Phillies Hall of Fame third baseman, Mike Schmidt pointed out the fact that Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins and centerfielder Shane Victorino didn’t get on base enough last year and says the Phillies won the division last year without these guys playing up to their capabilities.
Schmidt wasn’t doing anything but telling the truth. Getting on base should be all that Rollins and Victorino should focus on all year long. If they get on base the Phillies will walk away with the division title.
It’s ironic that Schmidt would say something publicly about Rollins and Victorino that could have been taken as criticism, because he was sensitive and couldn’t take public criticism.
Rollins is able to take the criticism and should tailor his game to help this team. If he and Victorino get on base, the Phillies will like kill the rest of the National League and have the division locked up by the All-Star game.
“I look for Jimmy to push a 200-hit year, and I look for Victorino to have 200 hits” Schmidt told reporters. We’re talking in those terms – 100 walks, 200 hits – goals for these guys that you haven’t seen in the last few years”.
“Jimmy Rollins can’t do what Pete Rose did?” Schmidt asked rhetorically. “Pete got 200 hits for 10 straight years and Jimmy is faster. I just think Pete understood better what his role was, and Jimmy gets to being Jimmy and Jimmy needs to be more Peter Rose-like in his approach to the game. He needs to be more accountable for getting on base and understanding that he’s about running and getting on base and leading the league in hitting. He should want to look at the paper each day and see his name leading the league in hitting and so should Victorino.”
The confident Rollins wasn’t upset by what Schmidt said about him, in fact he took the comments as a compliment in that he was 
comparing him to, Pete Rose, a Hall of Fame level performer.
“He’s right,” Rollins told Comcast Sportsnet’s Leslie Gudel. “I should have 200 hits. I strive for that every season.”
“They all just want me to be better than last year,” Rollins said. “I’m not mad at him. Just because someone expresses their thoughts of how they want you to be or who they want you to be doesn’t mean they’re taking a shot at you.
“He wants what’s best for me and Pete was a leadoff man so it’s a natural comparison. He wants me to get 200 hits and so do I. We talk about it every day he’s here and how to go about doing it.”
Mike Schmidt is right HOWEVER, I don’t think Rollins DOES’T want the same thing, Jimmie Rollins is the spark for the Phillies and Mr. Schmidt washes he had the energy and passion Rollin does, Pete Rose had to light a fire under Schmidts dead-pan a**!
Sounds good on paper, but in reality both Rollins/Victorino are a little late in their careers to become punch hitters, chocke up on the bat and take shorter swings nad hit down on the ball (they should have done this years ago as they were coming up in the big leagues) They are what they are which is little players with speed but big swings nad little power (appeox 15 Homers each), but they strike out and fly out way to much for effective lead-off hitters
Both could have benn consistent .300 Hitters if they were more disciplined
at the plate but it’s not their game of even Managers C Maunels game who let’s hitters swing away and always has.. Their lack of “Small Ball” is what will prevent them winning a WS in 2011
Just like the Braves won the division last year. Paulmandomis in full effect.
They will and can adjust at this point in there career. It shouldnt be hard because we have 4 #1 pitchers backing the hitters this year. There all vets and will take advantage of teams pressing early against them.Rollins spends his whole career with Phills and has some injury problems a coupel years after he wins MVP,AND A SERIES…..and now he’s done or cant get 180-200 hits?
Phills over Reds in 6 games in the NLCS.Win the series…doesnt matter who we meet….we will stomp them out. Beware of the 4horseman and Fat Joe and Terror Squad.
P-man….Eagles move up into top 10 with trade for Corn kolb who do they take?
Reds over Phils in 7 games..
Closer LHP A Chapman is the Series MVP getting 1 Win and 3 Saves while allowing 2 base runners in 6 innings pitched.. The Phils heavy Left-Handed Batters don’t stand a chance against him…
Why haven’t Rollins/Victorino use this approach in years past…
Phils biggest issues are lack of fundamentals in moving base runners,
playing small ball,there Defense is weaker this season, their Bench is one of the weakest in the NL…. They will not win a Pennant or WS this year..
paulman, stop it, just stop trying to aggravate the fan base, or put your money where your mouth is on these ridiculous statements
And for Schmidt, there is a reason he was booed and never beloved; Jakedog booed him and I would Boo him now for talking like he is; rollins handled it with class because he is confident in his abilities, comfortable in his role on the team and his relationship with the fans, all of which Schmidt never had, so to pull a Mr. Cobb here, “Hey Michael Jack, Boooooooooooooooo”
oh Jakedog, you started off SO strong with that post. You know it just brightens my day when someone ELSE calls pman out on his shit.
BUT how you gonna hate on Schmidty!?!? BOOOOO you
Wha ridiculous comments Jake
I probably was the only Poster to state the Phillies would not make the
WS last year and I am going on record again to say they will no make it this Season either.. Doesn’t mean I am not a fan or a supporter of the Team, I just don’t think their everyday line-up is that strong and outside the Starting Pitching, I am not sold on the Bullpen,Bench, and the Defense to be a World Series Winner
reds? What? It will be giants and phillies again, even with silent bats in last years series, phils would have won if not for key defensive miscues, pitching and defense wins paulman, phillies are loaded at both, you are too negative on everything paulman, looking got the negative even on the brightest star in the city, the phillies, get over yourself
Schiller schmidt, like mcnabb, never a Philly guy, rollins is i would still boo him,
The Phils Defense is average at best Jake
1B,LF,RF are all below average and the rest of the IF are all a year older and
all coming off injuries… The Bench is very weak and Bullpen is good when Healthy but have questions marks with Ptchers with history of recent injuries
of Lidge,Romero and Old-Timers Contreras and Baes. Can they hold up..?
As far as Rollins/Victorino’s stllye of game, I ahve been saying for 3 years that these players should concentrate more on Small bal instead of taking the big swings and worryign about Homers.. But that’s howe they play and that’s how Manager C Mauel coaches, He does not like to take the bat out of hitters hands which is his philosophy which is why the Red with Manager D Baker will beat him this year for the Pennant and the Same reason that Giants Bochey out-managed Manuel in last years Championship Series.. The Phils are just not as sound fundamentally as they should be or how they used to be, the yrely on too many 3-Run Homers which are great when they occur, but they must become a much better “Small Ball” team if they expect to go to the WS in 2011.. Their Batting LIne-up is too left-handed and has too many strike-out/streaky hitters..
Rollins has been to 2 world series and won an MVP…I think Mike Schmidt needs to stop hatin!