Charlie Says Hustle... Or Else

Here’s another reason why the Phillies are 10 games over .500 with a 2.5 game lead in the National League East as they head to a Atlanta for a weekend series with the Braves.

With two outs in the third inning of yesterday’s 5-0 win over the Reds, Jimmy Rollins hit a weak pop-up to shortstop Paul Janish.  Assuming it would be easily caught for the third out, Rollins casually sauntered down to first base.  When the ball fell and Carlos Ruiz scored the game’s first run, Rollins stood at first base instead of second.

When the inning ended, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel told Rollins to grab a seat on the bench for the rest of the game.  Manuel replaced Rollins with Eric Bruntlett, who later preserved Cole Hamels’ brilliant shutout by diving to snag a ground ball and throwing out the runner at first.

The Phillies field a team with plenty of stars, but there are no stars in Charlie Manuel’s clubhouse.  Jimmy Rollins is a vocal team leader, the offensive catalyst and reigning league MVP, but Manuel didn’t think twice about sitting Rollins in a close game.  Manuel handled it quietly, and only mentioned it briefly when asked after the game.

Nobody is above the law with Charlie Manuel, whether you’re a superstar or the fifth outfielder.  I’ve said my piece more than once about Manuel’s strategy and decision-making during the game, but he has the respect of every single one of his players, and they don’t dare cross him.

Rollins’ response to the benching speaks volumes as well.  "He has two rules,” said Rollins of his manager.  “Be on time and hustle, and I broke one of them today.  I know better."  Rollins didn’t get angry, throw a tantrum or vent to the media.  “It’s my fault,” Rollins said.  “That’s like breaking the law and getting mad when the police show up.”

I love the fact that Rollins, arguably the biggest “star” on the Phillies, compares not hustling to breaking the law.  He got busted, did his time and took it like a man.  Charlie Manuel made his point.  The rest of the team got the point.  No feathers ruffled, no egos damaged.  Just another win.

Steel TownDraft Pick

543 days ago

Score 2

It's nice to see a coach who doesn't cater to the players on his team. There was once a tough coach in Pittsburgh who didn't care who you were. His name was Scottie Bowman. Jagr and Lemieux did not like his tough style and in the end had him fired even though he led them to another cup. Bowman went on to win 3 more Stanley Cups. Lemieux and Co went on to win exactly none after that point.

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Simms1156Div-I Stud

543 days ago

Score 2

Great job by Manuel. When the Phillies hired him I thought that the players would take over after a few years because they would have more freedom after a tough manager like Larry Bowa. Manuel is proving me wrong and I couldnt be happier about it.

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JuTMSY4Legend

543 days ago

Score 2

He's kinda like that the mentor you respect and befriend, but still wouldn't cross

I'm not sure how to define it, but i'm sure many of you know what i mean...he's a nice guy and a good ole boy...but old Cholly doesn't put up with shit...

He's a players manager, and the players thrive under his rules

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Sj-hypocycloidAll-American

543 days ago

Score 1

Yeah, I was a doubter as well...especially when they passed on Jim Leyland. But maybe this will work after all. Although I do feel that the team needed Bowa's tough hand. But in retrospect, it appears that Bowa overplayed his hand. I think Manuel's call was absolutely on the mark, and I respect the reaction that Rollins had. This is exactly the way a team that wants a championship should be run.

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Phils Phan ScottWaterboy

543 days ago

Score 1

With Bowa, it seemed like every pitch was armageddon and I think he's way too emotional to be a big league manager. But Bowa was correct that a big part of the problem was the wrong mix of players. Bobby Abreu was the poster boy for a country club player and wouldn't go near the outfield wall unless it was covered in cash. They kept David Bell because of his asenine contract and traded Placido Polanco for Ugueth Urbina, a middle reliever who I think is still in prison. Billy Wagner couldn't keep his mouth shut. It's funny that Ed Wade probably hired Manuel in the first place because he was Thome's buddy, but he turned out to be a perfect fit.

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Sj-hypocycloidAll-American

543 days ago

Score 2

I see your point. I liked Bowa. But I do blame him for, in my mind, forcing Scott Rolen out of Philly. I like Scottie. I wish Bowa had just left him alone. He really was one of the few bright spots in Philly baseball at the time.

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KelsdadAll-Star

543 days ago

Score 2

It's one thing to have a hot head and a big mouth, (Ozzie Guillen, Lou Piniella), yet take that same energy and standup for your players. It's another thing to have that energy and spend most of your time throwing players under the bus. Which is what Bowa did. He has the game knowledge and experience to be a really good manager, but mentally he's a facking mess. If he gets another ML managing job, whoever hires him will be a bigger mess.

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Phils Phan ScottWaterboy

543 days ago

Score 0

SJ, I always felt the same way about Rolen. He played hard everyday and never let that spat with Bowa affect his performance. But then Rolen had another issue with Tony Larussa and had to be traded from the Cards. Makes me wonder if he's a little too sensitive, although LaRussa knows how to push people's buttons.

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Niteowl049AAA-er

543 days ago

Score 1

Charlie Manuel shows no favorites and I like that in a manager. I respect Rollins for not getting into a shouting match with Manuel like some players would do. Even with Ryan Howard hitting .206 the Phillies have won 8 of their last 10 games and Howard is still driving in runs which is just as important as his batting average.

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Simms1156Div-I Stud

543 days ago

Score 1

Well you need to remember that Howards batting average has been on the way up lately and that is part of the reason for the Phillies impoved play as of late. (Chase Utley playing better then anyone in the league doesnt hurt either though...)

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Niteowl049AAA-er

543 days ago

Score 1

Howard is hitting better but he can't seem to hit consistently enough to raise his average much but when he hits as many homers as he does and drives in a boatload of runs guess when it comes down to it the average doesn't matter that much. Earlier he wasn't hitting for power but he seems to be on track in that department.

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Tmil42AAA-er

543 days ago

Score 3

The Phillies are in first place because their manager benches their All-Star SS for not hustling? Gee, that happened last year too. Does that mean that the Phillies are headed for an epic breakdown in September?

Give me a break. Any manager with a backbone would have done the same.

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JuTMSY4Legend

543 days ago

Score 1

Jimmy only did it once...Reyes never stopped...

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Phils Phan ScottWaterboy

543 days ago

Score 1

Maybe any manager with a backbone would have done it. Not every manager would have handled it like Manuel, and not every star player would have accepted it like Rollins. That's because all of Manuel's players respect him. Can you say that about Willie? By the way, Reyes is an overrated diva and the Mets were ridiculously overrated until people actually saw them play. Now they've been exposed as a team with more holes than a box of Cheerios.

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Tmil42AAA-er

543 days ago

Score 1

The actual box of Cheerios has no holes in it. It's been packaged for shipping. And for the record, I never thought the Mets would win 100 games. I'm on record somewhere (I'm too lazy to look it up) as saying it would go down to the wire between the Mets and Phillies.

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JuTMSY4Legend

543 days ago

Score 1

I'll support Tmil here (and i remember him saying that in some preview...i forget where, davis's maybe?)

Anyways, the Phils idled along for a chunk of last year...there's no real dominant team in the east...look at the braves, they've been effective as of late...its a three horse race and, as i've said, the mets are currently a mess

If anyone's capable of putting them on their back though...well...its actually wright...because Reyes is a diva...

I respect Wright, I respect Santana, I respect Delgado...Alou (except is pee hands) and maybe even Beltran, even though he's a copy cat (heh)...but Reyes, I just can't support that guy's attitude...

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Tmil42AAA-er

543 days ago

Score 1

I don't know if Reyes was sulking at the beginning of the season, but his defense was awful. You're right, he's kind of a drama shortstop. And it sucks, because he's so talented.

And honestly, my mancrush on David Wright is well-documented and perhaps a little frightening. I'm making the 7-hour drive on Tuesday to watch the Dbacks-Mets game, and I made sure to get seats as close to third base as possible.

And so you know, Jut, I have respect for almost everybody on the Phillies. Except Brett Myers. I can't stand that guy.

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JuTMSY4Legend

543 days ago

Score 1

heh...i suppose i understand... While I can't apologize for his issues (and I'm assuming you mean the incident in boston) you should read up on what's happened since...he knows there's nothing he can do with what happened in the past, but all indications (publicized at least) are that he's grown beyond it and his wife has fully supported him...

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Tmil42AAA-er

543 days ago

Score 1

Well, that's good. The incident in Boston is reprehensible, but I'm glad that he's changed.

I still don't like him.

Or Pat Burrell.

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JuTMSY4Legend

543 days ago

Score 1

but pat loves yooooouuuuu

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Tmil42AAA-er

543 days ago

Score 1

The only thing Pat Burrell and I have in common is our mutual love of this.

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