Charlie Manuel pulled Roy Halladay from a baseball game Thursday, three outs before a shutout, with a pitch count of 92, in perfect weather, against the Pittsburgh Pirates who could barely push a baseball past the pitching mound.

"I understand it at this point," Halladay said. "But a couple weeks from now, I am going to fight him."

Those are the rules ... as Manuel knows.

This is one, too: Win.

So in came Jonathan Papelbon and, 10 pitches later, the Phillies were 1-0.

It was a risky decision. Not the wrong one. Not the right one. But the kind managers are paid to make.

 "Rich Dubee and I knew exactly where (Halladay) was with his workload," Manuel said. "The next time he goes out there, we might be able to push him over 100 pitches. In three or four starts, he will be wound up to go 115, 120 pitches."

Roy Halladay and Jonathan Papelbon are two of the most accomplished pitchers of this generation. Individually, they are great. Combined, they were too much for the Pirates.

If the Phillies win the N.L. East by one game, remember the day in April when Charlie Manuel made a courageous decision.

Chcek out my column in the Daily Times Friday and, as always, on delcotimes.com