On the Beat with Jerry Manuel

Jerry Manuel played brief parts of 5 seasons in the major leagues. He hit .150 in 127 career at bats. If he had been a catcher, I probably would have really liked him.
Manuel has received a lot of criticism during his 9 years of managing (6 with the White Sox and 3 with the New York Mets). Even as I write this, it is uncertain if he will return as manager for the Mets. Chalk up this interview as another timely one. I might not have had another chance to speak with Manuel.
Unfortunately, Manuel gave us the easy answer when asked about his favorite city for travel. He named his hometown, Atlanta. Next season, I hope to avoid that answer by refining my questions a bit. With 4 years under my belt, I should be progressing enough to get better answers from my subjects.

Chachi Takes on Jerry Manuel

Jerry Manuel played 96 games and hit .150 as a backup middle infielder mostly in the 70's. He also managed the Chicago White Sox for 6 years, guiding them to one divisional title, four 2nd places and one 3rd place.
Manuel was quiet and often incurred the wrath of fans and critics because of his calm demeanor. He seems to be a bit more fiery during his current stint with the New York Mets. While in New York earlier this year, my good friend Chuck Gekas played the role of Johngy. As a correspondent for Global Traveler, Chachi got into some hard-hitting journalism, giving his take on Manuel. Fortunately, our video camera was there to capture it.

Jerry Manuel at Citi Field in New York, NY-summer 2009.

Chuck Gekas in the press box at Citi Field in New York, NY-summer 2009.