Amaro On Rollins Benching: 'Sandberg Wants To Watch Some Other Guys Play'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Jimmy Rollins hasn't played in three consecutive Phillies Spring Training games. Rollins says manager Ryne Sandberg hasn't told him why that is. General manager Ruben Amaro thinks it's no big deal.
"I don't think there's anything going on. I think he's [Ryne Sandberg] watching some other guys play, I think he wants to see Freddy [Galvis] and others---we've got some guys battling for jobs, but if there's something going on you should probably ask Ryne. I haven't heard that from Ryne and you know, it's really up to him," Amaro told 94WIP's Michael Barkann and Ike Reese. "Jimmy [Rollins] will have plenty of time to get ready, there's no issue with that [sitting three straight games]. I don't personally have an issue with that. Jimmy, if he's---we'll get him plenty of at-bats and plenty of reps to be able to be ready to play."
Rollins will accompany the Phillies on their road trip, but it's not known whether he'll play Friday against the Pirates.
"Again, you have to ask Ryne about it. I haven't had a discussion about Ryne about it and he's playing the people he wants to see play now. As we get through the Spring we're trying to get everybody ready," Amaro said. "There's no question that Freddy Galvis, we have affinity in Freddy because of the way that he plays, because of the instinct that he's got for the game and I know that Ryne is trying to instill a oneness with the group. He's trying to get everybody together to pull on the same rope, to play with energy and enthusiasm, and I think it was more about a comment on Freddy than anything else."
Sandberg is treating Spring Training much differently than former manager Charlie Manuel did.
"I think guys are on board. There's not too much bitching and complaining about the work that's getting put in and guys are going about their business. I haven't heard very much resistance from the players," Amaro said. "But hey, this is about the staff and getting these players ready. Frankly, they don't have really much of a leg to stand on as far as what kind of work they want to do. It's really---we haven't had two great years, so we got to do things differently and do things better because frankly we had a bad year last year and that can't happen again."