This is just heartbreaking. This morning, just hours before his team took the field for Game 2 of the NLCS, Phillies skipper Charlie Manuel lost his mother:
The Phillies said that June Manuel died Friday morning at Roanoke (Va.) Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. She was 87. The Phillies had no information about the cause of death.
Manuel found out Friday morning after a meeting with his staff before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Despite the loss, Manuel is in the dugout for this afternoon's game. How can you focus on baseball at a time like this? If I had to guess, you don't. You put on a brave face and you do what you've done for most of your adult life for a few more hours, but I don't think anyone can truly postpone the grieving process.
And that's okay. His coaching staff is extremely experienced and his players have been to the playoffs before. I wish him my condolences, and for at least the next few hours, I'll be rooting for the Phillies.
