Phillyist: In Defense of Jimmy Rollins

RLKelly4

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:49:03 -0500

GOOD ARTICLE MIKE......I AGGREE 100%

Pat Holston

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:26:09 -0500

BHeezy, I agree with you 100%. Especially the Notre Dame comment. And I also rarely if ever boo at a game. I would never boo a Ruiz or a Bruntlett. They are what they are and I don't expect them to hit .300 with 30 jacks and drive in 100. I boo the guys that mouth off or want special treatment or say they don't want to play here because of the fans. Yes, I'm talking about you, J.D. Boo, Scott Van Horn, Scott Rolen, Curt Schilling, etc. Look, if I screw up at work, my boss lets me now about it but more importantly, if they are not happy with my performance, my clients let me know about it. And they pay my bills. Sound familiar? JRoll has turned into a huge prima donna this season. Now he is going to blame the fans for calling him out on his poor performance? Jimmy, you own that mansion and all your cars because the fans come watch you play. You are not earning your pay this year and we're tired of watching it. Get your head in the game, get back to being the player we all cheered and guess what, the cheers will come back. Remember, you make millions and millions of dollars for playing a game. Part of that life is hearing boos when you are playing poorly. I'll trade you. You come sit at my desk and make my salary and I'll go play a game, travel the country on private planes, stay in the finest hotels and make your millions. Hell, I'll let you stand next to me at short and boo me all night long. You can stand in the other batters' box while I am hitting and call me every name imaginable. And I will realize every second of the time what a lucky guy I am to make millions of dollars to play a game.

Jillian Ashley Blair Ivey

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:36:01 -0500

Wow, Mike. Did we go to the same grade school? Because I remember those kids.

Mike Muller

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:23:02 -0500

Appreciate the good word. And I definately agree that Rollins chose the wrong word in "front-runner." Front-runners were those kids in fifth grade wearing Cowboys starter jackets, a Jordan Bulls jersey, and a Yankees cap.

bheezy

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:12:01 -0500

Booing "should be an occasion reserved for the most dire of circumstances." Does grounding into double plays as frequently as Harry the K breathes into the mic count? (HI Carlos!) Personally, I don't boo when I go to a game. I think it is just silly. This being said, I think it has absolutely ZERO impact on a player's performance. Carlos Ruiz is not going to become a better player if we pat him on the back and shower him with roses every time he comes to the plate. He can't hit. By the way, Rollins is blaming the fans for his sorry performance this year (and presumably for his lack of hustle and inability to show up to the park on time). I'm sorry, but did he give the fans credit for his performance last year when they were chanting MVP every game, because I've yet to receive my check? Phillies fans are "supporting" their players every time they go to the ballpark. Literally. By paying their salaries. JRoll needs to man up, burn last year's press clippings and stop searching for people to blame for his subpar year. Also I need to know how Rollins is "right" to call Phillies fans "front-runners." Yankees fan from California. Front-runner. Notre Dame fan from anywhere other than South Bend. Front-runner. Person cheering for North Carolina even though they went to a community college in Jersey. Front-runner. Person who pays their money to go see a team that has won one title in its history? How is that a "front-runner?" How can you be a "front-runner" for a team with the most losses in the history of baseball? The whole idea is absurd. Anyway, although I have some fundamental issues with the piece, it was very thought provoking. Nice job.

Ross Currie

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:07:59 -0500

I suspect that if Jimmy Rollins had been on a Phillies team that won 2 World Series in 4 years, the way Manny was, the city would be willing to tolerate the drama. And I suspect there are those out there, maybe even some writing for this site, who think that we have every reason to be frontrunners.