I know spring training stats don't matter all that much but you have to be concerned about how badly Kyle Kendrick, the Durbins, and Eaton have struggled so far this spring. The rotation is full of question marks behind Myers and Hamels. The Phillies need a starting pitcher.

The Phillies need a starting pitcher.
Righty-o. And a couple of days ago I read that GM-apparent Amaro said they had no interest in Lohse, even at 1 yr/4M. I hope that was posturing.
I really, really want Kendrick to be the next Wang but I think the next Pat Combs/Marty Bystrom is the most likely scenario.

"They want to win more"? What an Ahole.

I’ve never been cocky.

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

I’ve never been cocky. But you’ve gotta have that swagger to play the game.

Truthfully, I don’t worry about anybody in our division, or anybody in our league for that matter, I just worry about our competition. I wouldn't say it's about desire, but it's who wants it more. I’m not worried about getting into the playoffs, because that part is accomplished. Now it's just a matter of getting into the post-season.

The Rollins hate surprises me a bit. Cocky? Sure, a little but mostly it's competitiveness.
Is saying that his team wants to win more an Ahole-ish statment? Sure. He's about the 100,000th athlete to say that. And he's overrated a little.

But Rollins is fun to watch. He is having a blast out there -- that smile is genuine. And he's burning to win. That's a good thing in pro sports. He's become the leader of the team so I think he's trying to keep his team pumped. I'll take this trivial aholery over the Bobby Abreu "leadership". I don't know if it's a plus or a minus in Pythagorus terms, but it's more fun to watch and they've done alright since Abreu left.

You can't just have a little swagger. You either have swagger or you don't.

Or you just won’t be marketable. That’s one thing I always tell Chase [Utley, Phillies teammate]: “Chase, smile a little bit. You’re good; you have the looks. You just have to show that you have personality. You’re a marketer’s dream.”

I think he just gave ESPN the vapors.

I love me some Jimmy. MVP!
i built my fantasy team [both of them] around him and i am hoping he will take me to the promise land again ..

trinta/trinta

“Chase, smile a little bit. You’re good; you have the looks.

Chase Utley is terrific, but he looks like a drowned rat. Not that I know anything about style, but he has the worst hair I've ever seen on someone who doesn't have obviously bad hair. It's like some sort of feathered or D.A. attempt by someone who didn't put any time into it.

Actually, it's probably just like I did my hair in junior high, so maybe that's why it strikes such a chord with me.

Chase Utley is terrific, but he looks like a drowned rat. Not that I know anything about style, but he has the worst hair I've ever seen on someone who doesn't have obviously bad hair. It's like some sort of feathered or D.A. attempt by someone who didn't put any time into it.

Jamie Moyer's wife wanted his autograph, so he's got that going for him.

Has Rollins been introduced to that pitching staff? Long year coming, JR.

Chase Utley is terrific, but he looks like a drowned rat. Not that I know anything about style, but he has the worst hair I've ever seen on someone who doesn't have obviously bad hair. It's like some sort of feathered or D.A. attempt by someone who didn't put any time into it.

Jason Giambi, who appears to style his hair using bacon grease, is a strong competitor here. Seeing him in Hi-Def is positively traumatic.

It's like some sort of feathered or D.A. attempt by someone who didn't put any time into it.

I have no idea what this means. DA is District Attorney or Dumbledore's Army and neither makes sense.

It's like some sort of feathered or D.A. attempt by someone who didn't put any time into it.

I have no idea what this means. DA is District Attorney or Dumbledore's Army and neither makes sense.

DA stands for Duck's Ass if I remember. It's a fifties hairstyle that draws the hair back so that the back of your head looks like the crack of some aquatic waterfowl's ass.

Girls in the 80's feathered so much that they achieved the DA look, too.

Chase Utley doesn't look like any drowned rat I've ever seen. I'll just say Jimmy Rollins understates his appeal. Considerably.

Each time I see this on the sidebar, I'm reminded of the defrocked minister.

Repeat, Jimmy Swagger. Repeat.

But Rollins is fun to watch. He is having a blast out there -- that smile is genuine.

How come Rollins's smile is genuine, but Reyes's just pissed everybody off?

Is saying that his team wants to win more an Ahole-ish statment? Sure. He's about the 100,000th athlete to say that.

While every athlete will say this in the future tense ("whoever wants it more will win"), it is a bit cocky to say it in the past tense.

But I can't really judge; he's my mom's favorite player.

How come Rollins's smile is genuine, but Reyes's just pissed everybody off?

Because the people only noticed on about October 1st.

Actually, stat guys don't like Rollins' smile. They regard it as flashy, but only a little above replacement level... certainly third best among shortstops in the NL East.

How come Rollins's smile is genuine, but Reyes's just pissed everybody off?
Sounds like a NY problem. <ducks>

Actually, stat guys don't like Rollins' smile. They regard it as flashy, but only a little above replacement level... certainly third best among shortstops in the NL East.
Tee hee.

How come Rollins's smile is genuine, but Reyes's just pissed everybody off?

Because the narrative is that this rivalry is "Meatballs," and the Mets have been cast as the rich kids camp across the lake.

How come Rollins's smile is genuine, but Reyes's just pissed everybody off?

Well, I'm a Braves fan, and Reyes's smile doesn't piss me off. Neither did Lasting Milledge high-fiving the fans. Neither does Dennis Eckersley's or Randy Johnson's fistpumps. Neither does Sammy Sosa's blowing kisses to the camera. Neither did Nick Swisher's secret handshake in the '06 ALDS. These guys are humans, not robots.

I think the big issue is that winning the division and getting swept in the first round is not a particularly great accomplishment. Did the Rockies just want it more, or was their 'born-again' swagger more than J-Roll et al. could handle?

""They want to win more"? What an Ahole."

Are you 3?

man, i like Rollins. Phillies are going to once again stick it to the Mets (in case the Mets aren't sticking it to themselves, of course)

; )

I’ve never been cocky.

He has and he is, if he was on my team I might actually love him for it, but he's not so he's an A-Hole.... :-)


As #4 said, maybe someone should show Rollins a few definitions:

cock·y (kk)
adj. cock·i·er, cock·i·est
Overly self-assertive or self-confident.
cocki·ly adv.
cocki·ness n.

dj. 1. cocky - overly self-confident or self-assertive; "a very cocky young man"

67 Moby Thesaurus words for "cocky":
aggressively self-confident, arrogant, audacious, biggety, bluff,
bold, brash, brassy, brazen, bumptious, challenging, cheeky,
chesty, chutzpadik, cocksure, conceited, contemptuous, crusty,
daring, defiant, defying, derisive, disdainful, disregardful,
disrespectful, egotistical, facy, flip, flippant, fresh, gally,
gratuitous, greatly daring, haughty, immodest, impertinent,
impudent, insolent, know-it-all, malapert, nervy, obtrusive,
overconfident, overwise, peacockish, peacocky, perk, perky, pert,
prideful, proud, puffed up, regardless of consequences, rude,
sassy, saucy, self-conceited, self-important, self-opinionated,
smart, smart-alecky, smart-ass, stuck-up, swelled-headed,
uncalled-for, vain, wise-ass


A fair majority of those terms are applicable to Rollins' public persona....

what, crusty?

"A fair majority of those terms are applicable to Rollins' public persona...."

bold
challenging
daring
fresh
greatly daring
nervy
prideful
proud
smart

good call

Actually I wish there were more dances, fist pumps, Option Js, etc. in baseball. I think a bit of showmanship is fun to watch.

and...chesty? What a good word...

man, i like Rollins. Phillies are going to once again stick it to the Mets

I kind of like Rollins, too. He's just on that line where he's got enough swagger to be entertaining, and where it's all about being fiery and competitive -- and not a jerk.

But the Phillies need more pitching if they're going to stick it to the Mets. Neither Rollins' mouth, nor his bat, are going to retire any hitters. And the back of the Phillies' rotation isn't going to do much better on that score.

I would like Rollins more if he wasn't so black and threatening.

"But the Phillies need more pitching if they're going to stick it to the Mets."

I totally agree, unfortunately. I'm just hoping they can create patchwork solution which will allow them a shot at the playoffs come September.

How come Rollins's smile is genuine, but Reyes's just pissed everybody off?

Cuz its significantly easier to root for the Phillies than the Mets. ;)

Tomorrow - why Mike Pelfrey is better than Jake Peavy!

Tomorrow - why Mike Pelfrey is better than Jake Peavy!

just look at their names, aren't "Mi" and "lfre" better than "Ja" and "av" ?

hey, posts don't have to make sense after 3:00 am

what, crusty?

If you're cocky and crusty, you need to see a urologist NOW.

I kind of like Rollins, too. He's just on that line where he's got enough swagger to be entertaining, and where it's all about being fiery and competitive -- and not a jerk.

I concur. He projects a sort of benevolent narcissism.