This Date in Phillies (and MLB) History: January 4

Phillies events on January 4

• 1915: The Phillies made a notable offseason trade, sending speedy third baseman Hans Lobert to the New York Giants. In return, Philadelphia got pitcher Al Demaree, infielder Milt Stock, and catcher Bert Adams, a real “shuffle the supporting cast” type move for that era.
• 2021: The Phillies added some depth on minor-league deals, re-signing utility infielder Ronald Torreyes and adding right-hander Neftali Feliz on a minor league deal, assigning both to Lehigh Valley. Torreyes had played four games with the Phillies in 2020 and played in 111 games with them in 2021. Feliz pitched in two games for Philadelphia in 2021, produced a 36.00 ERA and was released.
• 2023: The Phillies signed veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel to a one-year deal. Kimbrel saved 23 games for the Phillies with a 3.26 ERA. He became a free agent at the end of the season and signed with Baltimore.

MLB events on January 4

• 1967: The Astros traded outfielder Lee Maye and catcher Ken Retzer to the Indians for Jim Landis, Doc Edwards, and pitcher Jim Weaver.
• 1994: The White Sox signed free-agent outfielder Ellis Burks, while the Braves signed free-agent infielder Bill Pecota.
• 2005: Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. It was a big day for two fan bases, and a pretty strong reminder of how stacked that era was with great players.
• 2011: The Braves agreed to a five-year, $62 million contract extension with second baseman Dan Uggla.

Phillies personnel who were born on January 4

• 1869: Tommy Corcoran, played 133 games at shortstop for the 1931 Philadelphia Athletics as part of an 18-year career. Corcoran was known for his slick fielding and rangy defense during the bare-hand era of play.
• 1895: Rex Smith, who pitched one game for the Philadelphia Athletics and one for Cincinnati in 1886.
• 1906: John Collins “Blondy” Ryan bounced around several teams in the 1930s, including the Phillies, and is remembered for his defensive skills and for being part of the 1933 World Series champion New York Giants.
• 1911: Izzy León pitched in 14 games for the Phillies in 1945, his only endeavor in the majors.
• 1944: Charlie Manuel, who is better known as an MLB manager than as a player, managed the Phillies from 2005–2013 and became the franchise’s all-time wins leader as a manager. If you’re telling the story of the 2008 title era, he’s one of the central characters. Manuel, who played six seasons with the Twins and Dodgers, coined the phrase “hittin’ season’ while with the Phillies.
• 1992: Michael Lorenzen made seven starts for the 2023 Phillies and threw a no-hitter against Washington in his first home start. Known as one of the best hitting pitchers in baseball, Lorenzen was a .233 hitter with 7 home runs and 24 RBI prior to the addition of the DH.

MLB birthdays on January 4

• 1963: Daryl Boston was a first round pick who played outfield in the majors with the White Sox, Mets, Rockies, and Yankees, and later coached.
• 1963: Trey Hillman is best known as a manager and coach, including a major-league managerial run with Kansas City and a long résumé across pro baseball.
• 1992: Kris Bryant put together some MVP-level peak years and plenty of big moments. Through 2025 he has 184 home runs and a slash line of .273/.368/.483/.851 with the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco, and Colorado.

A DEEPER DIVE… Charlie Manuel

Charlie Manuel grew up in the coal country of West Virginia, a place where toughness wasn’t a slogan, it was a requirement. Born in 1944 in Matewan, West Virginia, he came of age in an era when baseball was still very much a working-class dream. Manuel signed with the Minnesota Twins as a teenager and immediately learned how unforgiving professional baseball is. He spent years grinding through the minor leagues, rarely getting much attention and often battling injuries, including knee problems that would follow him for much of his career. Those early seasons shaped his worldview. He learned patience, resilience, and how fragile a baseball career really is.

Manuel eventually reached the majors in 1969, debuting with the Twins and later played for the Los Angeles Dodgers. On paper, his playing career looks modest at best. He finished with a .198 batting average over parts of six major league seasons. That number has followed him around for decades and often gets cited with a wink when people talk about his later reputation as a hitting expert.

What that stat line doesn’t show is how hard Manuel worked just to stay on a roster. He was a switch hitter, something that demands constant mechanical and mental adjustment. He was also frequently hurt, particularly in his knees, which limited both his mobility and his ability to repeat a consistent swing. Manuel wasn’t clueless at the plate. He was a thoughtful hitter trapped in a body that wouldn’t cooperate and a league that offered little patience. When his playing career seemed to be at an end, Manuel went on to play six seasons in Japan, hitting 189 home runs and driving in 491 runs with a slash line of .303/.385/.604/.989.

Finding his calling in the dugout
When his playing days wound down, Manuel slid naturally into coaching. It was here that his baseball mind really began to shine. He joined the Twins organization as a hitting instructor and minor league manager, quickly earning a reputation as someone capable of connecting with players. Manuel didn’t overwhelm hitters with jargon or rigid philosophies. Instead, he talked about balance, timing, and confidence, often in plain language that made sense to players at any level.

His breakthrough came when he was named the Twins’ hitting coach in the late 1980s. Under Manuel, Minnesota’s offense flourished, most memorably during their 1987 and 1991 World Series championship seasons. Those teams weren’t built solely on raw power. They were disciplined, situational, and mentally tough at the plate. Manuel’s influence was all over that approach.

Becoming a respected major league manager
Manuel’s success as a hitting coach opened the door to managing. He first took the reins of the Cleveland Indians in 2000. Cleveland was loaded with offensive talent, and Manuel proved adept at managing egos while keeping hitters focused on team goals. The Indians won the American League Central in 2001 and remained competitive throughout his tenure. Players consistently described him as calm, honest, and deeply loyal, qualities that helped him navigate the pressures of a big league clubhouse.

After Cleveland, Manuel returned to a coaching role before getting another managerial opportunity, this time with Philadelphia. While his Phillies years are the most celebrated chapter of his career, they also fit neatly into the larger pattern. Manuel trusted hitters, gave them room to fail, and rarely panicked during slumps. His teams reflected his personality. They were confident, loose, and resilient.

The hitting guru reputation
The irony of Manuel’s .198 career batting average becoming attached to the phrase “hitting guru” is not lost on him. He has always leaned into it with humor. But the contradiction actually explains his success. Manuel understood hitting from the inside out because he knew how hard it was. He knew what it felt like to struggle, to search for answers, and to question yourself after another hitless game.

Rather than preaching a single swing or approach, Manuel emphasized trust. Trust your hands. Trust your eyes. Trust the work you’ve put in. He believed mechanics mattered, but confidence mattered more. That philosophy resonated with star hitters and fringe players alike, helping him earn respect across generations.

Later years and lasting influence
Even after stepping away from full-time managing, Manuel remains a valued baseball mind. He serves as a senior advisor and occasional instructor, particularly working with hitters. Younger players gravitate toward him, drawn by his authenticity and lack of pretense. He never acted like he had all the answers. He simply shared what he had learned.

Charlie Manuel’s legacy isn’t defined by his playing statistics or even by championships. It’s defined by people. Players remember how he treated them, how he listened, and how he believed in them when others didn’t. In a sport that can be relentlessly transactional, Manuel stood out as human.

In the end, his career tells a simple but powerful story. You don’t have to be great at something to understand it deeply. Sometimes, the ones who struggle the most end up teaching it best.

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