After being passed over for the job four years earlier, Bowa was named manager of the Phillies on November 1, 2000. Taking over a team that had gone 65-97 in , Bowa led the club to a surprising 86-76 mark in , two games behind the National League East Champion Atlanta Braves. Bowa was honored as National League Manager of the Year and also received the "Sporting News" NL Manager of the Year Award that year. In addition, he was voted the "Baseball Prospectus" Internet Baseball Awards NL Manager of the Year in '01.