Two weeks after a billboard went up in Philadelphia criticizing Jimmy Rollins for not hustling, the Phillies shortstop was pulled from a game for repeating the same offense. Rollins did not run hard after popping up in the sixth inning of Thursday’s Phillies-Mets game (pictured above), so he only made it to first instead of second when the ball dropped. He later was tagged out after making a poor decision on a fielder’s choice. The lack of hustle was enough to merit a benching from manager Charlie Manuel.
“I got two rules: Be on time and hustle. And hustle’s part of it,” Manuel said after the game. “Running balls out is definitely part of it.
“It’s a reflection on myself, it’s a reflection on whoever don’t do it, and things like that. It’s a reflection on our team, it’s a reflection on the organization. My frustration grows every time I see anyone not hustle,” said Manuel.
Rollins reacted defiantly when asked after the game if he planned to talk to about being pulled.
“Hell, no,” Rollins said, per Todd Zolecki. “[Charlie Manuel] already told you what happened. There you go.”
It’s about time Manuel addressed the matter. It doesn’t matter what is going on with a player — there is no excuse for not hustling and running out balls hard. Being a former MVP shouldn’t excuse Rollins from this basic expectation.
Below is a video of Charlie Manuel talking about the benching following Philly’s 3-2 win:
Forearm bash to The 700 Level
