PHILADELPHIA -- When he was first traded to the Phillies as part of the deal that sent Jim Thome to the White Sox in November of 2005, Aaron Rowand didn't know what to expect. Having played his entire career in the American League up to that point, he wasn't familiar with Philadelphia, its players or its front office.

However, a year and a half in a person's life can change a lot, and now Rowand and his family -- his wife, Mary Ann, and his two children, Tatum and McKay -- couldn't be happier. The Rowands even made their offseason home in the area, something that was common in the 1970s and '80s, but not seen too often in today's game.

An outspoken straight shooter, Rowand recently took time to sit down with Phillies Magazine and discuss a variety of topics -- from living in Philadelphia to what it takes to build a winner.

Phillies Magazine: It's been 18 months since the trade that brought you here took place. How has it been?

Aaron Rowand: I've enjoyed my time here tremendously. Not only playing in a cool city with a beautiful ballpark, but the fans have been great to me the whole time I've been here. Most importantly are the guys on the team. Playing with this group has been a lot of fun. We have a fun team that enjoys being together and doing things together, not only on the field but off.

PM: Having been here now for over a year, how would it feel being traded again? Would it be another unusual experience for you or do you think you'd be used to it?

AR: [Not being in Philadelphia] would feel very weird. This was my first time being on a new team in a new situation. I didn't know the people in the front office or the guys on the team or much about the city. It was all new to me and I felt like a fish out of water for a while trying to get used to it. If I got traded to a new team, it would be like starting over again. Getting traded is never easy. You start to grow attached to guys on the team, friendship-wise, and that makes it really hard to leave.

PM: You've made your offseason home in Philadelphia. There was a time when Mike Schmidt, Larry Bowa, Greg Luzinski, Lenny Dykstra and Tug McGraw -- just to name a few -- lived here year-round, but it's not something that is seen very often anymore. Talk about living in the Philadelphia area.

AR: We ended up buying a house here. In Chicago, I never bought anything. For one, I wasn't making enough money and two, where we wanted to live, the real estate was so expensive it made it hard to buy a place. We got lucky here. Mary Ann and I found a house we really like in a great area. We have a great neighborhood and my kids play outside all day long with all the other kids. It feels like where I grew up -- it's a comfortable atmosphere. It was a very easy decision to move here. I loved the offseason and I really enjoy the area. Not only Philadelphia, but where I live [in the suburbs].

PM: Let's shift gears for a minute. You're someone with a World Series championship ring on your finger. Over the last four seasons (2003-06), the Phillies have the fourth-best record in the National League (345-303), yet no playoff appearances. In that time, they have a better cumulative record than the Giants, Dodgers, Marlins, Cubs, Padres and Mets -- all teams which made the playoffs. In your opinion, what does it take to win?

AR: Number one is pitching. That's first and foremost. From there, I think it's the guys and the team chemistry. How the team comes together and pulls for each other is a very underrated part of baseball or any sport, for that matter. Having to spend as much time together as we do, if you don't have that chemistry, it doesn't translate on the field. Whereas, if you do have that -- guys getting along and really caring for each other -- it's easy to go out there and come together, both in the clubhouse and on the field. I think it shows in performance. We've always had the team, offensively, to put up runs, but it's all about pitching and defense. We didn't have the greatest offense in the world in Chicago when we won it, but our pitching was outstanding and so was our defense and, really, that's what carried us through.

PM: Do you see any similarities between the 2005 White Sox and the 2007 Phillies?

AR: I do see some similarities. Our pitching is where it all starts and we have five solid starting pitchers, along with Brett [Myers] closing in the bullpen. And, of course, with Flash [Tom Gordon] and [Ryan] Madson and the other guys, our bullpen is actually pretty good -- when healthy. We've been a little thin because of injuries, but I'd say the pitching part is pretty good.

PM: How do you build that team chemistry you spoke about? Is it a situation where it's either there or not there, or can you work at it and gradually bring guys together?

AR: It begins and ends with the type of guys on your team. If you have guys who are very introverted and don't say much who are businesslike, it's tough to try to get "in" with them because that's their personality. But when you have guys who are outgoing, who like to get together, it's easy to build. Sometimes it takes forcing guys to do things, but once you open them up, it's good. Team parties, team dinners, barbecues, whatever. I've had a few get-togethers at my house. When you get the team together in a relaxed atmosphere away from the ballpark and you're having fun, that will translate into people having fun in the clubhouse and on the field.

PM: Last year you had to sit on the sidelines for the final month of the season after breaking your ankle and watch the team come within an eyelash of making the playoffs. How was that for you?

AR: That was the most frustrating time I'd ever had in my career. I had never been on the [disabled list] until last year and having to sit and watch and know that I could be helping if I was healthy drove me nuts.

PM: From what we've heard, you lent as much moral support as possible every night on the bench.

AR: You try to be a cheerleader and try to keep guys up. It's pretty much all you can do. Break out your pompoms.

PM: Last topic. It's no secret that you are very close with Phillies manager Charlie Manuel. You two spent a lot of time in the batting cage together during the offseason in Philadelphia, and it's showing results as you're off to the best start of your career. Talk about Charlie, both as a manager and a person.

AR: Charlie is very much a players' manager. He interacts a lot with us and has fun with us. He's always 110 percent behind you, so you always know that you will have his support. He believes in us and he's right there behind us in every step we take. He keeps the atmosphere relaxed and fun and he's probably one of the most honest guys I know. There's no gray area with him, he lets you know exactly what he's thinking. If you screw something up, he's gonna tell you.

PM: In your mind, is it a situation where if you don't know the man, you really have no idea what he's all about?

AR: Absolutely. Unless you're in [the clubhouse] as often as we are and you get to talk to him on a personal level, I don't think you'll ever get to know him. When you get him away from the microphone, he's very funny and a lot of fun to be around. The people that criticize him don't know anything about him as a person. They only know what they see on TV or what they hear from somebody else. I think he gets a lot more grief than he should, but that's just part of the beast in this game.