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High & Inside: Rollins admits 2010 injuries affected last season

JIMMY ROLLINS spoke at a youth clinic in Hampton, Va., over the weekend. The kids learned a lot about baseball and even more about the Phillies shortstop.

Jimmy Rollins spoke at a youth clinic in Hampton, Va., over the weekend. (Steven M. Falk/Staff Photographer)
Jimmy Rollins spoke at a youth clinic in Hampton, Va., over the weekend. (Steven M. Falk/Staff Photographer)Read more

JIMMY ROLLINS spoke at a youth clinic in Hampton, Va., over the weekend.

The kids learned a lot about baseball and even more about the Phillies shortstop.

Rollins said that injuries he suffered in 2010 - when he played a little more than half a season's worth of games because of two calf strains - had a huge effect on the way he played in 2011.

Physically, Rollins was in good shape at the beginning of last season. But mentally?

According to dailypress.com, Rollins told the kids his 2010 injuries had a lingering impact.

"You play the rest of the season not to get hurt," he said. "And it's less about baseball than, is it going to happen again? It's less about stealing a bag. It's about, if I try to steal a bag, will I get hurt? Or, if I try to stretch a single into a double, is it going to happen again?"

That may explain, in part, why Rollins began last season the way he did.

He batted .282 in April, .242 in May and .239 in June. Eventually he righted himself, hitting .312 in July and .261 in August before going on the disabled list and missing significant time with a groin strain.

We can only hope the 33-year-old puts that injury far behind him before he steps up to the plate in April's season opener.

Classless lowlife

It's only Monday but we already have our choice for "Slimeball of the Week."

His name is Jerry Martin and he's auctioning off a pair of game-worn cleats signed by the late Pat Tillman.

On eBay. For $3.2 million.

Tillman, you'll remember, voluntarily left the Arizona Cardinals to join the Army Rangers after the 9/11 attacks and was killed by friendly fire in 2004 in Afghanistan at the age of 27.

According to Foxsports, the 51-year-old Martin, who is from Arizona, acquired the shoes at a charity auction in 2001.

"Out of respect for the Tillman family, I didn't even put the shoes up for auction for years," Martin told Foxsports. "But now I'm hoping that someone will enjoy these and cherish them as much as I do."

What a guy!