Who was the best Phillies manager?

Due to the club’s lack of long-term success through the years, the candidates are slim and narrowed.

Was it the fiery Dallas Green who led the team to its first World Championship? Or was it the country gentleman Charlie Manuel, whose teams were highly successful and won a title? Or was it Jim Fregosi, Paul Owens, Gene Mauch, or Danny Ozark? Will current skipper Rob Thomson someday join the crowd?

In this week’s version of my Behind the Plate column, I’ll take a look at each manager and the results of the Times News online poll. Also, can the Braves win it all this year? Which team can surprise in the upcoming playoffs?

And the Winner Is ... Manuel won 73% of the online poll. Green was second with 13%, while Fregosi, Mauch, Ozark, and Owens all garnered 3%.

Others who could have made the list since 1960 were Larry Bowa (2001-2004, 337-308) and Pat Corrales (1982-83, 132-115). Corrales’ firing with the team in first place at the time is still a mystery.

Before 1960, Eddie Sawyer had a 390-424 mark from 1948-52 and 1958-60. Red Dooin was the most successful in the beginning of the 20th century with a 392-370 slate from 1910-1914, and Harry Wright was the winningest in the 1800s with a 636-566 record from 1884-93.

Good Time Charlie and Dutiful Dallas ... Manuel served for nine years in Phillies pinstripes and won two pennants along with a World Series title. His teams won five National League East crowns and had one second, third, and fourth-place finish. Manuel was fired after a 53-67 start in 2013, and then-budding star manager Ryne Sandberg took over. That didn’t quite work out as expected.

Manuel also had a successful three-year stint with the Indians from 2000-02 before he joined the Phillies in 2005. He posted an overall 78-636 career mark with the Phils, and won 1,000 games and lost 826. Manuel’s homespun approach was a hit with the players and fans.

After the collapse in the playoffs the previous two seasons, and the team losing interest in 1979, Ozark was fired Aug. 3 and replaced with Green. At the time, general manger Paul Owens believed Green would be the spark to a veteran club that signed Pete Rose specifically for a World Series run.

Green had a memorable post-game tirade on Aug. 11 after a 7-1 loss to the Pirates in the first game of a doubleheader. Philadelphia beat writers referred to Green’s tirade along the lines of a tremor that shook the Allegheny Mountains. Unfortunately, it didn’t immediately work as the Phils lost the nightcap, 4-1. Pittsburgh was a Death Valley to the Phillies in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.

But it did work out in the long haul, as Green left the Phillies after the 1981 season to become the GM of the Cubs. He is the only person to manage the Phillies, Mets, and Yankees.

The Fab Four ... Mauch was considered by many to be the team’s manager of the century. He never captured a divisional title, but he managed to stay intact from 1960-68. He was the consummate manager, and probably got a bad wrap for the 1964 collapse. Mauch had a career record of 645-684 with the Phils, and later had success with the Angels. In between, he had stops with the expansion Expos and the Twins. However, Mauch was once again haunted, as the Angels were eliminated in the 1986 playoffs in the “Donnie Moore game,” when the reliever gave up the lead to the Red Sox. Tragically, Moore never overcame the loss and took his life.

Ozark was relatively unknown when the Phils hired him in 1973, but he was highly touted coming from Walter Alston’s stable. He fortunately inherited a rising team, and basically allowed the games to play themselves out. Ozark was critiqued for his malaprops such as the “I would trade Mike Schmidt for a wagon load of pumpkins” during spring training in 1974, and also for “Even Napolean had his Watergate.”

He finished with an overall record of 594-510.

Fregosi was hired by GM Lee Thomas after Nick Leyva was fired after a 4-9 start in 1991. Fregosi and Thomas were teammates on the Angels, and he had been a special assistant to Thomas.

Fregosi proved to be the perfect fit for the “Macho Row” that was formed soon after he was hired. He was fired in 1996 as the Phillies brass expected him to have a better than 6-6 postseason record. Fregosi also had stints with the Angels and White Sox. He had a 421-463 Phillies’ record.

Owens was the ultimate pinch-hit manager. He took over for Frank Lucchesi after the Phils stumbled to a 26-50 start. He finished that season with a 37-43 record.

In 1983, Owens stepped in for Corrales, who was let go at the All-Star break. Owens led the “Wheez Kids” to a 47-30 regular-season mark, and then to the World Series. His final year of managing was the following year, and the club finished with an 81-81 record.

A Brave New World ... With their 105-57 record, the Braves are the favorite to win the World Series. They have a team batting average of .276 with 305 homers, 907 RBIs, and 1,536 runs scored. Shortstop Orlando Arcia is the lone regular without 20 homers.

Last season, Atlanta finished with an overall 101-60 record. They had a team batting average of .253 with 243 homers, 753 RBIs, and 1,394 runs scored. They appeared to be headed to be back-to-back World Series champions. But then the Phils got in their way and won three of four in the NLCS.

This season, Atlanta’s pitching staff has a 4.10 ERA, but their starters have accumulated 58 wins. Their bullpen has 49 saves, led by Raisel Iglesias’ 33. The Braves’ pitching staff certainly has benefited from their offense this season. However, they have struggled since the All-Star break, as the starting staff ERA has hovered around 5.00.

Like last season, the Braves’ destiny will depend on their offense.

The Braves could potentially have a rematch with the Phillies that would begin Saturday in Atlanta. But first, the Phillies have to beat the Miami Marlins in a best-of-three first round series.

Do I see the Braves winning it all? Something seems like it could be their year. Still, don’t count out the Astros.

As far as surprises, the Orioles are quietly having a tremendous season, but their youth may hurt them. It could be same for the Twins.

The American League playoffs are wide open, and anything can happen. I believe it comes down to Atlanta and LA in the NL.

Readers Write ... On the subject of Phillies’ managers, regular contributor Richard Ochs notes, “this is a no brainer! Greatest Phillies manager - Charlie Manuel!! If you couldn’t play for him, you couldn’t play for anybody! The book is still open on Rob Thompson. It’s too early. We’ll see what happens in the next five to eight years.

Bethlehem’s Mitch Thomas chose Manuel because “he had sustained success and got the job done in the 2008 World Series.”

Feedback ... Your comments, ideas, and thoughts are welcomed at tnsports@tnonline.com