Phillies spring training as off to a spectacular start. The offense is pretty awful. Pitchers are getting hurt. Jimmy Rollins is having one of his occasional spats with his manager about his perceived effort.
Rollins, despite being healthy, has been out of the lineup for three straight days, with Freddy Galvis taking his place. When asked about that yesterday, Sandberg sounded frustrated with Rollins. Specifically, after he praised Freddy Galvis for his “energy” and his “positive influence on everyone around him,” he offered a “no comment” when asked if Rollins provides such things.
This morning reporters found Rollins and asked him about Sandberg’s “no comment.” Rollins said he had no problem with Sandberg and that he’s the manager, so “he gets to have the last say.” But he also made it clear that he disagreed with Sandberg, saying “everyone is allowed to have their opinion. That doesn’t make it right.”
It’s probably worth noting at this point that Sandberg has taken some behind the scenes criticism for approaching spring training in a rather intense manner. When I was in Clearwater last week Sandberg had the entire team out on the field on a gameday doing cutoff and infield drills on the main field. It was noted by some around me -- people who have observed the Phillies for several years -- that it was pretty unusual for them to do that, and that perhaps Sandberg was trying to send a message or make a point at best, trying way too hard at worst. That it was a little drill sergeanty for the first week of March with a veteran team.
Which makes me wonder how much of this is about Jimmy Rollins being Jimmy Rollins -- a guy who has butted heads with managers and has been criticized for lack of effort in the past -- and how much of this is about Ryne Sandberg being at an 11 when most players would expect him to be at a 6.
