Jimmy Rollins returns to South Philly

They first began cheering when they entered the field when the gates at Citizens Bank Park opened on Tuesday night, when they saw their old friend taking ground balls during Dodgers pregame batting practice.

They got loud again about 10 minutes before the game, when Jimmy Rollins returned to the field for pregame stretching in shallow left field.

But the generous crowd - at least for these dark days - reached a crescendo as Eminem and 50 Cent's "Till I Collapse" blared over the ballpark's speakers and Jerome Williams threw his last few warm-up pitches.

Even before long-time public address announcer could read aloud the name of the game's first hitter, the crowd rose to its feet as Rollins walked toward the batter's box. He raised his helmet in appreciation.

But they didn't stop. The sound carried on for nearly a minute.

Rollins stepped out of the batter's box and raised his helmet a second time.

Prior to the game, Rollins, the 36-year-old shortstop who first joined the Phillies organization in 1996 and didn't depart until December, was asked if he knew what was coming at around 7:05 p.m. Tuesday night.

"I've seen players when they return so I get a good idea of what it's going to be like," Rollins said. "I think that helps because I have seen them come back regardless of how they finished here."

Rollins finished as the franchise's all-time hit king. But the cheers weren't for any one accomplishment. They were for all Rollins did, from win an MVP in 2007 to propel the team to it's first playoff appearance in 14 years, to being a crucial piece to the World Series-winning team the next year, to providing Gold Glove defense at a premium position and production at the top of the lineup for more than a decade, too.

Rollins received a hearty homecoming on Tuesday night. His first at-bat ended when he swung through a 2-2 curve ball from Williams.