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Phils' Scouts On The Mark

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By TONY FABRIZIO afabrizio@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 28, 2008

Updated: 10/28/2008 12:44 am

PHILADELPHIA - If there's one thing the first four games of the World Series established, it's that the Phillies did an exceptional job compiling scouting reports on the Rays.

That the Phillies led the series 3-1 entering Monday night's game was due in large part to Philly pitchers shutting down some of Tampa Bay's main weapons.

Most notably, Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria were a combined 0-for-29 with 15 strikeouts. Leadoff man Akinori Iwamura was hitting only .200, and Jason Bartlett, who hit an AL-best .379 against lefties this year, was 0-for-4 in this series against lefties.

The Rays were batting .187 with three home runs after hitting 22 home runs in the first two rounds of the postseason.

Credit has to go to director of professional scouting Chuck LaMar, the Rays general manager from 1998-2005, who was among some five club representatives who scouted the Rays through the ALCS. Manager Charlie Manuel also cites General Manager Pat Gillick's scouting philosophy.

"Our general manager still believes in scouting teams and sending guys out," Manuel said. "... A lot of teams go with a computer or different companies that sell software from which you can get information about every major-league club. We don't do that as much as some teams do.

"What we get, our reports, they're fantastic."

REMEMBERING BILLY MARTIN
Manuel had the media corps in stitches Monday with anecdotes about his relationship with the late Billy Martin, the legendary hot-tempered manager for whom he played at Minnesota in 1969.

The best one involved a trip to old Yankee Stadium during which Martin tried to show Manuel a spot on the upper façade in right field where he said Mickey Mantle once hit a home run.

"I said, 'Ain't no way,'" Manuel recounted. "He went off and hit me upside the head. And then he cursed and said, 'Don't tell me, I was on second base.'"

Manuel told another one about a base-running blunder he committed as a pinch-runner against Detroit that had the veins in Martin's neck popping out.

"I went over to the bench and sat down, and I'll never forget this," Manuel said. "He looked at me and said, 'Don't worry about it. It's my fault for putting you in the game.'"

WON'T JINX IT

For Monday's game against lefty Scott Kazmir, Manuel went with the same lineup he deployed the previous two nights against right-handers Matt Garza and Andy Sonnanstine.

Patience with his lineup has paid off. Leadoff man Jimmy Rollins, after starting the series 0-for-10, went 5-for-9 in Games 3 and 4. Howard, who was 2-for-9 in the first two games, hit three home runs and drove in six runs in Games 3 and 4.

The Phillies entered Game 5 with nine home runs, second-most in the World Series since 1970 behind the 2002 San Francisco Giants (14).

FIREPROOF PEN

Another reason the Phillies were on the brink of a world championship: their bullpen.

Entering Monday's game, Philly relievers had allowed only three earned runs in their last 281/3 innings in the postseason. Only one of those runs, off Ryan Madson in Game 3 when B.J. Upton stole home on an errant throw by catcher Carlos Ruiz, had come in the World Series.

Entering Game 5, the Phillies were 79-0 in the regular season and 9-0 in the postseason when leading after eight innings.

Tony Fabrizio

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