I feel that the 2004 Phillies demise was caused by a combination of things. First off, the team had a multitude of injuries, and never seemed to be able to put their top team on the field at one time. Whether it was closers Tim Worrell and Billy Wagner, the starting staff, or the hitters, they just never seemed to be able to get a top notch healthy team on the field for any length of time.
I do think that manager Larry Bowa played a part in the team's problems in 2004. With a fiery and sometimes offensive personality, it was admitted that several players had problems playing with Bowa's style of managing. When a manager is not well liked, players dont always play hard for him. Braves manager Bobby Cox is the opposite of Bowa, people love to play for him, and he's had many players on his team for years. Bobby also is an overachiever, especially with all the personnel he's lost over the last two years. Bobby Cox wins with what he has, and during the 4 seasons in Philly, except for 2001, I would say that Bowa underachieved with the Phillies, rather then overachieved, especially in 2003 and 2004.
As for whether or not Bowa's situation is Ed Wade's fault, I dont know. Wade made some good moves the last two seasons bringing in Kevin Millwood, Jim Thome, Billy Wagner, and Tim Worrell. Iam ambivalent. On one hand, Bowa probably justified being fired because the team didnt play up to expectations. On the other hand, Wade may have been too harsh on blaming Bowa fully with all the injuries the Phillies had this year. The team needs changes for sure, and of course it is always easier to blame one manager rather then 25 players, so Bowa was let go. He may well surface somewhere else. I know many Phillies fans who felt that Ed Wade was to blame for the team's failure, and that Bowa got an unfair rap. I will go with my theory that a combination of things finished the Phillies. It wasnt any one thing. It was injuries, underachieving, Bowa and Wade. Maybe with some tinkering to the roster and a new manager, the Phillies can contend for at least a wild card in 2005.
Mitch
