Jimmy Rollins Returns to Leadoff Spot
October 23, 2010
Filed under: Giants, Phillies, MLB Playoffs, National League Championship Series
PHILADELPHIA — Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins was moved back to his familiar leadoff spot for Game 6 of the NLCS on Saturday night, a recognition by manager Charlie Manuel that his veteran sparkplug is starting to rediscover his stroke. Shane Victorino, who had batted first for the Phillies, was moved down to No. 6, where Rollins had hit for the past seven games.
Rollins, who had batted first in every Phillies postseason game over the previous three years, hit first in Game 1 against the Reds, but was then moved down after that. Rollins has five hits in 15 at-bats over the past four games of the NLCS, and he stole two bases in Game 5.
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Seven Thoughts: Cody Ross in Phillies’ Heads, L.T. and the Jets, Phillies Fans
October 20, 2010
by Tom Krasovic
Filed under: Giants, Padres, Phillies, MLB Playoffs, National League Championship Series
Cody Ross, the early MVP of the National League Championship Series, is creating intrigue even among Phillies‘ hitters.
Hitters try to spy clues that help their pitching teammates. After the Giants won Game 3, one of Philly’s core hitters reviewed Ross’ RBI hit off the shin-high fastball from Cole Hamels. Then he watched it again. And again and again. Another Phillies hitter, Jimmy Rollins, said of Ross: “He’s been big for them, but we’ll find a way to get him out.”
o. If Ross anticipates offspeed pitches next, he could blast the Phillies again.
The Phillies can’t keep throwing Ross low inside fastballs, can they? Said Rollins: “That’s the ball he’s been hitting, down and coming toward his back foot. He’s been finding a way to get the head there.” Said Dodgers scout Ken Bracey: “Cody Ross is getting too many fastballs, and he’s not missing them. Things like that happen.”
o. I doubt the Padres would’ve claimed Ross.
The Giants admit they claimed Ross in August largely because they feared the Padres would claim him as a replacement to injured center fielder Tony Gwynn Jr. Two points: 1.) In July, the Padres decided against pursuing Ross because they viewed him as an insignificant upgrade on Scott Hairston (a call that, frankly, was way off the mark); 2.) the Padres liked Chris Denorfia as a replacement to Gwynn. “He’s having a hell of a postseason,” Padres GM Jed Hoyer told me Sunday, after declining to say whether he entered a claim on Ross.
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California Corps Leads Phillies as NLCS Moves to West Coast
October 19, 2010
by Tom Krasovic
Filed under: Dodgers, Giants, Padres, Phillies, Rockies, MLB Playoffs, National League Championship Series
SAN FRANCISCO — Without the Golden State, where would the Philadelphia Phillies be today?
Likely, somewhere other than California and not playing in yet another National League Championship Series.
When the knotted NLCS moved here for Monday’s workout as prelude to Tuesday’s Game 3, another happy October homecoming awaited Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Cole Hamels and Ryan Madson. Californians all drafted and developed by the Phils, they’ve played major roles in Philly’s franchise-record runs of four NL East-winning seasons and three NLCS visits.
“Where would we be without those guys?” said Phillies scout Jim Fregosi Jr, who lives in Southern California. He laughed. “We’d be in trouble.”
Rollins, Utley and Hamels have combined for nine All-Star selections. Rollins was MVP of the NL in 2007, Philly’s breakthrough year that gained the club its first NL East title in 14 years. Two Octobers ago, Hamels, the left-handed pitcher who will face the San Francisco Giants in Game 3, merely led Philadelphia to its first World Series title since 1980 and the city’s first sports championship since 1983. Last October, Utley hit five home runs against the Yankees, a World Series record for an NL player. Madson, like Hamels, is a vital contributor unfazed by Philly’s home ballpark that’s a hitter’s delight.
“I’d like to see another club with a group of Californians as good as ours,” Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth told West Coast Bias, and I had no snappy reply.
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Split Salvaged, Phillies Appear in Control as NLCS Shifts to San Francisco
October 18, 2010
by Tom Krasovic
Filed under: Giants, Phillies, MLB Playoffs, National League Championship Series
PHILADELPHIA — Getting into the spirit of NFL Sunday, Philadelphia’s baseball club unleashed a spread attack and tied up the National League Championship Series at a game apiece.
Led by an unlikely triple threat — pitcher Roy Oswalt — the Phillies won 6-1 by putting together their best all-around game in five this postseason.
Oswalt ran his fastball past Giants hitters to the tune of nine strikeouts, best of his postseason career, but he’ll be remembered more for running through a stop sign like a ballcarrier who smells the end zone.
Dusting off cobwebs, the Phillies also trotted out a more diversified offense, whether it was Shane Victorino bunting over the pitcher Oswalt as part of a late surge, or slump-ridden Jimmy Rollins blasting a three-run double off a scoreboard screen, or whiff-prone slugger Ryan Howard reaching base three times.
“We played a good game on both sides of the ball,” said Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth, sounding like a football coach.
Even after losing Game 1 on Saturday, the Phillies were still my pick to win a third consecutive National League pennant.
West Coast Bias isn’t going to slobber over the Evil Coast team, but I saw a few reasons beyond Sunday’s score to believe that Game 1 of the World Series will be in Philadelphia rather than San Francisco.
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Roy Halladay, Jimmy Rollins Among Phillies to Show Cracks in Game 1
October 17, 2010
by Tom Krasovic
Filed under: Giants, Phillies, MLB Playoffs, National League Championship Series
PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies were on such a great run that you forgot that the Liberty Bell isn’t Philadelphia’s only local treasure with a crack in it.
The upstart San Francisco Giants did enough on Saturday night to reveal a fracture or two in the defending National League champions, and the NLCS is looking a lot more interesting as a result.
Unbeaten in their previous seven openers of a postseason series, the Phillies fell 4-3 in their ballpark, where Giants ace Tim Lincecum outpitched Roy Halladay in Game 1 and Jimmy Rollins‘ hitting struggles became more significant.
West Coast Bias was guilty of thinking the Phils nearly unbeatable. So often have I watched NL West teams crumble against them in recent Octobers.
Saturday brought not only perfect weather for October baseball, but reminders of the Phillies’ vulnerabilities.
Halladay’s angry green eyes are what I’ll remember most.
There were also two baseballs soaring into the left-field seats, each struck by Giants No. 8 hitter Cody Ross, both off a fastball from Halladay. Plus, the baseballs that vanished near home plate, disappearing underneath Phillies bats when Lincecum threw his deadly changeups.
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Lights, Not White Towels, to Blame for Jay Bruce’s Key Error
October 9, 2010
by Tom Krasovic
Filed under: Phillies, Reds, MLB Playoffs, National League Division Series
PHILADELPHIA — Looking for a flyball, Reds right fielder Jay Bruce searched the Pennsylvania night.
Instead he saw only bright lights. Then the Phillies turned out the lights on Bruce and the Reds.
“You feel pretty helpless,” Bruce said. “It’s embarrassing.”
Taking advantage of Bruce’s two-run error in the seventh inning on a flyball lost in the lights, the Phillies claimed a 7-4 victory and now lead the Division Series two games to none.
The lights at Philadelphia ballpark helped the defending NL champions move past the bumbling Reds.
“All year long, guys lose the ball in the lights,” said Phillies second baseman Chase Utley. “It’s unfortunate, but I’m glad it came out for us.”
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Placido Polanco Returns to Phillies Lineup; Jimmy Rollins Moved Down
October 8, 2010
Filed under: Phillies, Reds, MLB Playoffs, National League Division Series
Placido Polanco was back in Phillies manager Charlie Manuel’s lineup on Friday for Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the Reds.
The third baseman missed Game 1 because of back spasms, but vowed to return for the rest of the series on Wednesday.
Infielder Wilson Valdez had started in Polanco’s place.
The return of Polanco was cause for a shuffle in Manuel’s lineup. Polanco was returned to the No. 2 hole, where center fielder Shane Victorino hit on Wednesday, so the Philadelphia skipper moved Victorino up a slot and put shortstop Jimmy Rollins in the sixth spot, behind Jayson Werth and before Raul Ibanez.
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Jimmy Rollins Feels ‘Good,’ but Phillies Mum on Whether He’ll Lead Off
October 5, 2010
by Ed Price
Filed under: Phillies, MLB Playoffs, National League Division Series
Ask Jimmy Rollins if he’s finally right at the plate, and all he will say is, “I feel good.”
No elaboration.
“No matter how many ways you ask it,” he said, “I feel good.”
Rollins hasn’t been himself for most of the year, but if he can get straightened out for the postseason, it will make the Phillies that much more of a favorite in the National League.
A calf strain that he couldn’t shake resulted in trips to the disabled list from April 13 to May 17 and again from May 22 to June 21.
Then, after hitting .281 the first eight days of September, he had to sit with tightness in his right hamstring. He came back for the final week of the regular season, going 4-for-19 (.211) with a double and a grand slam.
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Few Mysteries as Phils Abdicate Throne
September 2, 2010
Filed under: Phillies, MLB Playoffs, World Series
NEW YORK — This was not the type of World Series that the Phillies are going to spend much time replaying in their minds. Not long after they watched the Yankees celebrate on the field, taking the title that they won last year, the Phillies were already in full shoulder-shrug mode.
Regrets? Not really.
“They got the hits and we didn’t,” Jimmy Rollins said. “Simple. There’s no science other than that. Get a hit or you don’t. And they did.”
Game 6: Yankees 7, Phillies 3 | Box Score | Matsui MVP