Is it possible Charlie Manuel will regret providing a boost to Jonathan Broxton’s confidence?

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And now for the most intriguing question of the 2010 All-Star game:

Will Philadelphia Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel rue his decision to let Jonathan Broxton close the National League’s 3-1 victory over the American League on Tuesday in Anaheim?

Could Broxton come out of this all pumped up and full of confidence, and a different pitcher in the postseason?

Not that Broxton just blew everyone away, but helped by some excellent outfield defense, he got the job done as the NL ended a losing streak at 13 games.

‘It was a dream come true,’ Broxton said. ‘For Charlie and his staff to have enough confidence in me to go out there and put me in that inning was pretty awesome.’

Broxton, of course, has come under his share of criticism for his perceived struggles (think Matt Stairs) in the last two NL Championship Series, against Manuel’s Phillies.

Broxton is 0-1 with a 5.06 earned-run average with one save in the last two NLCS against Philadelphia. The critics’ refrain: He’s not mentally tough enough to handle the pressure when the stakes elevate. When the heat’s really on, the big guy shrinks.

So when David Ortiz lined Broxton’s first pitch for a single to open the ninth inning, how many where thinking, here we go again? Apparently, not Broxton.

‘Not at all,’ he said. ‘I just wanted to go out there and pitch ahead.

‘I just left that first pitch right down the middle. I knew I had to bare down a little right there and the guy at the plate was the one I couldn’t let score.’

But Broxton made things more interesting when he fell behind to John Buck 3-and-0.

He would never throw another ball.

Broxton was throwing heat, the radar gun constantly reading his fastball at 98-99 mph.

‘That’s my bread and butter,’ Broxton said. ‘That’s why I’m here. If I have to reach back and get some more, I can.’

But Buck lifted Broxton’s next pitch to medium right field and Marlon Byrd sprinted in.

AL Manager Joe Girardi’s position players were down to Alex Rodriguez, but he elected to keep him in reserve rather than have him pinch-run for the less-than-fleet Ortiz.

When Buck looped his hit to right, Ortiz held up slightly less than halfway to second base, waiting to see whether Byrd would make the catch. He didn’t, but got it on a hop and fired to Rafael Furcal at second base just ahead of the sliding Ortiz.

‘I was watching it and I was hoping [Byrd] could get close enough to have a shot at second,’ Broxton said. ‘I knew David was flat-footed, and if he wasn’t halfway to second, we were going to have a chance.’

Ian Kinsler then lined a drive to right-center field that Chris Young ran down and Broxton had himself an All-Star save.

‘If you can pitch here, you know you can pitch anywhere because you’re pitching against the best,’ Broxton said.

For all he has been through, Broxton is still a relatively young closer. He just turned 26 and this is only his second season as the team’s full-time closer.

As good as he has been, the Dodgers figure he’s still growing, still developing.

And just maybe, Manuel helped that evolution along Tuesday. A decision that could come back to haunt him.

‘Maybe,’ Furcal said. ‘We’ll see what happens.’

-- Steve Dilbeck