All Good Things Come to an End

In baseball, one of the constants has always been that managers are hired to be fired. Four years after leading the Phillies to just their second World Series championship, Charlie Manuel was pink-slipped. Give GM Ruben Amaro credit for handling the situation with gentleness and respect.

It's no secret the Phils have underachieved -- after five straight division titles, the team fell to .500 last season. And after reaching this year's All Star Break "on the fence," they collapsed over the last month, losing 19 of 23 games. Though Manuel didn't hit, pitch or play defense, and couldn't be blamed for the injuries that cost him such mainstays as Ryan Howard and Roy Halladay for most of the year, the club's play hinted -- especially with Charlie in the final year of his contract -- that it was time for a change.

Now, it's Ryne Sandberg's opportunity. With the club out of contention and trying out such minor leaguers as Cody Ashe and Darin Ruf, who might be the keys to its future, there'll be a different name signing the lineup card tonight at Citizens Bank Park.

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