Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin will try to lift his record as a major leagues manager above .500 as the team takes on Atlanta without leader Charlie Manuel.
The team said Manuel is taking Saturday off to attend to a personal matter, the Inquirer reported. For those of you who tend to fear the worst, it has nothing to do with Philly's favorite NutriSystem pitchman's health, unless the team is lying. The 66-year-old will be back Sunday.
It will be only the second regular-season game he's missed in his five-plus seasons at Philadelphia's helm, according to the Inquirer.
Manuel was suspended for one game in 2006 for aggressively arguing with an umpire. He also missed two games during spring training in 2009 for a medical examination.
Mackanin has been an interim manager twice in his coaching career, with the 2005 Pirates and 2007 Reds. He is 53-53 as a manager.
Let's make it 54-53. The Phightins are on a little streak, having won four in a row, while the Braves are in the National League East cellar.
