Lack Of Hustle Benches Rollins
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Thu, June 05, 2008 07:54 PM | Comments: 22
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Jimmy Rollins was benched after not running out a pop fly in today’s game against the Reds. The fly was dropped by shortstop Paul Janish, and Carlos Ruiz — hustling all the way — scored on the play. Rollins was found on first base. He was benched after the next inning.
David Murphy first reported the reason for the benching. Rollins said afterwards:
“There is no explanation. I just didn’t do it. It happens every once in a while. Sometimes the manager gets you.”
No explanation for running out a pop fly seems like a complete cop. Fans have observed Rollins hasn’t even been trying to run down the line recently during sure outs. One wonders if Rollins isn’t the same player since his injury. Sure he’s been hitting singles and doubles, but that hustle, that gritty play — it has evaporated. That Manuel pulled him after this incident shows he won’t take a lazy effort from anyone, including the team’s vocal leader.
Something tells me Rollins won’t do this again. If anyone wants to play everyday, it seems to be him. Now, he could be injured and trying not to put pressure on his legs with sure outs, and if that’s the case, he’d better speak up. But in reality, it seems he’s been slacking lately, and now he has to shape up. A team’s vocal leader has to also lead on the field. Meanwhile, seeing the easygoing player-friendly Manuel make such a bold move is a fresh thing to see.
Posts: 0 VA Steve
The right move Charlie. Every play is important if we want to bring home a championship!
Posted: 08:12 PM on June 5, 2008
Posts: 0 park
You gotta hustle every play; this is exactly why coaches have been yelling it since since the beginning of baseball. I’ve noticed Rollins not running out some balls (specifically last night in the 0-2 loss to the Reds), but I figured his ankle was still bothering him a little. Still, Ruiz, who runs like he’s got cement boots on, proves good things happen when you hustle.
Posted: 09:15 PM on June 5, 2008
Posts: 0 chris m
i love the move wish it came sooner as i posteed b4
Posted: 09:28 PM on June 5, 2008
Posts: 0 Brian Michael
Has anyone else though of this as a good thing? I mean, like a really good thing? The usually hands-off manager did the right thing by benching a lazy player even though he is the reigning league MVP. Then a conciliatory Rollins completely agreed with him and took full blame.
Missanelli touched on this on his radio show today, but he called it a love fest. I call it the attitude of champions as people are putting the team ahead of themselves. It gives me goosebumps.
Posted: 09:51 PM on June 5, 2008
Posts: 0 Tim Malcolm
It’s just refreshing. Last year when Willie Randolph did this to Jose Reyes, there was complaining and snipes all over the place. This is a recognition. Hopefully there’s no injury or secondary reason behind this. If not, it’s just refreshing and indicative of a great team.
Posted: 09:56 PM on June 5, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
that sent a message for sure. i really like the way rollins handled it. so many horses asses that play pro sports would make a scene during that press conference and run their mouth at the coach. rollins stepped up and took responsibility and i think hell be fine now. he had been a little lax since returning from injury.
Posted: 10:28 PM on June 5, 2008
Posts: 0 dan
a little off topic, but thank god we’re not dealing with an internal situation like the red sox right now. i just saw the clip on baseball tonight and it was intense. thankfully, the phils are an easygoing squad. it’s hard to picture anyone on our team fighting anyone else, with the exception of myers and maybe some punches thrown by burrell or jenkins.
Posted: 10:37 PM on June 5, 2008
Posts: 0 Phil
I don’t think Burrell or Jenkins would fight a team mate, but I bet Burrell would knock the fuck out of Billy Wagner.
Posted: 10:53 PM on June 5, 2008
Posts: 0 Greg V.
Coco Crisp’s actions are a disgrace and he deserves a lengthy suspension and a large fine for it.
Rollins on the other hand was the first to take blame for his lack of hustle. He was a good sport and I think both parties could not have handled it any better. This is a winning team here and I really think it’s going to be special this season. We are going to look back on this season as something great.
Posted: 10:59 PM on June 5, 2008
Posts: 0 Paul
I’d cut Coco Crisp if I was in charge of the Red Sox…
Posted: 12:41 AM on June 6, 2008
Posts: 0 Tommy A
Phil –
Yeah, I agree…Burrell would turn out Wag’s lights. As for Myers, here’s a scenario for ya…
http://www.sportsmansdaily.com/Phils_Pitcher_Gets_Revenge.html
Posted: 12:56 AM on June 6, 2008
Posts: 0 Phil
hahahahaha that would be hilarious!!!
Posted: 01:17 AM on June 6, 2008
Posts: 0 Phanatic74
Rollins has not been the same since he won MVP . . . . I not sure if he understands that he is supposed to keep trying to play up to that level or at least try ? I’m glad manuel benched him today. Jimmy should be on the up and up going forward! But how about Eric Bruntlett? He is starting to win me over . . . Not enough to buy a Bruntlett jersey, but he is doing a good job!
phanatic74.wordpress.com
Posted: 01:51 AM on June 6, 2008
Posts: 0 scot
Tim already touched on what I was gonna mention, namely the difference in how Rollins handled his benching compared to Reyes last year. Some Mets blogs are even worried this will inspire Rollins to hit the cover off the bar for the next few months. Live and learn. Acknowledge the mistake and move on. Charlie did the right thing, and Jimmy knows it.
Posted: 08:32 AM on June 6, 2008
Posts: 0 Tim Malcolm
The majority of the sentiment here in New England is Coco has to go … go. The block put on him was legal; the spike is just plain Cobb-ish. Of course the Rays are going to retaliate with a HBP, and they only hit him in the thigh. Moreover, both the spike AND the mound charge were pre-meditated.
Crisp is an infection for that team. He whines when he doesn’t start and when he does (becuase of Papi’s injury), he costs the entire team. Then Ellsbury injures his hand. Meanwhile, Manny might be injured and he got in a little tussle with Youkilis in the dugout.
Then you look at the Phillies, and Rollins owns up to his bad baserunning. End of.
I ask, which team is in better shape?
Posted: 09:10 AM on June 6, 2008
Posts: 0 Rosco
I think this is great for Jimmy.
His career has been a highlight reel until this year…he damn near won the MVP his first year (some guy named Pujols walked away with it), he has been a gold glove canidate since the day he toof the field, he won the MVP last year…now this year he goes into an early slump, gets injured and is so far behind in the All Star voting that the only way he’s going to Yankee Statdium is if he buys a ticket.
I think he was a bit down, and this will awaken his fire.
I know it’s easy to say, “Go out there and hsutle everyday on every play,” but there is a mental fatigue that comes with being human.
I think this will help Jimmy refocus on the main goal of any athlete, to be the last man standing…or at least standing side by side with 24 others in October.
Posted: 09:46 AM on June 6, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
I was at the game last Tuesday vs. the Rockies… and was wondering why Rollins wasn’t running out ground balls like he normally does. Somebody last week said they thought he might still be injured, and yesterday.. he hits a lazy pop-up.. and doesn’t get to second base… Utley would have been thinking about 3rd on that play.
The replay was shown on CSN, they shows Uncle Charlie’s reaction.. and Utley was right behind him..they said something to each other, Utley pointed out at Rollins, and Chalie nodded (did anyone else see that??) Then Rollings gets the bench…
I LOVED the move.. that lets every other player know that anytime you are out there, you better give it 100% because if the MVP can get benched for not hustling, you can too.. great move, but really it was just doing what needed to be done.
Crisp is a bumb..he knew he was going to get plunked.. he was yelling at them the other day that if they were going to hit someone for his dirty-play, that they should hit crisp, and no other member of the Red Sawks.. so they drill him in the leg (not the head, or ribs…) the leg…and he charges the mound. I wish Shields would have caught Crisp;s chin with that right-hand-haymaker.
Posted: 09:47 AM on June 6, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
You gotta love the Rays players stepping up this year… I’d love to them overtake the Yankees and Red Sox, cause I’m sick of those two teams.
******
The tempers between the teams carried over from Wednesday’s game when Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon felt Crisp “intentionally†tried to hurt Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura with a hard slide when he was caught stealing.
“I protected my own players and that’s what we need to do around here,†Shields said. “We’ve been getting stomped around the last 10 years and it isn’t going to happen anymore. I had to let them know early and let them know right away.â€
Posted: 09:51 AM on June 6, 2008
Posts: 0 Phil
I respect Shields for doing that. The Rays need to show baseball who are the team to beat in the AL East. With the injuries and age of the Sox I think and hope the Rays will take that division. The youth the team has means they won’t make it to the promise land, but they’ll know what it’s like to be AL East champions. I still think the Red Sox in the long run will take the wild card and get to the world series again, but it would be nice to see even the Jays come back and take 2nd and the wild card in that division.
Posted: 10:42 AM on June 6, 2008
Posts: 0 NateB
The Red Sux are as bad as the Yankees. I can’t stand either of them. That would be awesome if the Rays win that division. Anyway, the Phils really are a lovable group, and I agree with everyone that Manuel made the right move to bench Rollins for the day. Chase Utley is now the silent leader of the team, and with his example of hustling the Phillies will go far.
Posted: 12:27 PM on June 6, 2008
Posts: 0 ryan
don’t know if this has been posted on here, but an article i read on philly.com says that Charlie really tore into the team down in Washington after they lost to Tim Redding a few weeks ago. Says he really laid it down and tore the whole team a new one. especially tearing into Victorino for complaining about playing time. good for charlie. glad to see he is getting it done without media hoopla and keeping it in house.
Posted: 12:56 PM on June 6, 2008
Posts: 0 Matt Kwasiborski
This situation reminded me of when Bobby Cox pulled fat-ass Andruw Jones out of the game for not hustling on a sure out against the Phils. Jones went on to tear it up the rest of that year!
Great for Charlie, he deserves the praise. And Rollins handled it with class! Now, let’s hope he isn’t injured and returns to the MVP form on this very difficult roadtrip!
Posted: 01:51 PM on June 6, 2008