Pete Mackanin peeked at the papers scattered across his temporary desk last week at Coors Field. One, in particular, caught his interest. It was Colorado’s lineup, delivered by a clubhouse employee. The Phillies manager saw the names — Blackmon, LeMahieu, Arenado, Reynolds — and wondered how his pitchers would attack.
“Every time, you’re praying they don’t make a mistake,” Mackanin said. “With our hitters, on a 2-0 count, one day they swing and the next day they’ll take three strikes without swinging the bat. Things like that.”
Managing a young roster requires patience and tolerance.