McCarthy Gives Encouraging Manuel Update

Former Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel is starting to communicate, two days after suffering a stroke while undergoing a medical procedure.

Tom McCarthy, the Phillies play-by-play announcer for television, told viewers that Manuel had been moved out of the ICU.

Additionally, Phillies manager Rob Thomson texted Manuel on Monday.

“Now, because he’s improved, he can read his text messages. I think things are getting better, which is great.”

The comments were conveyed by the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Phillies released statements on Saturday and Sunday keeping Phillies fans up to date on Manuel’s progress.

On Saturday, Manuel suffered a stroke and physicians removed a blood clot while he was undergoing the procedure. At the time, the Phillies said the next 24 hours were critical to Manuel’s recovery.

On Sunday, the Phillies said that they received a positive update from Manuel’s wife, Missy, saying that he had made progress and that doctors were encouraged.

Manuel, 79, was the Phillies’ manager from 2004-13, leading them to the 2008 World Series title, beating the Tampa Bay Rays four games to none. That was part of a five-season stretch in which the Phillies won the National League East title, reach the National League Championship Series three times and the World Series twice. The Phillies also reach the 2009 World Series, where they lost to the New York Yankees.

Manuel was fired 120 games into the 2013 season. He ended his Phillies career with a record of 780-636. He is a member of the Phillies Wall of Fame.

He had a career managerial record of 1,000-826. He also managed Cleveland from 2000-02.

He returned to the Phillies in 2019 as their hitting coach.

Manuel played in the Majors from 1969-75. He broke in with the Minnesota Twins and played for four seasons, before playing two seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was a .199 batter with four home runs and 43 RBI. He played from 1976-81 in Japanese baseball, wrapping up his playing career with the Yakult Swallows.

But, in Japan, he won a Japan Series title in 1978, was the Pacific League MVP in 1979 and was named to the Best Nine three times.