I'm not a big fan of Thomas Boswell's (he likes to throw around statistics, but he doesn't really know how), but today's column in the Post, which was right next to a story about the Nats' managerial job that lists Mattingly and Valentine (and Bob Melvin, as well as Jim Riggleman) as active candidates, caught my eye. It's about Charlie Manuel, Manny Ramirez, and Jim Thome.
More than that, it's about the difference between players who strive for success and those who strive for excellence: "Don't get hung up on success and what people think of you; focus on excellence, play the game the right way, enjoy the moment and don't be scared of it." Jimmy Rollins is entered as Manuel's Exhibit A. The column made me think to myself, how many clutch players (i.e., players who strive for excellence, rather than success) are on the Indians' roster (now that Victor is in Boston)?
