slow-footed catcher Ruiz

Lazy writing. While he looks like your typical fire-pluggy, lead-footed catcher, Carlos Ruiz is not a slow-footed catcher. He is a solid baserunner, i.e., "Fast for a catcher". He was a position player in the low minors and the Phils converted him to C. I think the Phils are set at C for the next 3-5 years.

Welcome to CBP, Homer. He didn't appear to have much zip of his fastball and had control problems. The writer is right, it could have been worse.

Inqy: Sheridan: Phils’ bargain boys saving the day

Of the roughly $96 million payroll Gillick had to work with this season, a little more than $55 million is doing approximately nothing to help this team win right now. A backbreaking $30 million is going for pitchers on the disabled list, while $7 million more goes to Jim Thome to play for the Chicago White Sox.

If you managed your money that way, you'd be living in a Dumpster and paying a hefty mortgage on someone else's house, but that's only the beginning.

Manuel has benched Pat Burrell and his $13.25 million for rookie Michael Bourn and his $380,000 salary. Manuel favors Carlos Ruiz ($380,000) over Rod Barajas ($2.5 million), and Greg Dobbs ($385,000) over Wes Helms ($2.3 million). Barajas and Helms were the two significant off-season additions Gillick made to the lineup.

Just not this lineup.

I know the groundswell is for them to make a move to bring in a pitcher, but, even if they don't mind adding the payroll, what do they have that anybody would want? Carrasco, Happ, Outman, Cardenas ... Costanzo if you squint? Trading any of them leaves your cupboard unbelievably bare. The Padres and Giants had a bunch of extra picks in the last draft, so are we now officially the worst farm system in baseball?

Manuel has benched Pat Burrell and his $13.25 million for rookie Michael Bourn and his $380,000 salary. Manuel favors Carlos Ruiz ($380,000) over Rod Barajas ($2.5 million), and Greg Dobbs ($385,000) over Wes Helms ($2.3 million). Barajas and Helms were the two significant off-season additions Gillick made to the lineup.

I have come to the point where I think that Manuel is a solid manager, overall. He's not afraid to play the performers, bench the non-performers, sometimes sacrifice defense for offense (Dobbs at 3B). He may stay with a starter, letting him hit in the 6th or 7th, only to have the starter get into trouble immediately and be relieved with 0 or 1 out. He keeps a lid on the clubhouse, generally gets good effort out of his team. He has either learned how to do the double switch or has learned to listen to Jimy Williams, presumably, on when to do it.
Maybe he has ridden Geary too hard in the last couple of years to the point that he is worn out, but how the heck do you know what a guy's limit is? It's not like Geary pitched 115 innings or warmed up every night. Besides, a low upside but effective reliever like Geary is a guy who you should risk burning out. I don't know how much the move of Myers was his decision, but I think it was the organization's and Charlie was in accord. Are there any other complaints about how he handles the bullpen?

Last year I hated his inability to leave any reliever in for more than one inning ... but that's probably a complaint of most MLB managers, not just Cholly. Without a LOOGY this year, he's probably done a better job of keeping the hot hands in the game, though more out of necessity than any change in philosophy.

Without a LOOGY this year, he's probably done a better job of keeping the hot hands in the game, though more out of necessity than any change in philosophy.

Yes, that's been done pretty well. Fat Mike had been looking totally lost in the last couple weeks, but Charlie put him in for two nearly-perfect innings last night. "Hot hand" indeed.

I never thought Manuel was a bad strategic manager...but he doesn't seem very inspirational.

Bourn has surprised me this year. Last year he looked indistinguishable from Chris Roberson. Dumping Burrell might be a very good idea...if they can be assured to sign A-Rod in free agency, that is. (hey, we can dream) That would give them the best defensive outfield in the majors, bar none.

They don't really have any hyped prospects, OR any prospects who are close to the majors right now. (although we shouldn't forget Scott Mathieson, out for this season with Tommy John surgery) Trading both Floyd and Gonzalez for Garcia keeps looking worse and worse and worse and worse and worse and worse and worse.

he doesn't seem very inspirational

I don't know if I agree with that. You see him talking to the guys in the dugout all the time, sometimes they are obviously just messing around, but other times you see him really engaged in conversation with players and it's obvious they are talking some serious baseball. That's one kind of leadership. They do seem to come out to play most every night -- I don't know how much that's a function of the players themselves or the manager's leadership.

Now I don't expect any "Cross of Gold" speech or anything, if that's what you mean