Manuel earning grudging respect

The Phillies manager has his team playing for a World Series berth.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Charlie Manuel looked on from the dugout while his players celebrated a division championship, and sat in his office after they took the party back on the field.

Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, even the placid Chase Utley took turns addressing fans who stayed around in the rain to watch the Philadelphia Phillies spray champagne and beer after clinching their second straight NL East title.

But none of the diehards were ready to leave just yet.

They chanted: “Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!”

Finally, the tough-to-please Philly fans showed Manuel some well-deserved appreciation. Though he’d rather let his players get all the accolades, the much-maligned manager answered the curtain call.

The crowd roared when Manuel came out from the clubhouse. Not known for his public speaking skills, Manuel grabbed a microphone and promised this championship-starved city the Phillies would do better than last year’s first-round sweep against Colorado.

Sure enough, the Phillies beat Milwaukee in four games to advance to the NLCS for the first time in 15 years.

They’ll meet the Los Angeles Dodgers with a trip to the World Series at stake, starting at home with Game 1 on Thursday. It’s farther than many critics thought the Phillies would ever go with Manuel in charge.

“He came to Philly very vulnerable as a manager. His laid-back, easygoing personality, the opposite of Larry Bowa, usually doesn’t work in this city, but he’s won it over,” Phillies Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt said in an e-mail to The Associated Press on Monday. “He’s created a comfortable, low pressure, working environment for his players, and they are responding.”

Since replacing the popular Bowa after the 2004 season, Manuel has led the Phillies to more wins (354) than any other manager in franchise history in his first four years. He’s only the second manager to lead them to consecutive division titles.

Despite the success, many people focus more on his personality.

Born in West Virginia and raised in Virginia, the 64-year-old Manuel comes across as someone from a mix of “The Dukes of Hazzard” and “The Andy Griffith Show.”

Manuel has been criticized for his in-game strategy and ridiculed for his accent — thick Appalachian drawl — and elocution. He’s been booed during pitching changes, constantly second-guessed and intensely scrutinized.

Manuel learned to ignore the negativity a long time ago.

“When they attacked me personally, at times it bothered me a little bit,” Manuel said. “But the more I thought about it, I definitely tried not paying attention to it.

“I understand people are always going to say something and there’s critics out there that don’t like you. But putting all that in perspective, I can’t let things like that bother me.”

Whatever the outside opinions, the team loves playing for Manuel. He keeps the atmosphere light, allows his players to relax and gives them a better opportunity to perform.

“He has the ability to not add any extra pressure on his players,” backup catcher Chris Coste said. “When he walks into a room, he has the ability to put smiles on people’s faces. He is kind of like your favorite uncle.”