Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Like a lot of Americans that grew up in the 1980’s I sat and watched the greatness that was Ryne Sandberg on WGN Superstation most summer afternoons. He was someone that was easy to like and even easier to cheer for back then and the same is true today. With that in mind I think it would be best that his success as a temporary manger of the Philadelphia Phillies not be measured on the few games left this season, good or bad.
It would be unfair to blame Sandberg if the Phillies continue to struggle down the stretch of the season. They have won two games in a row now but I think we would all be fooling ourselves to believe that they will go on a Los Angeles Dodgers like roll just because Sandberg is in charge. The truth will not be known until deep into next season and really afterwards. The fact of the matter is that Sandberg inherited the same mess that Charlie Manuel was dealing with. If the team struggles, it is hardly his fault and certainly would be the fault of the struggling players themselves and the GM that refuses to move them.
On the other side of the coin, if the team does well for the final month of the season, no one should assume it is because of the addition of Sandberg. I love the guy but he isn’t a better manager already than Manuel was. That’s just lunacy. If that is believed to be the case, the team will remain the same again and bomb out again next season. Then I guess it will be Sandberg’s fault though.
Truth be told, Sandberg knows what he is doing. He has managed the hard way, coming up through the minor leagues on buses and has really paid his dues when he didn’t have to. If this team succeeds because of him it won’t be until a couple of years have gone by and he can really get his team in the game. The best thing that could happen with this is for the GM to finally decide some changes need to be made.
David Miller is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @davidmillerrant, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
