After perceived lack of hustle, Rollins meets with Manuel
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After perceived lack of hustle, Rollins meets with Manuel
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
MILWAUKEE — The loudest sound in the visitors clubhouse at Miller Park hours before Thursday's game was the echo of bat meeting ball from an adjacent room. There, Jimmy Rollins worked. He hit a ball off a tee for some 20 minutes while teammates watched TV and lounged.
Upon arriving at the ballpark, Rollins was summoned to Charlie Manuel's office for a meeting. At times, Rollins said, there was laughter.
"We have two rules: Hustle and be on time," Manuel said. "We'll see. That's all I have to say."
Manuel was not enraged enough to yank Rollins from Wednesday's game after not running out a grounder to shortstop. They did not chat following the 9-2 loss to Miami. After the pregame talk Thursday, Rollins appeared at the top of Manuel's lineup.
"I'll handle it," Manuel said. "And if I don't handle it, that's my fault."
Three team sources, each of whom requested anonymity in respect for Manuel, believed it was a larger problem that no player in the Phillies clubhouse chided Rollins for his mistake.
"That was terrible," one of the sources said.
Another noted Rollins has done similar things in the past that were easier to overlook with the team's success. Headed for a long winter, there is more criticism.
"Winning kills all," that source said.
Rollins agreed with that sentiment.
"Those things only come about when you lose, and that's the truth," Rollins said. "Nobody said nothing the day before when you win, or when you go from first to third on a ground ball up the middle, or when you score [from first] on a ball hit down the line. So you take it with a grain of salt."
Rollins, calm and relaxed Thursday, indicated there was a problem before he stepped to the plate in the sixth inning Wednesday.
"I was just upset before I even got up there," Rollins said. "I was already out of it. Mentally just upset."
Why?
"It's nothing to be talked about," he said. "It's not an excuse."
Asked if he regretted it, Rollins said, "Sure."
Manuel said there is no use in singling out one player for a lack of hustle. He has benched Rollins for similar situations in previous years. The manager estimated "75 to 80 percent" of players don't run at times.
"Every time I watch a game I see it," Manuel said. "But at the same time, that gets old after a while. You don't have to accept it."
He believed his intended message was understood.
"Everybody is going to hustle. That's my job. That's for the integrity of baseball. That's for respect for the manager, the players and the organization. Everything. No matter who you are."
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
- Very shortly after Rollins came back to the dugout the cameras panned on Pierre talking with him and shaking his head.
— escapedcamden4monterey - Rollins rather cavalier attitude about hustling is legendary. Why do you think 80% of the posters here call him "J-Stroll"? I have always liked J-Ro, but his all around play this season-- like so many others, has been a real disappointment.— pajamas
Since perception is reality for some people, I would think a player with a history of hamstring problems would have at least 3 speeds. Speed 1 is full afterburner to score, advance or catch a ball in an important situation. Speed 2 is fast enough to avoid criticism for dogging it but not so fast as to endanger the hamstring. Speed 3 is a jog speed used for jogging, home runs or where the ball has already hit the defender's glove and you are 100% sure that you are too far from the bag to be called safe. I guess Speed 3 didn't do it and the situation wasn't right, either. I didn't see the AB.— r a leon- It looked more like Speed 4. — escapedcamden4monterey
- Rollins tonight has stolen two bases. That's great, but he has to understand that, as a big-leaguer, he has to hustle *all* the time. And he needs to focus on hitting line drives and ground balls. With his speed, he can beat out a lot of grounders. I really don't care if he never hits a home run.— camdenlawprof
- There are enough problem areas on this team for the veteran manager having to sit down the veteran SS on how to go about playing the game. I'm sure Mr Montgomery and RAJ want to see this guy retire as a career Phillie, but there is no way this lack of hustle can be tolerated for 3 more seasons. Every avenue of trade should be looked at come the end of the season.
Besides showing disrespect to the game, his team mates and the organization, he shows disrespect towards Phillies fans, who have rooted him on from the beginning. Only a matter of time before he opens his yap about the front running fans telling him how to play his game.........— DelawareRiverRat - Pop-n-Trot thinks it funny. Phillies fans don't.— Bruno Sammartino
- At least Jimmy gives you production. Lets talk about the most overpaid pitcher in the history of the game..Cliff Lee; what is it with this guy and back to back hrs? Does he give up the most ever? How about hrs in general; man he just lays it in there with no movement. The Phillies battle back and he keeps giving up Hrs; I hope we can deal him in the off season. Give me back Randy Wolfe!— rich1224
- He got his money. Why does he need to hustle. RAJ made a big mistake by signing him. How million/year does he make? Too much. He needs to watch videos of Pete Rose. He never too a play off and ran out everything even when he would walk. Jimmy is suppose to be a leader, start acting like one.— huff11965
- Has to be benched, period. Disruptive to a team and divisive. Too bad Manuel doesn't get it. Got rid of one attitude with Victorino and his laughing while the team is losing, now get rid of the other attitude. Obviously, dumping one attitude hasn't adversely affected the won/loss business. Doing better without him even without a good cf.
- Rollins doesn't hustle? OMG stop the press! I said it before and I'll say it again, re-signing him was a mistake. Thanks for the memories Jimmy but I wish you would go away. And take Howard with you.— Fly Guy
- It's time to send Jimmy back home to Oakland. They need a shortstop and team leader, and he admitted he'd like to close his career in his hometown. What are you waiting for Ruben? He takes his job for granted. A trade would be a wake-up call for his "coolness." And, the savings could be used for a real impact player.— RunningTheBases
- Both Rollins and Chowlie should be gone. I still can't believe the Phils signed him for 3 years with his stats going down hill each of the last 5 years. Absolutely stupid. Keeping Chowlie...also Absolutely stupid.— mbutley
- Signing JRoll for more than 2 yrs was a big mistake based on his declining stats and injuries. Now RAJ has another rapidly depreciating asset...I just hope Jimmy doesn't say anything really out-of-line about the fans or Philly; then the booing might start and it could get ugly. I thought he would be a career Phillie but that doesn't look like a good plan now..time for him to go w/the Phillies eating some of his salary.
And it's obvious Charlie has lost control of the team AND there's no leadership in the locker room.
Rich1224: Agree on Lee; the honeymoon should be over...He's way too inconsistent to be worth $20+M..to trade the Phils will need to eat some of his salary too— Polecat_39 - and just WHO would you replace Jimmy Rollins with? He is a future Hall Of Famer, & he is STILL one of the best shortstops in baseball. Rollins & Jeter-everyone else -you can have them.— Philsfan56
