Jimmy Rollins News: Pro Sports Daily

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February 24

Camden Courier-Post

"Jimmy Rollins has returned for another spring training with the Phillies, but this year he left his psychic powers at home. A prediction for 2010? Sorry, J-Roll doesn't have any. "The magic 8-ball?" the Phillies' shortstop/prognosticator said Tuesday after the first full-squad workout at the Carpenter Complex. "Shoot, I don't know where that thing is." But Rollins hasn't misplaced his outspoken opinions or his lofty individual goals, all of which were on display during a chat with the media. Who's the better pitcher, new Phils ace Roy Halladay or Mets rival Johan Santana? "Overall, Roy is -- as far as pitching is concerned," Rollins said. "Now, you bring the hitting side of things and ..."

Predictions? Nope, Rollins has got to run

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February 24

Philadelphia Inquirer

"During the off-season, Jimmy Rollins married his longtime girlfriend, Johari Smith. (The wedding was one month ago yesterday.) They spent eight days in the Cayman Islands and along with all the planning, it made a condensed off-season feel even shorter for Rollins. Apparently the new husband is a changed man. Rollins said he is out of the prediction business, which had become an annual rite of spring for the Phillies shortstop. "At this point, it's just for fun and laughs," Rollins said yesterday. "Everybody knows what needs to be done and what's expected and more importantly everybody believes. Every year you come in to spring training and, of course, we're supposed to win. "But believing ..."

Phillies to keep rolling with Rollins through 2011

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December 19

Camden Courier-Post

"There never was any doubt the Phillies would exercise their option on Jimmy Rollins' contract for the 2011 season. So, why wait? With seemingly no reason to delay the inevitable, the Phillies made it official Friday, agreeing to pay Rollins $8.5 million in 2011 instead of making him play out 2010 as the final guaranteed year on the five-year, $40 million extension that he signed in 2005. "That was something I didn't want Jimmy to be thinking about during the course of the season," general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said by phone. "I view Jimmy as one of the best shortstops in baseball. We're hopeful he continues to be one of the best." Thus, seven of the Phillies' eight starting position ..."

Phils pick up Rollins' option for 2011 season

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December 19

Philadelphia Daily News

"A lot has changed since Jimmy Rollins signed his 5-year, $40 million contract extension on June 13, 2005. Rollins has won a Most Valuable Player Award. The Phillies have won three straight division titles, two pennants and a World Series, a run of success that has led to almost nightly sellouts at Citizens Bank Park. That, in turn, has allowed management to lavish rich free-agent contracts to keep Ryan Howard and Chase Utley and to lure players like Roy Halladay and Raul Ibanez. As a result, on Opening Day last season there were five Phillies with higher base salaries than the $7.5 million the three-time All-Star shortstop pulled down; he also got another $1 million as a prorated portion ..."

Phillies exercise option on Rollins

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December 19

Philadelphia Inquirer

"An expected move by the Phillies yesterday served as a reminder that the team will soon face decisions on many important players. When the team made the announcement that it would exercise shortstop Jimmy Rollins' $8.5 million option for 2011, it locked in seven of eight position players through that season. (Jayson Werth will be a free agent after next year, unless he agrees to a contract extension, which is unlikely.) But as of now Rollins, Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge all can be free agents after 2011."

Phillies exercise Rollins' option

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December 18

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The Phillies made official what was pretty evident all along, exercising Jimmy Rollins' $8.5 million option for the 2011 season. This ensures that seven of the team's eight projected regulars will be under club control for the next two seasons, the lone exception being right fielder Jayson Werth, who will be a free agent after this year. It also gives a clearer picture of the Phillies payroll heading into next offseason, when they will have several critical decisions to make, including re-signing Werth or finding a capable replacement, finding two starters to follow Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and J.A. Happ in the rotation, as well as several bullpen pieces (lefthander J.C. Romero has a $4.5 ..."

Rollins, Victorino again get Gold Gloves

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November 12

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino did not win the World Series again this year, but they are repeat winners of the Gold Glove at their positions.Rollins won his third consecutive National League Gold Glove at shortstop yesterday, while Victorino claimed his second straight in the outfield.Rollins, who will turn 31 on Nov. 27, led all major-league shortstops with a .990 fielding percentage and made just six errors, fewest among full-time big-league shortstops. He had an 86-game errorless streak during the season.Rollins is the first NL shortstop to win three straight Gold Gloves since Rey Ordonez did so with the New York Mets (1997-99). He is the first Phillie to win three in a row at any ..."

Rollins, Victorino win second Gold Gloves

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November 12

Philadelphia Daily News

"While overshadowed by the postseason exploits of Cole Hamels in 2008 and Cliff Lee in 2009 and the most powerful lineup in the National League, the Phillies owe plenty of credit to their defense for back-to-back World Series appearances.Yesterday, for the second consecutive year, Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino received recognition for their roles, earning two of the nine Gold Glove awards given to National League fielders.Rollins, who committed a career-low six errors in 607 chances and led all major league shortstops with a .990 fielding percentage, became the fifth Phillie to win at least three Gold Gloves, and the first shortstop in franchise history to win the award in three ..."

Phils, Cards, LA each take two Gold Gloves

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November 11

MLB.com

"They flashed leather, pulled off web gems, picked it, got their uniforms dirty, and stoked stadiums with razor-sharp routes, dazzling dives and wall-scraping wows. They're the 2009 National League winners of the Rawlings Gold Glove Awards, announced on Wednesday. At first base, San Diego Padres slugger Adrian Gonzalez repeated his 2008 crown by tying for fourth in the league with a fielding percentage of .995. Gonzalez made only seven errors in 1,367 total chances in the midst of his second straight All-Star campaign. The second base Gold Glove returned to the possession of Orlando Hudson, the Dodgers veteran who won Senior Circuit hardware in 2006 and 2007 while with the D-backs after ..."

Yankees silence chatty Rollins

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November 5

New York Post

"In the end, Jimmy Rollins' bat couldn't keep up with his big mouth. The Phillies' veteran shortstop, so lippy when the World Series began, was awfully quiet while the Yankees were crushing Philadelphia's dream of a repeat. Last night's series-deciding 7-3 loss to the Bombers in Game 6 in The Bronx was yet another example of Rollins coming up small as the former MVP went 0-for-4 and stranded three runners to drop his Fall Classic average to .217. That's pitiful, especially for the player who had gone on "The Jay Leno Show" on the eve of the series to predict the Phillies would take the Yankees in five games, maybe six "if we're nice." Rollins had the number right, just not the team. "They ..."

Philadelphia's Jimmy Rollins: Phillies are still better than New York Yankees

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November 5

New York Daily News

"Jimmy Rollins did a lot of talking before the World Series opened last week, predicting a Philadelphia triumph in five games, six at the most. Now that the Yankees have made him look ridiculous, about the only thing New Yorkers want to hear Rollins is how he'd like his crow served. "Of course we're going to win," Rollins said on Oct. 27. "If we're nice, we'll let it go six. But I'm thinking five, close it out at home." Philadelphia took him so seriously there was an ad over the weekend for Phillies World Series Champion T-shirts at Macy's in one of the city newspapers. As for eating crow? "They were the better team this series," Rollins said Wednesday night. "Do I think we're the better ..."

Rollins' prediction looks ridiculous with Yanks up 3-1

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November 2

New York Post

"Maybe Jimmy Rollins should stick to playing shortstop. Nostradamus he ain't. The Phillies are not going to win the World Series in five games, as Rollins predicted, or even six games. They wake up this morning on the brink of the offseason after a 7-4 Game 4 loss last night. They trail the Yankees 3-1 in the Series and now need to win three in a row to repeat as champions. "We're down, but you know what, we're still breathing," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. This is an unusual position for the Phillies. They have not played an elimination game in two years. In fact, before last night, the Phillies had not trailed in a postseason series during the last two years. They now find ..."

Rollins makes opinions plain

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October 30

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins hasn't particularly ingratiated himself to New York baseball fans in the last several years. Already having predicted on a couple of occasions that the Phillies would beat out the New York Mets (he was correct) in the National League Eastern Division, Rollins was sort of trapped into making a World Series prognostication on Monday night on the Jay Leno television show. Rollins, at first, said Phillies in six games over the New York Yankees and then decided he wanted to win the Series at home, so he said Phillies in five. This, of course, was not well-received in New York. But Rollins, after the Phils' 6-1 Game 1 win, said with a chuckle on ..."

Rollins on pace to prove pre-World Series prediction for Philadelphia Phillies to win in five

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October 29

New York Daily News

"Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins is one victory in to making good on his pre-World Series prediction after Wednesday night's 6-1 win in Game 1. "We've been pretty good this postseason, winning Game 1 on the road," said Rollins. The former NL MVP, who predicted on late-night television Monday that a second straight title would be a done deal in five games (six, if the Phillies were feeling charitable), did his part Wednesday night, although his ninth-inning error spoiled Cliff Lee's shutout bid. But it was Rollins' Houdini-esque double play in the fifth that caught the Yankees off-guard. After a leadoff single by Hideki Matsui, Robinson Cano hit a broken-bat infield flare. Rollins ..."

Mouthy SS says Phils in five

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October 28

New York Post

"Jimmy Rollins took out the Mets with a prediction. Now he's taking on the Yankees. The brash Phillies shortstop predicted his Phillies would win the World Series in five games on "The Jay Leno Show" Monday night. Yesterday at Yankee Stadium, he stood by his prediction. "If we play our game, we can beat everybody," Rollins said. "We've beaten everyone they've put in front of us so far. That's our plan. We didn't come this far to not win." So why five games? "I think it would be very tough to take four," he said. "You figure one game they're going to find a way to win. That's the way it is." Rollins knows he will have the bull's-eye on him tonight with the Yankee Stadium crowd eager to see ..."

Rollins predicts Philadelphia Phillies will beat New York

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October 28

New York Daily News

"Jimmy Rollins is back in the prediction business. The Philadelphia shortstop, who famously proclaimed that the Phillies were the NL East's team to beat in 2007, then backed it up with the aid of an epic Mets collapse, says his team will defend its World Series title and dispose of the Yankees in five games. He made the pronouncement on NBC's foundering "The Jay Leno Show" - then reiterated it Tuesday at the Stadium, since Leno's ratings might have resulted in it going unnoticed. "Well, of course we're going to win," Rollins said during the show's Ten@Ten segment. "If we're nice we'll let it go six. But I'm thinking five and close it out at home." Rollins suggested yesterday that he ..."

Rollins predicts victory

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October 28

Camden Courier-Post

"Jimmy Rollins is back in the prediction business. On the eve of the World Series, Yankee Stadium was buzzing Tuesday over Rollins' boast on "The Jay Leno Show" that the Phillies will defeat the Bronx Bombers in five games to win their second consecutive championship. "He's Nostradamus, right? That's what I've heard," Yankees catcher Jorge Posada said. "He's been doing a lot of good predictions. We've got to take it away from him." Rollins, the Phillies' swaggering shortstop, called the Phillies the "team to beat" in the National League East before the 2007 season, angering the New York Mets. But he backed it up by winning the NL MVP and leading the Phillies to the division crown. In June, ..."

Rollins stands by his prediction

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October 28

Philadelphia Daily News

"Two things about Jimmy Rollins: He doesn't shy away from the bold proclamations he makes. And, frankly, they usually come true. On Monday night, the loquacious shortstop dropped yet another prognostication, telling talk-show host Jay Leno that the Phillies would beat the Yankees in five games in the World Series. Today, even as the Yankees brushed off the prediction as good-natured fun, Rollins wasn't backing down. "If I say something, it's how I really feel," Rollins said prior to the Phillies' workout at Yankees Stadium in preparation for Game 1 Wednesday. "I don't just shoot from the hip and hope things go the right way. I've gotten pretty good response in the past, but that really ..."

Series pits shortstops who love the spotlight

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October 28

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Jimmy Rollins is back in the spotlight, and he loves it there."He likes the moment," said Charlie Manuel. "He wants it."Derek Jeter doesn't just thrive in the spotlight, he lives in it, in the constant glare of New York, the Yankees and the career-long expectations that his No.2 would one day join the franchise's litany of retired single digits.Tonight, when the 2009 World Series begins at Yankee Stadium, those two shortstops, the building blocks and linchpins of their pennant-winning teams, will experience the glow together."Rollins and Jeter, there's two great players right there," the Phillies' Shane Victorino said last week. "They've been around longer than anybody, and they're the ..."

Phillies' Rollins: Straw that stirs the drink

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October 21

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist Phil Sheridan

"Jimmy Rollins practically wished this burgeoning Phillies dynasty into being, so it's fitting he has come through in the most high-pressure situations of this postseason. Rollins famously, and audaciously, branded the never-won-a-thing Phillies "the team to beat" in the National League East before the 2007 season. The Phillies have won the division each year since he said it. That says something about Rollins' feel for his team and something about his teammates' respect for him as a leader. It's a twist on the old Rocky Horror Picture Show theme, "Don't dream it, be it." Rollins dreamed it and the Phillies became it. Rollins' series-changing, game-winning double Monday night was just the ..."

Rollins' moment is one for the ages

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October 21

Philadelphia Daily News

columnist Rich Hoffman

"THIS IS WHY people get into my business, to witness history, to write about things that people will talk about forever. It is what happened late Monday night at Citizens Bank Park, beyond deadline, beyond easy comprehension. Sports writers root for very few things, truth be told: fast games, exit-row aisles and late-closing restaurant kitchens being three of the more prominent. We also root for stories. If you are fortunate, you will write about a handful of them that match what Jimmy Rollins did when he hit that ball into the gap in right-center. Anybody in this town who has watched the Eagles tiptoe to the edge before failing, time after time, knows just how rare this kind of thing is. ..."

Phillies manager Manuel says he called Rollins' walkoff double

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October 21

Philadelphia Daily News

"Were you surprised by Jimmy Rollins' walkoff two-run double with two outs in the bottom of the ninth Monday night? Charlie Manuel wasn't. In fact, the Phillies manager said that he called Rollins' shot, pointing to rightfield moments before the shortstop unleashed the laser that scored Carlos Ruiz and Eric Bruntlett and lifted the Phillies to a 5-4 win. According to Manuel, the sequence of events went like this: During Rollins' at-bat, Manuel looked over to the visiting dugout and locked eyes with Dodgers slugger Jim Thome, a longtime friend whom he managed in Cleveland. Manuel said he then pointed to rightfield, indicating where Rollins was going to hit the ball. "Thome is standing over ..."

Rollins' ninth-inning double seals Phillies comeback in Game 4 of NLCS

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October 20

Philadelphia Daily News

"FILLING THE dugout was a cacophony of chatter and superstition, grown men yelling at each other like teenage boys on a summer Monday behind the American Legion, each of them somehow convinced that their words and actions could somehow will into motion their most improbable victory yet. "Same seat! Same seat!" they yelled after the one-out walk drawn by Matt Stairs, on the surface just an old, balding man standing on first base, yet to a baseball team trailing by one run in the bottom of the ninth of a pivotal National League Championship Series game, so much more. What does hope sound like? "Same seat! Same seat!" The chant grew louder after Carlos Ruiz, already one of the more improbable ..."

Phillies shortstop Rollins won't rest again for a while

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August 25

Philadelphia Daily News

"He needed the rest, right?Not really. It was just convenient to keep Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins out of the lineup yesterday.Rollins was hitting .277 since Aug. 2, but attempted only one steal in that span, a clear indication his legs might be a little heavy.Right?Nope."Just wanted to give him a day off," manager Charlie Manuel said. "Jimmy's legs are strong."It might be the last game Manuel can afford to have Rollins miss for a while. The Phils have 3 off-days scheduled the rest of the season, plus two doubleheaders.Rollins had 23 hits since Aug. 2, 12 for extra bases. He walked only three times, so he was only on first base 14 times. And, with 24 steals already, it's not as if teams ..."

Rollins and pals create major memories for kids

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July 24

Philadelphia Daily News

"Growing up in rough-and-tumble Oakland, Jimmy Rollins can remember the first time he interacted with professional ballplayers in an intimate setting.Rollins can tell you when and where it was."The Oakland A's actually put on a clinic," Rollins said. "I only went once though. It was at Greenland Field. That was my first year playing ball. It was like 'Heck, yeah, I wanna go.'"They came out to where we played and we got to learn a few things. I'll never forget the green and yellow coming out to us and what it meant."He just can't tell you which players attended. He would have remembered if Rickey Henderson had been there. But that wasn't what was important.Rollins was 8 years old then. Now ..."

Two-tap technique is a hit for Rollins

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July 5

Camden Courier-Post

"Jimmy Rollins had tried everything else to break out of the worst slump of his career. So, at last, he listened to his hitting coach. For about a month, as Rollins' batting average plummeted and his on-base percentage sagged, Milt Thompson had been advising him to revert to the "two-tap," a timing mechanism in which he steps twice with his front leg as he strides toward the plate. Rollins used the technique in 2007, when he was crowned National League MVP, but as his slump deepened over the past two weeks, he resisted Thompson's suggestion. "He was stubborn," Thompson said before the Phillies took batting practice Saturday. "But when you hit rock bottom, usually you figure it out." ..."

Rollins to return tomorrow

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June 29

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Charlie Manuel has never wavered in his belief that Jimmy Rollins is the most capable leadoff hitter on the Phillies' roster, despite the shortstop's paltry average and on-base percentage this season.Tomorrow, Rollins will return to that role after four games on the bench. "Tuesday, he's going to be back in the lineup and he's going to be in the leadoff hole, unless something really changes between now and then," Manuel said.Rollins is batting .211, with a .254 on-base percentage, but Manuel trusts that the shortstop will find his swing. The manager feels that Rollins' speed is essential at the top of the lineup."That's why Jimmy Rollins becomes really important for us," Manuel said. "With ..."

As Rollins slumps, so slump the Phillies

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June 22

Philadelphia Daily News

"A SINGLE BASEBALL game has hundreds of interrelated parts, all of which influence which team ultimately tumbles onto the field to celebrate after the final out and which trudges disconsolately back to its clubhouse.Still, for your Philadelphia Phillies, there seems to be one factor that stands out.If Jimmy Rollins has a good game, if he's on one of his J-Rolls, there's a better than even chance that the Phils will win.If he doesn't, if he's not, the exact opposite is true.That's one of the reasons Rollins was voted the National League's Most Valuable Player in 2007, a tip of the cap recognizing how integral he was to a team that made it to the playoffs for the first time in 14 years.He ..."

Jimmy Rollins could give Phils a charge

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June 15

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist Jim Salisbury

"There are many reasons to believe that this Phillies season, like the last one, could be headed somewhere special. One of them is hitting a paltry .217 with a woeful .254 on-base percentage. Yes, Phillies faithful, Jimmy Rollins is a big reason to feel good about this season. Slumping, frustrating, underachieving Jimmy Rollins. Look at the standings as the Phils and the rest of the National League East enjoy a day off today. The Phils are four games up on the New York Mets, they have the second-best record in the league, and they've done it with little offensive contribution from Rollins. All over the region, fans are falling more deeply in love with this team and flocking to their ..."

Jimmy Rollins could give Phils a charge

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June 15

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist Jim Salisbury

"There are many reasons to believe that this Phillies season, like the last one, could be headed somewhere special. One of them is hitting a paltry .217 with a woeful .254 on-base percentage. Yes, Phillies faithful, Jimmy Rollins is a big reason to feel good about this season. Slumping, frustrating, underachieving Jimmy Rollins. Look at the standings as the Phils and the rest of the National League East enjoy a day off today. The Phils are four games up on the New York Mets, they have the second-best record in the league, and they've done it with little offensive contribution from Rollins. All over the region, fans are falling more deeply in love with this team and flocking to their ..."

Rollins' home run helps Phillies avoid sweep by Red Sox

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June 15

Philadelphia Daily News

"RAUL IBANEZ is hitting the whey out of the ball and Ryan Howard isn't far behind in the home run derby standings. Nobody even bothers to debate whether Chase Utley is the best second baseman in the league anymore.Pedro Feliz has been jalapeno hot lately. Carlos Ruiz is backing up his superlative defense with some pop at the plate while Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino are having productive seasons. Because of all of the above, the Phillies enjoy a comfortable lead in the division.Still, it's understood that they need Jimmy Rollins to be, well, Jimmy Rollins. He's the leadoff hitter, the spark plug, the X factor, the guy who makes the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Even though the ..."

Rollins showing positives

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June 12

Camden Courier-Post

"There have been flashes -- the eight-game hitting streak last month, the four-hit night May 21 in Cincinnati, the 5-for-8 stretch earlier this week -- that indicate Jimmy Rollins finally may be poised to break out of a season-long offensive funk.Those flashes keep Charlie Manuel optimistic that Rollins will figure it out. But Manuel, the Phillies' manager and hitting guru, is still waiting for Rollins to hit the hot streak that will propel him to his usually productive numbers. In 2005, it was a season-ending 36-game hitting streak. Last year, it was a .313 batting average in September. "Once Jimmy really gets his swing down, he'll keep it for quite a while," Manuel said before Thursday ..."

A leading man's foibles

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May 13

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist John Gonzalez

"Have you ever gotten mad at your boss but taken it out on someone else? Have you ever gone home and emptied your anger on an unsuspecting friend or family member? The unlucky person didn't have anything to do with your lousy day, but it just feels good, doesn't it?Yeah, that was Jimmy Rollins yesterday. Maybe he wasn't exactly mad at Charlie Manuel for dropping him from the leadoff spot, but he didn't seem thrilled, either. Rollins took out his frustration on a familiar face who made the mistake of asking a tough question in an attempt to do his job.After the Phillies' lineup was announced and we learned that Rollins would hit fifth instead of first against the Dodgers yesterday, a group ..."

Lineup change good for Rollins, Phils

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May 13

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist Jim Salisbury

"To understand what Jimmy Rollins felt when he walked into the Phillies' clubhouse yesterday and saw that he'd been dropped from the leadoff spot, you have to know this:Rollins loves leading off. It's all he's ever wanted to do.His love for the top spot in the batting order was spawned when he was a kid. Growing up near Oakland, Calif., he often made the trip to the Coliseum to watch the Athletics and their great leadoff man, Rickey Henderson.Young Rollins idolized Henderson. The kid was so obsessed with the future Hall of Famer and the electricity he brought to a game that he would get upset if an A's game was not televised.All these years later, Rollins was upset again yesterday.He didn't ..."

Three Phillies think pink on Mother's Day

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May 11

MLB.com

"Jimmy Rollins broke out more than just the pink bats Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.He broke out the pink shoes. Major League Baseball celebrated Mother's Day on Sunday, with the Phillies using pink bats in the series-finale 4-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves. Pedro Feliz used his pink bat to score Ryan Howard from second base with a one-out single to left-center field in the second inning to tie the game at 1. Pink bats have become annual Mother's Day symbols as part of an overall "Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer" initiative by Major League Baseball that raises awareness about breast cancer and directs proceeds to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Fans play the next role in this ..."

Lineup change may be in order for struggling Phillies leadoff man Rollins

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May 11

Philadelphia Daily News

"CHARLIE MANUEL says he has considered what 2 years ago would seem unfathomable. That would be taking Jimmy Rollins, your 2007 National League MVP, out of the leadoff spot he has manned for the past nine seasons and moving him down in the batting order. But even after the Phillies' 4-2 loss to the Braves yesterday, when the star shortstop went 0-for-5 and saw his batting averageback below the Mendoza Line, Manuel still could not convince himself that such a move would work. "You tell me where he can go," the Phillies manager said after his team lost for the fourth time in five games, falling to 15-14. "I want to tell you something: I go over that every night. You tell me where he can go. ..."

Rollins predicts a .400 month

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April 28

Philadelphia Inquirer

"After saying in spring training that he had retired from the prediction business, Jimmy Rollins unretired yesterday afternoon. Well, sort of. Mired in an early-season slump that has resulted in his not being in the starting lineup on each of the last two Sundays, Rollins took extra batting practice about four hours before the Phillies beat the Washington Nationals last night. Afterward, he sat at his locker with a big smile on his face. "I felt pretty good, ready to rock and roll," the Phils' leadoff man told The Inquirer. "I'm ready to hit .400 for the next month." Now that's a prediction that manager Charlie Manuel would love to see come true. "Jimmy will get going," Manuel said. "He's ..."

Rollins predicts a .400 month

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April 28

Philadelphia Inquirer

"After saying in spring training that he had retired from the prediction business, Jimmy Rollins unretired yesterday afternoon.Well, sort of.Mired in an early-season slump that has resulted in his not being in the starting lineup on each of the last two Sundays, Rollins took extra batting practice about four hours before the Phillies beat the Washington Nationals last night.Afterward, he sat at his locker with a big smile on his face."I felt pretty good, ready to rock and roll," the Phils' leadoff man told The Inquirer. "I'm ready to hit .400 for the next month."Now that's a prediction that manager Charlie Manuel would love to see come true."Jimmy will get going," Manuel said. "He's what ..."

Rollins: Phils ready to defend title

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April 22

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Charlie Manuel expressed concern Monday about the readiness of some Phillies players to defend their World Series title. Jimmy Rollins disagreed with the assessment. But in the Phillies' clubhouse, all parties are merely guessing. Neither Manuel nor any of his players have attempted to repeat after winning a World Series. The deeper question underlying the Phils entire season - what does it take to repeat? - is therefore ineffable for the team. Willie Randolph, visiting Citizens Bank Park this week as bench coach for the Milwaukee Brewers, has spent more seasons in defending-champion clubhouses than most people in baseball. He said that the keys to repeating are having players who avoid ..."

Rollins can't break slump

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April 17

Camden Courier-Post

"For nearly three weeks last month, Jimmy Rollins was the hottest hitter on the United States team in the World Baseball Classic. Turns out, it was a false start. Rollins, the Phillies' leadoff-hitting shortstop, lugged a 3-for-30 slump into Thursday night's game against the Washington Nationals. And while the middle of the lineup -- Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez -- carried the Phillies to four victories in their first seven games, Rollins batted only .121 (4-for-33) with two RBIs and a .171 on-base percentage. In his first three at-bats against the Nats, he went 0-for-2 with a sacrifice fly. "Jimmy's going to hit," said manager Charlie Manuel. "When Jimmy's right, ..."

Jimmy Rollins has gut what it takes to sell shoes

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March 30

Philadelphia Daily News

"Maybe it's the masochistic overtones.Maybe it's the butt-slapping bonhomie.Whatever it is, it works."It's hilarious," Cole Hamels said."It's pretty funny," said fellow Dick's Sporting Goods shill Ryan Howard.It's Jimmy Rollins' commercial for Dick's, in which the Phillies shortstop hypes the new Nike Air Swingman Remix cleats. In it, he is hit by six baseballs shot out of a pitching machine into his chest and gut. Between impacts, he explains to a pair of star-struck adolescents that baseball is about performance, not comfort.Every time he gets hit, he exudes . . . pleasure?Yep. Pleasure. In fact, after the last ball nails him, he almost groans, "Yeaaahhh."No, he didn't get it, either. At ..."

Jimmy Rollins says he won't be making grade with A's

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March 15

Contra Costa Times

"Jimmy Rollins grew up "in the Buena Vistas" in Alameda an A's fan and still is, except when they're playing his Philadelphia Phillies. But he also says flatly, "I wouldn't play there." Rollins, playing for the United States this month in the World Baseball Classic, is sitting on top of the world right now, after his Phillies won the World Series last fall. He hopes to help "bring USA pride, especially as far as baseball, back home" in the WBC. The former Encinal High star remains a fan of the A's, he's no fan of the patient approach at the plate now preached within the organization headed by general manager Billy Beane. "I wouldn't fit in with their style of baseball," Rollins said last ..."

In title run, Rollins didn't mind playing through pain

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February 19

Camden Courier-Post

"When he sprained his left ankle eight games into last season, Jimmy Rollins didn't fret. Even as he hobbled out of Shea Stadium on that April evening, he figured it would take only a few days of rest and treatment for his ankle to heal. Turns out, it took eight months. Chase Utley's hip injury, a condition that required offseason surgery, was the worst-kept secret in the Phillies' clubhouse last year. But Rollins revealed Wednesday that his ankle, which sidelined him for 28 games, still was giving him problems in the playoffs and World Series. "It probably didn't really stop bothering me until December," Rollins said after the Phillies' workout. "You do a couple things, then you hear it ..."

Phillies shortstop Rollins proud of Henderson's Hall of Fame honor

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January 13

Philadelphia Daily News

"Rickey Henderson, resplendent in his green-and-gold-trimmed Oakland A's uniform, complete with white spikes, would take his lead off first and stare at the pitcher. When he saw an opening, he'd pivot quickly and sprint for second base . . . . . . and a young Jimmy Rollins would slide safely into the couch in his parents living room in suburban Alameda, Calif."Drove my mother crazy," the Phillies' All-Star shortstop recalled with a laugh last night after the announcement that his boyhood idol had been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.Rollins has always been an unabashed admirer of Henderson, so yesterday's news meant a lot to him."He helped change the game," Rollins said. "He was the ..."

Phillies' Rollins likely to play in World Baseball Classic

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December 18

Philadelphia Daily News

"Derek Jeter has already been penciled in as the starting shortstop on the United States' entry into this spring's World Baseball Classic. But it's looking as if the Yankees star will have a familiar face backing him up. Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who was left off the 2006 team in favor of Alex Rodriguez, appears likely to make the squad managed by former Mets skipper Davey Johnson. Phillies Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, who will coach third base for the U.S., said yesterday that Rollins was on the squad, although Rollins indicated his inclusion was not yet definite. "Well, I have to make the final cut," Rollins said last night following his appearance on HBO's "Costas Now." "I was ..."

Phillies need J-Ro to start Rollin'

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October 26

Denver Post

"That the Phillies arrived back home Friday tied in the World Series is remarkable. They have one win and one hit with runners in scoring position. One hit. Think on that a minute. Philadelphia, considered to have the National League's most versatile lineup, has one hit in 28 at-bats with runners in scoring position. The players know that if the RISP numbers don't change, their title hopes will RIP. "Our failures are magnified because of the stage we are on," outfielder Shane Victorino said. "All we need is that one hit to get us rolling again." The problem starts at the top. In a slump befitting a slugger, not the NL's reigning MVP, Jimmy Rollins remains mired in a funk. Rollins doesn't ..."

Rollins looking to break out in Series

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October 25

Camden Courier-Post

columnist Kevin Roberts

"Thwack! Thwack! Long after the Phillies completed their off-day workout Friday, after everyone had showered and left, Jimmy Rollins remained in the batting cage underneath the stands. The Rays worked out. The clubhouse closed. The sun went down. It was quiet, except for the sound of Rollins hacking away in the cage for hours. Rollins has had a bad postseason, and he's 0-for-10 with three strikeouts in the World Series. His swing is not right and he knows it. The Phillies need him to be right and Rollins knows that, too. And so ... Thwack! Thwack! "Jimmy takes it very personally," said Ryan Howard, who also took extra hitting in the cage Friday. "That's his competitive nature. He knows his ..."

Rollins missing pitches, Phillies missing his offense

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October 24

Philadelphia Daily News

"It was a big, ugly swing. Lately, it was typical. Jimmy Rollins had run the count full on Dan Wheeler with a man on first, but, as he has done so often this postseason, he swung and missed. Strike three. Strikeout three for the series. Rollins enters Game 3 of the World Series an 0-for-10 hitter in the series, 9-for-47 (.192) this postseason, 11-for-58 (.190) in his playoff career, including last year's 2-for-11 exhibition in the National League Division Series sweep by the Rockies. He has struck out 13 times in this year's playoffs, 18 times in his playoff career. By comparison, Ryan Howard, the Phillies' King of K, has struck out 18 times in the playoffs. "That's the way it goes ..."

Series finally arrives for Burrell, Rollins

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October 22

Camden Courier-Post

"Pat Burrell made his Phillies debut May 24, 2000. Jimmy Rollins followed that September. They are by far the longest-tenured teammates to have never played in the World Series -- a mark they will gladly set aside today.Rollins said he never doubted the Phillies would eventually get here, all that time of coming up short and hacking away and falling by the wayside. Burrell wasn't so sure. It's so hard to get here. The Phillies have really put in the time chasing this. And no one in this clubhouse has put in more time than these two. "Some things in life are hard," Burrell said, with a shrug. "It takes time and effort, and patience. To be able to look back at all this . . . if you'd told me ..."

Burrell, Rollins grateful for their shot

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October 22

Camden Courier-Post

"Pat Burrell made his Phillies debut on May 24, 2000. Jimmy Rollins followed that September. They are by far the longest-tenured teammates to have never played in the World Series -- a mark they will gladly set aside today. Rollins said he never doubted the Phillies would eventually get here, despite all that time of coming up short and hacking away and falling by the wayside. Burrell wasn't so sure. It's so hard to get here. The Phillies have really put in the time chasing this. And no one has put in more time than these two. "Some things in life are hard,'' Burrell said with a shrug. "It takes time, and effort, and patience. To be able to look back at all this ... if you'd told me in 1998 ..."