Jimmy Rollins apologizes to Charlie Manuel
ATLANTA — The door opened at 4:23 p.m. and Jimmy Rollins smiled. Charlie Manuel chuckled from inside the visiting manager's office at Turner Field. The Phillies lineup was already made in Manuel's head and it included Rollins even before he issued an apology during a seven-minute chat.
Jimmy Rollins apologizes to Charlie Manuel
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
ATLANTA — The door opened at 4:23 p.m. and Jimmy Rollins smiled. Charlie Manuel chuckled from inside the visiting manager's office at Turner Field. The Phillies lineup was already made in Manuel's head and it included Rollins even before he issued an apology during a seven-minute chat.
"He walked in there," Manuel said, "and manned up."
A day earlier, Rollins was benched for not running out an infield pop up. It was two weeks to the day Manuel admonished Rollins for a similar lack of hustle. Manuel viewed the latest offense as disrespect toward him, his teammates and the entire organization.
Rollins said the act was not premeditated and he reached an understanding with Manuel. The shortstop admitted he does not hustle on every play. "It just doesn't happen that way," Rollins said.
He does not believe it is an issue.
"There's obviously a spotlight on it," Rollins said. "If I was the only player to ever do that and do that in this game today it would make sense. But I broke the rule, like I said. That was the result of it."
Manuel said he briefly contemplated sitting Rollins again Friday. Rollins figured he would play because he had not made a scene when removed and confessed to the gaffe.
Rollins said he had just emerged from the underground batting cage Thursday before his sixth-inning at-bat. He wanted more work on his righthanded swing because he had popped up in his previous at-bat.
When he did it again, he said he was immediately overwhelmed with confusion.
"The first thing was you didn't get the run in," Rollins said. "Second, it's like damn you were just in the cage literally working on that. How do you do it again? And that was really about it. That's all that went through my mind."
Manuel said he could understand that. But it did not preclude Rollins from running.
"I don't want to try to have to make Jimmy run," Manuel said. "I want Jimmy to want to run. I want Jimmy to want to run because you're supposed to run and you should run. That's what baseball is all about."
The manager, of course, knows that is unlikely to happen. Rollins, 33, is rooted in habit. The Phillies committed four more years to him this past winter. He is one of the best defensive shortstops in the game and above average in offensive production.
None of that, Manuel said, justified what he saw.
"That doesn't mean you let it go," Manuel said. "You don't let it pass."
Rollins was asked if he feared fans will eventually remember him for his lack of hustle rather than the world championship, MVP award, Gold Gloves and All-Star appearances.
"No, not really," Rollins said. "They're isolated incidents. From maybe my third year it was already something. Actually, my first year. Let's be real. It was always something. That's the decision people will make."
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
When Utley and Howard were out, Rollins was, essentially, the team leader. The team was 14 games under .500. Utley and Howard come back and the Phils are 7 over .500. I know they are not playing at their 2008 levels, but what this tells me is the presence of Howard and Utley in the clubhouse, demanding hustle and effort, does make a difference. Rollins? He was my favorite player in 2007 when he won the MVP- I'm not seeing that guy on the field or as a team leader right now. I am not ready to dump him, there are not many 20 HR, 70 RBI shortstops with the glove he has, but he should not be the leadoff hitter and he needs to remember that people on this team do follow his lead.— KMG- It is over charlie you just EDDIE HASKELLED , MRS CLEAVER— Ubercatholic
- I'm supposed to believe this is the last time this will happen again? I'm glad the Ugandan kids weren't at this game. Imagine their disappointment. Hard to believe he could go from the greatest day with publicity to the worst in less than 24 hours. What a guy!?— kmon
- A 12 year veteran pops up and he's "overwhelmed with confusion." WTF? He's either lying or incredibly stupid! Take your pick.— jocko
- WOW, what a shock! Jimmy and Charlie back together again, smiling, happy, pseudo-apology made and accepted.
That Charlie is sure a tough guy, isn't he?
This is embarrassing on every level, but what can we do? Genius Ruin Jr. doesn't seem to notice a season up in flames, or he just doesn't care. From the comfort of my two $65 seats yesterday, a few rows up from the dugout, I got to see Jim-ME's act, and I lost it.
Now, this fast, Poppins is back where he wants to be in the lineup tonight , not working the count, not doing a thing to help the team get started, just contributing two lazy shallow flies to right and center.
That'll show 'em, Charlie, that'll show 'em.
— advantasux - last week, I nominated a certain unnamed poster dumb*ss of the month. I stand corrected...I forgot about the esteemed @only 9 who graced us with more of his genius higher up on this board.— advantasux
- And then the silly, old fool patted Little Jimmie on the head and sent him out to bat leadoff.— Wilhelm Von Humboldt
- Let me start by saying I admire Charlie as a person and for what he has accomplished in his long career but his loyalty is so blind he has to go.For a huge intimitading man he is the least confrontational person. I cant believe that he admitted that Rollins name was "in the lineup" even before JSTROLL apologized. Back in 1969 the year the Mets won the World Series they had a hitter Cleon Jones who led the league in hitting. One game a fly ball was hit down the leftfield line and Jones lazily chased it down. It was a double and would have been a double whether he ran hard or not but he loafed. The manager Gil Hodges called time out and slowly walked from the dugout all the way to leftfield- talked to Jones for a few seconds- and they slowly walked back to the dugout together as he pulled him from the game in front of 55,000 people....Thats how you send a message and Gil Hodges was as nice a guy as you can find but he was high;y respected . Sorry Charlie its over. JSTROLL will never change and you are his enabler— flyers1000
- whats with Halladay; he sweats so much; every humdid day he struggles; cant the Phillies medical staff provide something for him?this keeps happening— rich1224
- Rollins is the poster boy for all that is wrong with the Phillies: petulant, overpaid, heartless. Phils need to pull a Red Sox redux.— DameB
- 404 - Integrity Not Found.
Please check your fandom and try another organization.
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— Quixote II - Rollins the one-year wonder..— GJK3161
- The very definition of a non-apology.So talented, but Jimmy has never got it.And, of course, he thinks it's about the fans' lackof respect when he has a lack of respect for the game and his hustling peers. Yeah, it happens a lot but that's what has made the Phillies different in recent years and YOU are the exception to the rule. Trade him while he still has value. (HTML deleted)— VicM
- The very definition of a non-apology.
So talented, but Jimmy has never got it.
And, of course, he thinks it's about the fans' lackof respect when he has a lack of respect for the game and his hustling peers. Yeah, it happens a lot but that's what has made the Phillies different in recent years and YOU are the exception to the rule.
Trade him while he still has value.— VicM - Charlie has lost the team & I don't know how he has such a great relationship w/Rollins, who obviously doesn't genuinely respect Charlie...Time for Charlie to go into an advisory role in 2013..Rollins? His offense has been in decline since 2007, still plays great defense but his attitude must have a negative impact in the clubhouse...Ship him to LAD, and suck up 1/2 the salary..— Polecat_39
