-20 since the all-star break, and sit 2.5 games behind the Mets in fourth place in the NL East. With Manuel gone, the focus is squarely on General Manager Ruben Amaro who has signed a series of high-priced veterans while eschewing the latest in baseball analytics.
We Mets fans may not have a lot of nice things to say about the guy who consistently guided the Phillies past our squad, so let's just leave it at this: the guy could recognize amazing talent.