Sounds of Silence - Tuesday, August 19, 2008
243 Views :: 0 Comments :: :: Michael Bradley

   I have a proposition for Jimmy Rollins. If he would like to play in St. Louis, Oakland or some other second-rate U.S. city, I will rent a limousine and drive him to his new destination. I'll even pack it with food and drinks to make the ride more comfortable. If he's that upset with Philadelphia fans, then let's get him out of town. And if he wants to take Mr. Strikeout with him, fine.

   The Phillies return to Citizens Bank Park tonight, and fans probably can't wait to let J-Roll have it. They want to boo. They want to remind him of the huge drop-off he has experienced this season. They want blood. Can't say I blame them. His comments were petulant and ill-timed, even if there was a grain of truth to them. Philadelphia fans are tough. They have been brainwashed by chowder-voiced carpetbaggers that being nasty is "passionate." As a fan group, we have work to do. That's true.

  As a player, Rollins has work to do also. Plenty of it. Except for Sunday night, when he helped scratch out a run in the first, he has been an awful leadoff hitter. He doesn't get on base enough, thinks he has to hit homers and hasn't always hustled. He deserved to be booed before he opened his big mouth in L.A. But by going on national TV and calling out Philly fans, Rollins has put the city in a tough spot. If fans boo, he'll say, "See, I told you." If they cheer, then he'll believe his comments will have had the desired effect.

   So what's a Phillies fan to do tonight and for the rest of the year? Nothing. Every time Rollins is announced, makes a good play or screws up, keep quiet. Treat him like a nondescript Washington Nationals player. Don't cheer. Don't boo. Ignore him. Cheer like heck for his teammates, since he cares so much about them. But leave him alone. He forgets that he made an error early in the opener, but the fans kept chanting "M-V-P! M-V-P!" Rollins has been giving a lot of rope by Phillies fans, and now he is using it to hang himself.

  Let him. If you want to bother Rollins, don't boo him. Don't cheer, either. Be quiet. Go get a hot dog. That would be the best way to deal with him. Stand up when he's announced in the first inning and head to the concourse. Let him perform in silence. That would get him ready to play in his hometown of Oakland. And if he really wants to play in St. Louis, where the August mosquitos are the size of kangaroos and the humidity makes the air chewable, let him go. Who needs a guy who doesn't run out pop-ups and shows up late for games? In the meantime, let him know your displeasure by saying nothing.