Phillies Notebook: Manuel benches struggling Rollins for at least two games

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Charlie Manuel has a strong belief in the importance of clubhouse communication, so a little after 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, he called Jimmy Rollins into his office and shut the door. The news he delivered - that Rollins would be out of the lineup for at least the next 2 games - wasn't entirely unexpected.

The 2007 MVP shortstop, mired in an 0-for-19 stretch that was less a slump and more a continuation of an epic 3-month struggle, had made an uncharacteristic mental lapse in the field the night before that extended an eighth inning and eventually led to five Rays' runs. With Rollins' .211 batting average obviously weighing on his mind, Manuel decided it was time to give his scuffling star another mental vacation.

"I want him to sit down. I want him to kind of get away," Manuel said. "I told him if he didn't want to, he doesn't have to take BP. I want him to just get away for a couple of days and sit and watch and hopefully just relax and try to get his thinking back and the way he feels and everything."

Rollins, who declined to speak with reporters prior to last night's game, spent a large portion of batting practice shagging fly balls and talking in centerfield. It isn't the first time Manuel has given him a day off this season. Rollins did not start two consecutive Sunday games in April, and did not start on June 6 against the Dodgers, although he pinch-hit in the ninth inning and played three innings in the field of the Phillies' 3-2 12th-inning loss.

But this is the first time that Manuel has committed to a multiple-day absence.

Rollins, who hit .207 in April, appeared to be snapping out of his funk in May. He hit .287 with 11 RBI, 20 runs scored and two home runs over 24 games from April 25 to May 22 to raise his average to .240, the highest it had been since the first game of the season. But in the 29 games since, he has hit .172 with a .213 on-base percentage, with 11 RBI, 15 runs, and three home runs.

"I've noticed now for a while that Jimmy, he's trying to do things instead of being relaxed and going up there," Manuel said. "I think he's definitely thinking about [how] he wants to help our team, and I think that's bothering him. He sees something in the game where he figures, right now is a good time for me to help our team, and all of a sudden it's not getting done. And it makes it worse for him."

But Manuel insists he will not move Rollins out of the leadoff spot whenever the sabbatical ends. Centerfielder Shane Victorino, the usual No. 2 hitter who batted first last night, entered the game hitting .305 with a .371 on-base percentage. And second baseman Chase Utley has hit second in 16 games this season. But Manuel firmly believes Rollins belongs at the top of the lineup.

"I think he's the leadoff hitter," Manuel said. "I think he is our leadoff hitter. Victorino has hit in there and he is the guy that probably replaces Jimmy when he isn't in the game at the leadoff hole, but at the same time, I look at both of those guys as hitting in the top of the order. To me, we have to get Jimmy right. That's the whole purpose of sitting him. I don't see how moving him around in the lineup helps one bit at all here. I don't understand that. I don't see it. And I've been around him for 5 years now as a player, and I think that he is our leadoff hitter. And I think for us to get our offense going and everything like that, the big thing is trying to get him going."

Bullpen healing

 

Eyre will throw a bullpen session today and participate in fielding drills tomorrow. Provided he has no setbacks, he is scheduled to pitch minor league games on Monday and Wednesday. Assuming those go well, he expects to be activated next Friday. Eyre is eligible to return from the disabled list tomorrow, but the Phillies want to make sure his calf strain is completely healed, because it is an injury prone to reaggravation. *

For more Phillies coverage and opinion, read David Murphy's blog, High Cheese, at http://go.philly.com/highcheese.

 

The Phillies' beleaguered bullpen received two pieces of good news yesterday. First, closer Brad Lidge was activated from the disabled list, a move that had been announced Wednesday but was not made official until the team sent lefthander Sergio Escalona back to the minors yesterday morning. Second, lefthander Scott Eyre (calf) received his rehab assignment, which will likely bring him back to the active roster by the start of the Phillies' series against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park July 3.