Game 43: Fatherhood
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Game 43: Fatherhood
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
Jimmy Rollins is a dad. His wife, Johari, gave birth to the couple's first child — a baby girl — Sunday night. The Phillies shortstop was absent during batting practice Monday and is not in Charlie Manuel's lineup for the series opener against Washington. He will not be available.
Then again, it might not be a bad time for Rollins to rest. He has reached base in 15 straight games, but is hitting only .230 with a .666 OPS in those games. He's down to a .578 OPS for the season, the worst for any player in baseball with as many plate appearances (185).
"He could be hitting better of course," Manuel said. "His defense has been fine. He's gotten off to slow starts before. It's nothing new to him. He's going to have to pick it up for us. I think he will."
Here, then, is the 35th different lineup in 43 games. No, it is not a split squad game.
1. Juan Pierre 7
2. Placido Polanco 5
3. Shane Victorino 8
4. Hunter Pence 9
5. Carlos Ruiz 2
6. John Mayberry Jr. 3
7. Freddy Galvis 6
8. Mike Fontenot 4
9. Kyle Kendrick 1
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
finally a productive pop up— retzlaff- Good news all around.— tobyjoe
- I think the Phillies should grant Rollins family leave so he can tend to his new family. Five months would be a fair amount of time.— rpfoxslfox
- Kyle Kendrick's wife is a MAN, Baby!— stoptothinkisanidiot
- when jimmy gets hot like he inevitably will all you loser trolls will be nowhere to be found— AlexSp
- This article is twisted. It leads with a monumental occasion for Jimmy's life and segues right into a Negadelphia type rip on his current playing. Wow. Time for some self reflection there Matt - about what's really important in life - hint: It's not his current OBP.— Barry O
- Yes his current OBP (OPS actually referenced) is important to us, Barry O. The article is for us. I don't care much about him having a baby.— AbeVigoda
- No problem, he's been MIA since opening day anyway.— jimmymack
- I am excited to see the Galvis/Fontenot double play tandem at work! See you all out there.— Clt Philly Fan
- I'll take any reason to get him out of the leadoff spot. This is better than him showing up 40 minutes late, loafing on the field or gettting hurt...Were all winners!!! And add me to the trolls list b/c J-Hole has been the worst leadoff man in baseball for 3 years running— JuanSamuel4prez
So is The Font playing short or is Freddie going back to his best position. Where he would show up Jimmie instead of Utley?
Someone tell me again why we signed Jimmy for 3 more years? Only older players who work out and keep themselves in shape are successful late in their careers. Yoga anyone?- @retzlaff: LOL! That's some fine comedy there!— PhilaLogic
- I hear he named the baby Harry after Harry Kalas. Class act!— stoptothinkisanidiot
- Congrats to jroll and johari. For ppl complaining about his play, perhaps his wife's pregnancy was on his mind. I hope they enjoy good health and that jroll wants to show the lil one what a big parade is like!— Ototheg
- So it took his wife having a baby to get him out of the lineup. I sincerely hope we don't have to wait 9 months for it to happen again. God forbid being a crappy leadoff hitter enter into the equation.— lazyboy
