Charlie Manuel, Phillies incensed about New York Mets calling ‘timeout’ during Brad Lidge’s windup

Time out. Take five, Charlie.

Although the drama over Chase Utley’s aggressive slide into Ruben Tejada on Friday night occupied far more attention, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel was angry about a different moment in that game.

With two outs in the ninth inning of the Mets’ 3-2 loss, Josh Thole was on first and Ike Davis on third. The Mets called timeout with closer Brad Lidge in the stretch, preparing to throw a 1-0 pitch. After Lidge delivered the pitch, Jose Feliciano grounded out. But since time had been granted that pitch didn’t count and the Mets replaced Thole with pinch-runner Luis Castillo.

Charlie Manuel argued and was ejected by first base umpire Jerry Layne.

“I think it was terrible,” the Phillies skipper said. “Terrible it was allowed and when it was done. He’s in a stretch. He’s in the process of throwing the ball. They’re over there screaming, ‘Time out.’ “

“It’s a little ridiculous, I think,” Lidge said. “That’s an interesting freeze-the-kicker type move, I guess. I actually haven’t seen that done in baseball. Hopefully that won’t be a trend. Hopefully that’s a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of thing.”