The more you see of Pete Mackanin, the more you have to like him.
Nobody expected the Phillies to be where they are, with a 25-20 record, just two games behind the first-place Washington Nationals in the NL East.
Most preseason predictions pegged the Phils to be one of the worst teams in baseball.
The best person in Mackanin's lineup has been Odubel Herrera, who has taken command of the leadoff position and is a constant on-base threat. Last night he went 3-for-4 to raise his lusty batting average to .335.
But he also did something else in what would become a disappointing 5-4 loss in the series opener with the Tigers in Detroit.
In the seventh inning, Herrera, who has been battling some bumps and bruises, failed to run out a grounder.
It did not escape Mackanin's notice.
He promptly pulled his best player.
"He knows he should've run," the skipper said after the game.
Message delivered.
Herrera likely will be back in the lineup tonight.
But for a young team just starting to tape into the potential of what they might be, Mackanin's actions stand out.
There is a right way and a wrong way to go about things. Not running out a ground ball is the wrong way.
And that will not stand with Mackanin.
That has not always been the case with the Phils.
It's nice to see for a change.
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