Philadelphia Phillies: How Charlie Manuel Can Get His Team to Produce Runs
January 24, 2012 by Bryan Sheehan
Filed under Fan News
It’s no secret that pitching was the Phillies‘ strong suit in 2011.With Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels on the mound, it seemed almost impossible for the team to lose, and in the regular season, it was. The team—led by their aces on the hill—cruised to a 102-60 record in 2011, but struggled in the playoffs because of their lack of hitting.
If the Phillies want to have a shot at the World Series in 2012, their hitting needs to improve.
Manager Charlie Manuel, who has been with the team since 2005, needs to rally his troops to strengthen the offense. Philadelphia’s .253 team batting average and .395 slugging percentage both ranked in the lower half among MLB teams last year—an unreal fact considering the Phillies led the MLB with 102 wins.
Here are some steps that Charlie Manuel must take in 2012 to improve the team at the plate.