Phils manager Charlie Manuel said quite a bit in the first half hour after his team was swept out of Houston, by way of a 4-3 loss to the Astros.

But Manuel, who has never looked as angry/frustrated as he did Monday, according to one veteran scribe, used particularly strong language when the following subject was broached.

Isn't it strange that his team has a knack for playing better when they're behind in the division, when their proverbial backs are against the wall (in both late-season situations in the big picture and in late-inning play on a smaller scale), than they do when they have the division by the throat via a half-dozen game lead?



"(Bleep) the last couple years. That doesn’t mean (bleep)," Manuel said. "We’re playing for today, for right now. Last year is dead and gone. We’re playing for today.

"Having to win? I don’t get that. When you’ve got a lead, you’re sitting better than when you are when you absolutely have to win that day? I think having a lead has to be better than that. Really. I’ll take the lead.

"I’m not going to give our lead up and say, let’s start even in the league. No, we’re not going to do that. Because I don’t know if we can come through or not. I like our chances with where we’re at, but at the same time, we have to win games."


Charlie said quite a bit more. You can check it out in the game story in Tuesday's edition and at delcotimes.com