Manuel takes fast track to Wall of Fame

Charlie Manuel will be inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame on Saturday, Aug. 9. He'll also be the lead guest at the fifth annual Alumni Luncheon for Seniors on Aug. 8.

Normally, a three-year waiting period following retirement is required before an Alumnus can be placed on the online ballot. The Phillies waived that regulation and bypassed the fan ballot this year, as they had done in 1989 and '90 when Steve Carlton and Mike Schmidt were inducted.

The greatest pitcher and greatest player in our history deserved the exceptions. As the greatest manager, Manuel deserves the same respect. Fan balloting will return in 2015.

Halladay among spring instructors
Phillies guest instructors this spring will include Larry Andersen, Gary Matthews, Brad Lidge, Roy "Doc" Halladay and Dave Hollins. Doc will be in Philly for Alumni Weekend, which includes his Bobblehead Night for the Aug. 8 game against the Mets.

Alumni news and notes
Tim McCarver, who retired last fall after broadcasting 27 World Series on a national basis, is returning to local TV by working 30 games with the Cardinals in 2014. ... Jeff Manto is the new Minor League hitting coordinator for the Orioles. ... Todd Pratt is the new president of the Sunbelt Summer League in Georgia, after being a manager in the league for the past five seasons. ... Rob Ducey is back in the game as a coach for the Phillies' Reading club. He had been a scout for the Blue Jays before being out of the game for a couple of years. ... Chris Coste is the new baseball coach at Concordia (Minn.) College. He's bringing his team to Florida in March to play games and will attend the Feb. 26 game against the Blue Jays at Bight House Field. Coste will throw out the first pitch that day.

Mariana Duncan is a coach for the Daytona Beach Cubs in the Florida State League. ... Warren Brusstar is the pitching coach for Napa Valley (Calif.) College. ... Scott Eyre serves in the same capacity for a private high school in his hometown of Bradenton, Fla. ... Rod Barajas is the manager of the San Diego Padres' Rookie team in the Arizona League. ... Kevin Stocker again is a color commentator for the Pac-12 Conference TV network. ... Milt Thompson returns as a Minor League instructor for the Kansas City Royals. ... Jared Sandberg (Ryne's nephew) will manage the Rays' Port Charlotte club. ... Brandon Duckworth has joined the Yankees' organization as a scout.

The Reading Fightin' Phils are retiring Sen. Jim Bunning's No. 14 on June 12. Bunning wore that number when he managed there in 1972. Other retired Reading numbers include No. 9 (Robin Roberts), No. 24 (Schmidt) and No. 26 (Ryne Sandberg). All are enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Rheal Cormier is part of a group called MC Sports out of New York. The group owns the Reno Aces, the Triple-A club of the D-backs, and Bowling Green (Ky.) club, a Class A team in the Rays' organization. ... Pedro Martinez will be inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame this season. ... Roger McDowell (Major League pitching coach), Rich Dubee (Minor League pitching coordinator) and Gene Garber (guest instructor) will be in Atlanta's Spring Training camp.

Did you know?
Von Hayes once hit into two triple plays in consecutive at-bats. Fortunately, it was in Spring Training, when stats don't count.

"I was in Spring Training with Cleveland," said Hayes. "Being a young guy, I would play in morning 'B' games and sometimes play in the regular afternoon games.

"One day, I came to bat with runners on first and second and no outs in a 'B' game, [and] hit a line drive to the second baseman who started a triple play. That afternoon, I got in the game with the same situation, runners on first and second. This time, I lined to the first baseman, who stepped on first and then threw to second to complete another triple play."