Quick Hit: The Agony of Jimmy Rollins

by dajafi on Jun 25, 2009 5:19 PM EDT Comment 20 comments

Coming off a four-game hitless streak and crucial defensive lapse in last night's closer-than-it-looked 7-1 loss to Tampa Bay, Jimmy Rollins will ride the pine this evening in St. Pete according to Todd Zolecki's reporting. That's the good news; the bad news is that Eric Bruntlett replaces him at shortstop. Actually, I wouldn't have minded seeing Rollins stay in the lineup, but further down in it. As of today, he's on pace to set a modern standard for futility out of the leadoff spot.

Through 277 at-bats leading off, Rollins has posted a triple-slash line of .195/.237/.289, for an OPS of .526. That's the worst by far among all batters with at least 200 plate appearances leading off; the next most futile leadoff man who's done it that often is Willy Taveras of the Reds, with a .571 OPS. In the ten seasons for which ESPN has splits, the only other hitters with at least 200 plate appearances in the #1 spot to post an OPS under .600 in that role were Taveras (.592), Juan Pierre (.591) and Michael Bourn (.565), all last year. Adding insult to injury is that Rollins' 277 at-bats leading off this season are tied with Ichiro for the fourth-most of any leadoff man in baseball, behind only Marco Scutaro, Brian Roberts, and Ian Kinsler.

Will Rollins emerge from his struggles? At 30 years old, he seems an unlikely decline candidate, and certainly this isn't the first rough stretch he's endured in his career. But Jayson Stark reports that at least some around the game have their doubts:

GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told Rumblings: "I believe in Jimmy. I still think he'll be OK." But one scout we surveyed wasn't so sure, saying: "I've got to write a report on this guy, and I don't know what to write. I mean, this guy looks really bad. You want to say we'll look up in August and he'll be right there. But right now it's June, and he's not showing any signs. So I keep asking myself, 'Is this what he is now?' He's definitely better than he's playing right now -- but how much better?"

Here's hoping that the night off helps the former MVP clear his head and get back on track--and that he either returns to form atop the otherwise-potent Phils lineup, or finds a comfortable spot somewhere else in it.

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I’m not saying anything specifically towards jimmy but i just want to take this chance to say that the stigma in professional sports towards psychotherapy is kind of sad.

"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."

Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.

by jemagee on Jun 25, 2009 5:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The openness of the discussion on the “anxiety” issue this season (Dontrelle, Votto, Khalil Greene) seems to be loosening things up a bit, but you’re right, there’s a long way to go.

I have little doubt that athletes are treated for psychiatric issues at a rate similar to the general populace, just that none of them talk about it.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Jun 25, 2009 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No doubt...

… especially in baseball. During one of the last two seasons, when either J-Roll or Howard was slumping at the plate, I remembered hearing an analyst on the radio say that slumps are harder to break in baseball than in other sports because of all of the time one has to sit/stand around and think about it while the game is actually being played. That can’t be easy. And if it is indeed true, then it would make professional athletes prime candidates for psychotherapy.

And you all are right, there’s nothing wrong with admitting that you need help. We tend to romanticize our pro athletes as people with “nerves of steel / ice water flowing through their veins” who are unfazed by anything. But that is simply untrue. Remember Tim Worrell? He admitted he needed help, was allowed to step aside and ultimately benefited from his decision.

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Jun 25, 2009 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

David Bell

I think there was an article in Philly Weekly years back about psychological treatment that David Bell got. Maybe it also talked about other Phillies too. I’ll have to try to find it.

Is there some hint that this is what’s going on with Jimmy? Or are you just talking about this generally because he’s struggling?

by David S. Cohen on Jun 25, 2009 9:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Going with the flow

I only mentioned it because of what jemagee and Whole Camels said before. I was speaking in generalities and was not being specific to Jimmy’s struggles.

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Jun 25, 2009 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Here's the article

It’s about “clutch” but there’s a lot in it about sports psychology and treatment for players, like David Bell – http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2005-07-21/cover.shtml

(It was in the City Paper, not Philly Weekly. Do many other cities have two free alternative weeklies?)

by David S. Cohen on Jun 25, 2009 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nope.

I don’t even know if New York does. Technically, the Village Voice stopped being “alternative” a long time ago.

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Jun 26, 2009 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The best free local paper ever was called the onion

then the damn thing went online

"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."

Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.

by jemagee on Jun 26, 2009 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just thinking about the 277 AB number makes my eyes tired. Maybe he should go the rest of the road trip batting 6th or 7th. Or even 8th for that matter. See what happens. If he resurrects a bit you can put him back in leadoff on 7/3 when the Mets come to town.

I kvetch, but I really can’t lay into any player whom Mets fans just love to hate. Plus, he is our absolute talisman when he scores runs. I just want him back producing. Some of the things I can’t understand is why he seems to really balk at adjustments like attempting to bunt for hits, trying to see more pitches, etc. Keeping his approach consistent is laudible until it results in 160+ flyballs on pitches 1-4.

As for stigma on psychotherapy, I sure wouldn’t share it if I were a player, and that’s mostly not because of the misperception of weakness among other players/managers/ownership, but because of the fans & media. It’s the last thing I’d want to hear from cro-magnon knuckleheads while I’m feeling the slightest bit vulnerable.

But I think things are changing for the better. In Philadelphia anyway, I thought Shawn Andrews got treated very well all things considered, even while he was going through his crisis during camp.

by Wet Luzinski on Jun 25, 2009 5:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Completely unrelated, but....

TMZ is reporting Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest today

by phils11 on Jun 25, 2009 5:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Live action “Thriller” video remake early next week.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Jun 25, 2009 6:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

confirmed by cnn…more important on the front page of cnn.com then revolution in iran actually

"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."

Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.

by jemagee on Jun 25, 2009 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMnk7lh9M3o

For Who? My teammates.

For What? To Win.

How Much? Where do I sign?

by jonk on Jun 25, 2009 6:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why not 6th?

When Charlie Manuel moved JR down to 6th for a couple of days, he hit…moved him back up to 1 and the hits stopped.

Why not put him 6th and leave him there for a while, until he really gets back in the groove?

Didn’t Aaron Rowand bat in the 6th slot 2 years ago? And bat .300, be very productive, and help the team make the playoffs?

Isn’t that really the goal in the end? What helps the team most?

by JWoody on Jun 25, 2009 7:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree

They should definitely do this. They sent Myers to AAA when he struggled last year. They put Lidge on the DL this year. They bought in Bako so that Coste could be a right-handed bat off the bench. The point is, they’ve never been shy about taking people out of their routine positions if they felt it would benefit the team. I’ll give Charlie the benefit of the doubt more often than not, but in this situation he can’t just throw his hands up and say, “J-Roll’s been a leadoff guy his whole career so he can’t hit anywhere else.”

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Jun 25, 2009 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Irony?

Let’s see…you are unhappy with your shortstop batting .220, so you replace him with a shortstop batting .160?

by JWoody on Jun 25, 2009 7:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

oops...

On the basis of tonight’s performance so far, make that .150

by JWoody on Jun 25, 2009 9:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mayberry RFD?

My question is, where is John Mayberry in the lineup, since being the star with a 3 run homer in the only win we’ve had in almost two weeks? Between keeping Jimmy at #1 then dropping him from the lineup instead of to #6, and then dropping Mayberry right after he rallies us to a win, I really question Charlie’s thinking right now. We’re one game from losing first place. Maybe we need to drop back into second before Charlie and the club get out of their funk.

by Fillyfaninforeignland on Jun 25, 2009 7:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs