Rollins To Play In WBC; No For Lidge, Hamels
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Thu, December 18, 2008 12:39 PM | Comments: 20
Posts
David Murphy is reporting Jimmy Rollins is likely to be placed on the United States roster for the World Baseball Classic.
This all comes from Mike Schmidt, who is pumping Rollins up across the country. Rollins will be backing up shortstop Derek Jeter (seriously, Rollins is better).
But Rollins might be the only Phillie on the American squad; both Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge turned down invitations. Which I’m happy about. Honestly, this World Baseball Classic takes away a good bit from the focus of Spring Training. Sure, a game is a game, but I’d much rather have all my guys at camp, working together, teaching together, learning together.
Posts: 0 Geoff
Thats an insult to Jimmy Rollins. Derek Jeter should be backing him up instead..
Posted: 12:51 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Griffin
I didn’t know that Hamels and Lidge turned down invitations. That’s great news. Also, why isn’t Howard DHing for Team USA (assuming Teixeira is the starting 1B)?
Posted: 12:52 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Manny
It’s great that Hamels and Lidge are not going and staying with our team… And Rollins > Jeter.
Posted: 12:58 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
Geoff what seems like 45 minutes.. you were talking about how we should trade Jimmy Rollins becase Jason Donald is an All-Star.. Rollins gold glove wasn’t deserved in 2007.. etc..
Now I don’t want to stir up old arguements, but Derek Jeter deserves to be the starter at SS.. lets not go crazy with praising Rollins as the greatest player ever..
He’s a very, very, good shortstop.. but Jeter is the captain of the USA team, and should definitely start
For 1st base, I heard that Tex and Lance Berkmann would be on the squad. Chipper Jones and Berkmann would be the DH’s with David Wright starting at 3b.
Michael Young at 2b with Utley out?
I’d like to see our pitchers in the games, but with 35 extra innings on his arm from the postseason, im glad Hamels is resting
Posted: 01:09 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
hamels needs to rest….
all kidding aside, jimmy rollins is the best American defensive shortstop, period. he gives them the best chance to win as a starter. derek jeter is old…
i think john lackey is going to pitch…havetn ehard about any other starters…im psyched to find out what that rotation is gonna be like…
Posted: 01:14 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Griffin
I heard Pedroia is going to play 2B for team USA as well. They can’t find a spot for Howard to pinch hit when team USA needs a home run/strikeout?
Posted: 01:14 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Griffin
I remember Webb, Clemens, Dontrelle Willis and Peavy was the four man rotation last time.
Let’s see, some American pitchers are: Sabathia, Webb, Peavy, Lincecum, Oswalt, Harden, Haren, Billingsley, Lowe, Burnett, Joba, Beckett already turned team USA down, David Price, Shields, Danks, Halladay, Greinke, Verlander.
Those are just off the top of my head. A lot of good American starting pitchers.
Posted: 01:18 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
funny that I forgot about the AL MVP… my bad dustin
Sabathia isn’t pitching because he’s on lock-down, Peavy will either be newly aquired and not allowed to pitch, or the Padres won’t want him pitching because he’s trade bait and they need him healthy. Billingsley broke his leg.. doubt the Yanks let Burnett pitch either..
Webb is a FA after next year, I doubt his agent wants him throwing. Hallady is Canadian.. Joba isn’t that good.. Harden was injured at the end of last year, he’s out.
Lincecum, Oswalt, Price, Haren, I wonder if Myers, Shields, Verlander are the kinda names we see..
Posted: 01:27 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Griffin
Don M, I forgot that Billingsley broke his leg, but you’re right that Sabathia and Burnett and Peavy won’t be allowed to pitch.
Halladay is from Colorado, he just looks Canadian.
Thank goodness Hamels and Lidge aren’t pitching in this thing.
Posted: 01:31 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Chuck P
Glad that Rollins (> Jeter) will be representing the USA however he will need to spend some time working with whoever will be replacing Utley at 2B in April/May…
WBC rotation… Johnson wants to go heavy lefty…
Lackey (R, agreed)
Cliff Lee (L)
Aaron Cook (R)
Lester (L)
Danks (L)
Saunders (L)
Posted: 02:23 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 JohnKruksLoveChild
It’s a shame because I think the overall idea of the WBC is great, but it’s just so tough to do given the lack of time. As was pointed out, during the off-season you want to see the players working together and team building. During the regular season, the all star break is enough of an interruption and that’s only one game.
Posted: 02:47 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
I think its a great thing for the game of baseball though… see if Italy, Australia, etc… any random countries that aren’t “baseball factories” have some talent and expand the game even more to ensure that MLB always has the best players in the WORLD.
China has to have some players good enough to play in the majors, right? We know Cuba has great baseball players.. I really like the idea of WBC, but team USA didn’t take it seriously enough in its first run
Posted: 02:59 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Eb
There are a bunch of rules about eligibility, but i remember reading Utley is not allowed to attempt
Posted: 03:00 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Manny
They should just suspend the MLB season (and other leagues) for 2 weeks or so to have this tournament. Similar to what they do with the World Cup… soccer leagues all over the world tweak their schedules on the year the Cup takes place so that the best players can participate. I’m not a fan of having it right before the start of the season, when players should be getting ready to play with their ballclubs.
I’d really like this to become an important worldwide tournament… but if the timing is not right, it won’t happen.
Posted: 05:00 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Spitz
Disappointed that Rollins is going to play in this. I wish he was in Clearwater getting reps turning the DP with Bruntlett and Donald, as we may be seeing a lot of that in April and May.
Is this World Baeball Classic even a serious thing? Does anyone care?
Posted: 07:02 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Evan
I really like the idea of the WBC and I hope it catches on. I’ll bet that a lot of people from Latin American countries are excited to see some of the best MLB players represent their home.
Posted: 08:58 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Jason
Tim,
it may be time to dust off a Phillies taking Lowell from the Red Sox with Sox paying some of his salary for _______ .
I don’t know what would make that deal happen. But with the Red Sox deficiency at short it would seem a natural fit with Donald.
Posted: 09:49 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Evrybuddy Hits woohoo
I’d like to know if the new MLB network is free on Comcast. I would like to watch the WBC
Posted: 11:38 PM on December 18, 2008
Posts: 0 J-Man
I’m happy to hear Hamels and Lidge won’t be participating because our luck they’ll get injured or something…I don’t mind Rollins participating good for him,i’m shocked too he’s backing up Derek Jeter because he’s much better then Jeter today.
Posted: 06:27 AM on December 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Griffin
Evrybuddy Hits, the MLB network will be on Comcast. MLB gave minority ownership to the cable companies in order to get MLB network broadcast on all the companies (unlike the NFL network). The MLB network will premier on January 1st.
Posted: 01:20 PM on December 19, 2008