Philly Leader

In Clearwater, Florida, former Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins made an appearance at BayCare Ballpark, joining the team as a guest instructor. This marks his first time in uniform in over five years. Rollins plans to engage with the team more actively this time around. "Usually I’d come in, stand in my little pocket," he said. "This time, I’m going to say hello to everybody."

Rollins maintains connections with current Phillies players like Bryce Harper and Trea Turner through occasional text messages. “Real simple,” he noted about his communication style.

Discussing the 2025 Phillies' prospects for winning a World Series, Rollins drew parallels between the current team and his own experiences. The Phillies have faced recent postseason disappointments similar to those experienced by Rollins' teams after their 2008 World Series win. "I hope it doesn’t happen like us," he remarked.

He acknowledged the challenge posed by strong competitors such as the Los Angeles Dodgers but remained optimistic about the team's potential success. “Anybody can be beat,” Rollins stated.

Rollins also discussed Trea Turner's role as a potential leadoff hitter for the Phillies this season, drawing from his own experience as a catalyst for the team’s offense. He expressed support for Turner batting first: “I love it.”

On another note, Rollins' Hall of Fame candidacy continues to progress slowly. His name appeared on 18 percent of ballots this year, needing 75 percent for induction. Reflecting on this, Rollins said, “Not fast enough,” while acknowledging that Hall of Fame voting is subjective.

Chase Utley, another former Phillie and teammate of Rollins, received 39.8 percent of votes in his second year of eligibility. Rollins believes Utley will eventually make it into the Hall of Fame.

Despite these uncertainties, both players remain hopeful about their chances for future recognition.