Should Phillies Replace Charlie Manuel?

Jimmy Rollins has already been benched for “lack of hustle.” Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino are gone, traded to playoff contenders. The lowly Mets—the Mets!—ended up with a winning record at Citizens Bank Park this year. As the Phillies regroup for 2013, should manager Charlie Manuel return? Yes, he led the team to the World Series title in 2008, but that doesn’t impress Josh Amareld: “Charlie has done such a poor job with the 2012 Phillies, the home sellout streak was lost,” Amareld writes. “With the fans leaving, so does the money. Fans need to be shown the Phillies’ organization is dedicated to winning. Without the fans, the Phillies will lose the money to sign free agents and soon return to mediocrity.” Amareld’s Bleacher Report colleague Phil Keidel disagrees, but only a little: “Charlie Manuel deserves to begin next season as the manager,” Keidel says. “But if the team starts slowly again, he may not deserve the opportunity to finish it.” The heat is on in South Philly. [Bleacher Report]