Phillies Manager Manuel Remains Positive In Defeat

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel bemoaned his team's stuttering offense as they surrendered their World Series crown to the New York Yankees on Wednesday, but insisted the campaign had still been a success.

"I told them that I loved the way they played, and we definitely were fighters and we never quit," Manuel told reporters after the National League champions fell to a 7-3 defeat that gave the Yankees a 4-2 series triumph.

"The fact that we want to keep what we've got as far as attitude and chemistry, our philosophy on how to play, and the fact that we have a lot of resistance or endurance or whatever you want to call it. We love to play baseball."

The Phillies, who won their second World Series last year and expect all their key players to return next season, should have more glory years ahead, Manuel added.

"I think it's going to be our heydays, as you might say," Manuel said. "I think we have the talent and I think that we can tinker with our team enough to get even better."

One of the players Manuel believes will improve is closer Brad Lidge, who was exceptional in their victorious 2008 campaign but poor this regular season and again in the World Series, when he crumbled in a pivotal Game Four defeat.

LEARNING EXPERIENCE

"We want that trophy back," Lidge said after the loss. "Baseball's always a learning experience, that's the whole point of this game. If you play long enough, you're going to have bad years and you're going to have great years."

"I think we'll be back but they were better than us this series. They outplayed us," said Phillies ace Cliff Lee, who registered both Philadelphia wins against the Yankees.

"We knew it was going to be a knock-'em-down, drag-'em-out World Series," said slugger Ryan Howard, who broke out of deep slump to hit a two-run homer in Game Six.

"We just got beaten. They were just the better team."

Center fielder Shane Victorino opted to focus on the positive aspects of Philadelphia's performance.

"We're definitely disappointed, I am, but you try to look at the positive side. We had a great season, we played a great team."

Victorino, who grounded to second for the final out to set off celebrations at Yankee Stadium, believes the play will haunt him for some time.

"I guess I'm going to see myself all off-season making the last out," he said.

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