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.
I wish this was the first time I've heard about this, but it's not.— 46 and 2- Yet Jimmy will jump all over fans for leaving a game early and missing his "heroics".— Sidewinder7
- JTrot needs to be banished to the video room to watch Utley run to first, every time, for the past several years. EVEN Sarge, a Company man of the first order, commented on this mess.— NewMick314
- 75 to 80 % of the players are lazy? Sure Chawlie. Proving you're incompetent and an apologist too. Ownership needs to get rid of both these clowns. And to think Amaro couldn't figure out Rollins would never hustle again as soon as he got his contract.— wo_fat
- If we were winning, not much would be said! I under stand the frustration the fans are having but if you think about it, not often does the fielder or first baseman make a mistake and your hustle goes rewarded.96 out of 100 times your thrown out, and you mean to tell me that the 4 times he may have been safe would have made a big difference. Im no way saying that what hes doing is ok by any means, but if the odds are that 96% says your going to be thrown out, why pull a hamstring in a meaningless game!!!!— huntnmike3666
- Why??? How 'bout because he's paid millions of dollars to hustle! How about because it's four, maybe five times a game that he has to run (if he doesn't strike out). I think what really irks everyone about yesterday's stunt is that it was not a routine grounder - it was hit in the hole and with any kind of hustle, he probably beats it out. This coming on the heels of Pierre's game winning infield hit - a guy older than J-Stroll who sets the example.
Pull a hamstring?! Are you kidding. Maybe he shouldn't even bat...he might get a splinter!— jimyd0315 - Just when you think you've read it all...
Why bother to swing the bat at all? Most of the time you'll swing and miss, hit it foul or make an out. Why bother to take a shot on goal? Most of the time the shot will go wide, get blocked or saved by the goalie.
You do it because that's the way the game is supposed to be played! You do it because that's how you win! How can that not be more clear?
And who says these games are meaningless? Isn't finishing the season with a winning record a worthwhile goal? Don't you think the Phils will look more attractive to a potential free agent if they hustle and win games down the stretch instead of mailing it in? And what about playing spoiler? Wouldn't it be fun to mess up the National's season? Every game that the Phils win puts a tiny little bit more pressure on the teams in front of them. Those tiny little bits add up over time. Isn't that worth playing for? And what about when the Phils play the Nationals and the Braves next? Wouldn't it be nice to sweep them? How are they going to automatically push "the hustle button" on when they've been dogging it for weeks?
— TexColorado - about 4 months late don't ya think?— raoool
- Headline: "Perceived" lack of hustle? No, it's not a "perspective." That was a factual lack of hustle.— dglass1
- I meant it's not a "perception." — dglass1
- There is choice. Do you play for the love of the game ? One more reason for the winter house cleaning. Fat cats are slow and lazy. Especially fat cats that wear WS rings and have even fatter bank accounts. This is bigger than Charlie. Time for RAJ to step up.— oldBird
- Rollins' lack of hustle between home plate and first base defines who he is for a lot of people in this town.— escapedcamden4monterey
- Fans have ALWAYS complained about Rollins NOT hustling, even when they were winning..His arrogance is sickening and his disrespect for his manager has made Manuel COMPLETELY ineffective in disciplining that team. Chollie is too SCARED to discipline him and the media is too SCARED to call them both out...we SAW him STROLLING down first base IT WASN'T PERCEIVED. I had to watch it with the Marlin broadcast team calling the game and THEY called him out. But somehow it's his teammates fault that their manager isn't doing HIS job and Rollins is too self absorbed to realize that he's throwing his "enabling" manager under the bus. Summon up the courage to suspend him for a few games Chols...and while you're at it PERMANENTLY remove him from leadoff.— hope55
- oldbird- your exactly rite!!!! Once you get that WS ring and a fat pay check, whats there to play for! Thats why i said i think they should get paid on performance on a weekly basis, you dont perform, you dont get paid. You dont start because of performance, you get less, and so on. Make these guys earn their money instead of just giving it to them thinking they will keep performing. Make some clauses in their contracts....jeeze... its that simple!— huntnmike3666
- A better manager would have gotten more from Rollins...........low expectations = lowered results. Too bad.— Northcountry
