From draft day doubts to Phillies’ Wall of Fame: Jimmy Rollins’ journey puts him with team greats

Philadelphia (AP) – Jimmy Rollins was a kid from the Bay region who grew up rooted for Rickey Henderson and admiring Jackie Robinson while he presented himself in one of the best prospects for baseball high school.

Thus, when the phillies of Philadelphia called in 1996 to say at the field and smooth stops that they had chosen it in the second round of the draft, Rollins had a major question.

Advertisement

“I say to myself,” Who? ” Said Rollins laughing.

Yes, the Phillies, one of the worst baseball organizations in the late 1990s – and a Rollins turned into a lasting winner.

Rollins led the Phillies to five tracks from the consecutive NL East, the 2008 World Series Championship and another NL pennant the following year. He was MVP NL 2007, an All-Star three times, had a sequence of 38 games and set the franchise record for sure with 2,306.

He had another major franchise distinction to accomplish.

Rollins finally took its place with the Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton renowned temple and was inducted on Friday evening in the phillie renown wall.

Advertisement

“I was supposed to be here,” said Rollins. “I was drafted here. I told my mother when we had been drafted, I will win a championship in this city. This is what it has become for me, I was continuing this championship.”

The heart of this Phillies race – five division titles from 2007 to 2011 on the force of local talents such as Rollins, Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels and Chase Utley – was built by former managing director Ed Wade. Wade, who helped move the organization in Citizens Bank Park in 2004, received its place on the wall with Rollins on Friday evening.

Howard inducted Rollins in the version of the Temple of Fame Team, saying that the team was based on him for the contagious confidence that made the phillies beat in the NL for so many years.

“You are leaving, we go,” Howard told the crowd. “Jimmy has always been.”

Advertisement

Utley has dropped the coatings that unveiled the Rollins and the Pauquageon plates on the wall that hosts the fans in the left field competition behind the dashboard building.

Rollins, who ended his career with stays with the Dodgers and the White Sox, won only 18% of the renowned temple vote during the ballot of last year, in less of the 75% necessary in the elections. Wade said that Rollins’ figures compared to some of the great judgments already in Cooperstown.

“This guy, from the point of view of character, makeup and talent, he is a temple of fame in these three things,” said Wade. “There are guys in Cooperstown who can check one or two of these boxes. This guy ticks the three boxes. I understand the statistical aspect. Defense, check his box. Speed, check his box. I do not know what criteria you would have to follow so as not to have Jimmy Rollins in the Hall of Fame. ”

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb