It's not Bowa's fault the Phillies are struggling. But if he were a good manager he could help them win more.

I loved Bo as a player. He was always an emotional player with a volatile personality. Unfortunately, these qualities can lead to disaster as a skipper. He knows the game as good as anyone and has the potential to be a successful manager. But his vile temper did him in with the Padres and now he is self-destructing with the Phillies. He has cultivated an atmosphere of fear in the workplace and players appear tight and afraid to make mistakes, else receive the full wrath of a Bowa rant-fest. The Phillies were everyone's pick to go far in the postseason this year; but they never seemed to get on track and now the Braves are running away with the NL East once again (Of course, the Braves will suck in the post-season as they do every year and no one in Atlanta really cares anyway). Someone has to be made accountable for the Phillies' latest Phailure (Particularly, their utter inability to beat the Florida Marlins). It's time for Bo to Go. The Phillies have two excellent replacements in John Vukovich or Charlie Manual. As for Philly fan, Time to Root for the Eagles.

Time for a change. This team has too much talent to be mired at .500 this late in the year. The streak against Florida is, Bowa's words, embarrassing. Pitchers are overthrowing and everyone else walks on pins & needles in the clubhouse. Bowa second guesses pitches, pitch calls, and just about everything else creating a pressure cooker atmosphere. This Phillies team is not having fun anymore, and they're playing like it.

he over coaches, and plays with the line up too much. a la gene mauch

I think that this a good move by the Phillies. Bowa was always a smart player and a popular figure in Philadelphia (which can only help given the city's treatment of players and managers). He is a little different from many managers that have been hired in recent years. He isn't a journeyman manager (e.g. Joe Torre or Jim Fregosi), nor was he a first time manager (Lloyd McClendon, Tony Masur), nor was he moving from his first job to his second (Buddy Bell, Phil Garner, Mike Hargrove). Bowa managed the Padres about ten years ago and it was a complete disaster. He has definitely learned from that and has paid his dues. Look for an improved Phillies team in the coming years.