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Thursday, July 24, 2008
Rollins, late for the game, disagrees with decision to bench him

Jimmy Rollins has never been known as an early-arriver, but yesterday he arrived at Shea Stadium a little too late for Charlie Manuel's liking. After the MVP short stop arrived at the park about an hour before yesterday's game, Manuel met with him in his office and informed him that he would not be starting a game the Phillies would eventually lose 3-1.

Rollins, who was benched earlier in the season for failing to run out a fly ball, said he disagreed with the decision this time around.

"We're not going to agree on this one," Rollins said. "I agreed with him last time but we're not going to agree on this one. I think he understood that and I understood it. But he's the manager, and he has to set a precendent and for certain players you are expected and held up to higher rules, and that's fine, that's part of it."

Rollins said he kept his normal routine, leaving the hotel in his own car 10 minutes after the second team bus departed for Shea Stadium.

"It's the same thing I do all the time," Rollins said. "Usually leave about 10 minutes after the bus when I drive myself. But you can't change lights and stuff."

That said, Rollins said he would not brood on the decision or let him affect him the rest of the season. He grounded out while pinch-hitting in the ninth inning. His replacement, Eric Bruntlett, had three hits, including two doubles.


Posted by David Murphy @ 3:28 PM  Permalink | 18 comments
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Comments
Posted by shoeshineboy 04:12 PM, 07/24/2008
Murph: Who else takes their own car? How many players ride the bus vs. getting their themselves?
Posted by derrickwh 04:31 PM, 07/24/2008
I love JRoll, but I don't want to hear any excuses about traffic lights or anything else. If you're expected to be at the park by a certain time you should be there. Period.
Comment removed.
Posted by Truth 04:39 PM, 07/24/2008
J Roll coming off a MVP season has earned the right to use whatever mode of transport he chooses to get to the staium PERIOD. Whats better him being lively in the dugout and driving himself or making strange faces and being a hermit on the bus/dugout like Utley?
Posted by bjlindy 05:01 PM, 07/24/2008
It doesn't matter. I am afraid that this series signals the beginning of the end for the Phillies. They simply can not hit with runners in scoring position. You can't mash your way to World Series. No playoffs this year. :(
Posted by jason14 06:14 PM, 07/24/2008
And yet, as a team, they have a higher OPS and BA with runners in scoring position than last year's club. Rollins and Howard, significantly so. But they obviously lag in other areas. In truth the team is lacking opportunities -- simply getting on base, and getting to second -- more than they've lacked success capitalizing on them.
Posted by Gary Paul 08:57 PM, 07/24/2008
Murph, Are these just isolated situations with jimmy , or is there more than meets the eye to Charlie repremanding him.
Posted by guit10 10:57 PM, 07/24/2008
A little more info would be nice......as mentioned, do other players take their own cars? How late after the 2nd team bus was he? Has this been a recurring problem?
Posted by phoenix phlash 12:07 AM, 07/25/2008
Youse philly fans are too easy on the 'stars' , and seem to ignore the underperforming catcher who is barely hitting his weight, and the third baseman who rarely gets a timely hit. And these two are making peanuts when compared to utley,howard and rollins who are acting like they deserve their multimillion dollar salaries. Let's face it, the all stars are not clutch hitters. EAton and Myers have lost ther hearts and desire to perform . Where would we be without hamels, moyers,kendrick,lidge, the rest of the bullpen and the guy you seem to love to hate, pat burrell? 4th place! The fightin' phils don't fight anymore. The underpaid people who never get to play, taguchi, coste, bruntlet dobbs, to name a few, are getting pressure ulcers on their butts for sitting so long on the bench. Disappointed, you bet I am. The overpaid underperforming phillies do not deserve to be in first place. phoenix phlash
Posted by maximusud 02:12 AM, 07/25/2008
Phoenix, you're right. But you have to have faith in your core players. If they lose it, they lose it, there are no excuses. Those guys ARE your franchise, for better or worse. J-Roll I have serious issues with... the others, not so much. Oh well. We were spoiled the last few years anyway. At least now we can drink ourselves to death without worrying that we'll miss a come-from-behind win.
Posted by lgroniko 10:50 AM, 07/25/2008
Proposed New Rule: On the road, everyone travels on the team bus. No exceptions. If you're late for the bus, which is conveniently parked at the curb next to the hotel for Pete's sake, then you accept the consequences.
Posted by terryharmon 01:09 PM, 07/25/2008
It's like dead from the neck up Jose Reyes has inhabited J-Roll's body. This kind of crud should be expected (but not condoned) by a bratty 25 year old (like Reyes) not last year's MVP. Our only hope is this wakes Mr. Rollins up. Btw... how late was he to the ballgame?
Posted by terryharmon 01:09 PM, 07/25/2008
It's like dead from the neck up Jose Reyes has inhabited J-Roll's body. This kind of crud should be expected (but not condoned) by a bratty 25 year old (like Reyes) not last year's MVP. Our only hope is this wakes Mr. Rollins up. Btw... how late was he to the ballgame?
Comment removed.
Posted by hassan114 02:11 PM, 07/25/2008
when will charlie bench chase for a few games?? he's hasn't been hitting for over a month!!!
About David Murphy
David Murphy joined the Daily News as its Phillies beat writer in February of 2008. Born in Upper Merion and raised in the Poconos, he attended college at La Salle University before taking jobs with the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Sun-News and the St. Petersburg ( Fla. ) Times.
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