BOX SCORE
Kyle Kendrick and Kevin Frandsen have been on a tear for the Phillies lately and that did not change on Thursday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.
Behind 7 2/3 innings of solid pitching from Kendrick and four hits from Frandsen, the Phillies rolled to a series-salvaging 3-2 victory over the Mets (see Instant Replay).
Unfortunately for manager Charlie Manuel, the main topic of discussion after the game was not Kendrick?s pitching, nor Frandsen?s hitting. Instead, it was a violation of one of the manager?s two team rules that dominated the conversation.
Namely, why can?t Jimmy Rollins hustle?
For the second time in the past two weeks, Rollins was reprimanded for not hustling during a game. However, in Thursday?s instance of the lack of hustle, Rollins received more than a stern talking to by the manager.
This time he was removed from a one-run game after the sixth inning.
?It happened,? Manuel said. ?I have two rules: be on time and hustle. Hustling is part of it and running balls out is definitely part of it.?
Here?s how it went down:
With a runner on second and one out, Rollins popped up in front of home plate and appeared to jog to first base after throwing his bat aside in frustration. However, when pitcher Jonathon Niese dropped the pop up, Rollins could not make it to second base even though no one was covering the bag.
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Rollins stole second base a couple of pitches later, but then was caught in a rundown when Frandsen grounded to the right side with the infield drawn in. Had Rollins been paying attention, he would have seen that Kendrick, the runner on third, had not left the bag on the ground ball. However, Rollins advanced toward third base enough to get himself thrown out.
Afterwards, Manuel said it was the lack of hustle on the pop up and not the baserunning mistake that drew his ire.
?I asked him if he ran to first base and he gave me an answer like, ?No, not at the end there,? or something like that," Manuel said. "And that was all that was said.?
This is not the first time Rollins? inability to hustle has been a problem for Manuel. It also wasn?t the first time Rollins has declined to comment after the game, either. Asked if he would like to comment on being benched, Rollins replied, ?Hell no,? and added that the manager had explained what happened as he exited the clubhouse for the chartered flight to Atlanta.
Actually, Thursday?s incident was not even the first time this month that Rollins has been told about his penchant for lollygagging. Manuel and Rollins had a discussion after Rollins failed to hustle to first and then when he failed to slide to break up a double play in a game in Miami on Aug. 15.
There have been other instances in the past in which Manuel has pulled Rollins out of the game for a lack of hustle. Yet for whatever reason, Rollins still has difficulty showing consistent hustle.
At this point, Manuel is worried that Rollins? bad habits will infect the team and undermine his authority without a punishment.
?I just got to a point where I thought it was a reflection on myself, reflection on whoever doesn?t do it and things like that,? Manuel explained. ?It?s a reflection on our team and a reflection on the organization.?
Rollins was benched twice during the 2008 season for rules violations. Once was for tardiness and another time for a lack of hustle. There have been other instances where Rollins was talked to about rules violations, too. Since it?s only been two weeks since the last time Rollins and Manuel discussed the issue, one has to wonder if the veteran shortstop understands the message.
?With the conversations we?ve had I think Jimmy and I understand each other,? Manuel said. ?And I hope the guys on our team understand me, too.?
Maybe the one thing the Phillies can count on are more infractions of the hustle rule from Rollins. With a freshly signed three-year contract and 13 seasons already under his belt, perhaps it?s true that an old dog cannot be taught new tricks.
Could this continue to be a problem for Manuel?
?It?s no problem at all if we hustle,? the manager said.
?My frustration grows any time I see someone not hustle. If I see the other team's players not hustle, it grows. Really.?
Manuel had nothing to worry about from Kendrick, who has been on the mark in his last four starts. Over that span, Kendrick is 4-0 with a 1.23 ERA, three walks and 22 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings.
Perhaps Kendrick has finally solidified a spot in the rotation?
?I don?t know. You never know ? anything can happen,? Kendrick said. ?I don?t know if I?m going anywhere. I just have to keep getting outs and start pitching deep into the games.?
The same goes for Frandsen, who went 4 for 5 with a double and an RBI on Thursday afternoon. In 29 games this season, Frandsen has 10 multi-hit games. Noting that the Phillies could be in the market for a new third baseman next season, Frandsen has announced his candidacy for the gig with his stellar hitting.
In his 29 games, Frandsen is batting .355 with a .405 on-base percentage. Manuel has been using the veteran third baseman in the No. 2 slot of the batting order and so far it?s worked out.
?I don?t worry about that stuff,? Frandsen said. ?I just worry about where I am today. I?ve been given a great opportunity to play every day and I just hope that I?m showing them that I want to be an integral part of this organization.?
Next up, the Phillies kick off a six-game road trip in Atlanta on Friday night. Roy Halladay (8-7, 3.88) takes on lefty Mike Minor (7-10, 4.71) in the opener.
E-mail John Finger at jfinger@comcastsportsnet.com
Tags: Jimmy Rollins, Charlie Manuel, philadelphia Philliesjim irsay the new ipad apple announcement indianapolis colts joseph kony joseph kony ipad 3 release date
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