Manuel has got to do something to wake them up.


The only way to explain the slump of this entire team is complacency. They have become so used to winning without truly trying that it's now catching up to them.

We see every day that not only in sports, but winning in life as well all comes down to who wants it more and not about who's the most talented. There's no doubt the Phillies are on of, if not the most talented teams in the league.

However, when Charlie Manuel has to turn their TV off in the clubhouse because they're all watching "Gran Torino" before the game rather than getting themselves prepared, it shows a clear complacency that could haunt them for the rest of the season.

Manuel is doing everything he can. He's switching the lineup hoping that will create a spark, but it's not working. He's tried simply being patient with them and letting them work it out, but it's not working.

Now he's showing how he plans on breaking the complacency: he's going to get thrown out of some games and really treat them like they're a team full of teenage misfits playing as a term of their probation.

Seeing him actually give a damn might get through to them, but it's going to have to happen quickly as in just a little over a week they've lost the lead in the division to the Braves, and currently sit two and a half games back.

The season is still young, and injuries have certainly played a part, but if they can't find a way to start caring on a day-to-day basis, they could find themselves in a lot of trouble come September.