CSN: Rollins settling into No. 3 spot for Phils

For much of his career, the knock on Jimmy Rollins was that he was not a quintessential leadoff hitter. For a kid who grew up in the Bay Area emulating the greatest leadoff hitter of an era in Rickey Henderson, Rollins possessed little of what the Hall of Famer brought to the game.

Rollins? on-base percentage never seemed to be quite high enough, critics claimed, and he didn?t work the count the way a leadoff man should. The Phillies seemingly always had better leadoff candidates on the club, but manager Charlie Manuel ? and maybe Rollins as well ? were resistant to the change.

Rollins was always Manuel?s leadoff guy and he wasn?t going to change that unless he had a good reason.

But as the 2012 season gets ready to begin, Rollins likely will start it as the Phillies? No. 3 hitter. Call it the end of an era?

Actually, call it a necessity.

Shortly before the Phillies broke camp in Clearwater and began to head back to Philadelphia, Rollins and Manuel got together with the thought of pitching one another an idea. Interestingly, the shortstop and the skipper had the same exact thought? with Ryan Howard and Chase Utley to start the season on the disabled list, Rollins and Manuel reasoned that it would make sense for the shortstop to slide down the batting order a couple of spots.

With Rollins in the third slot, speedy outfielders Shane Victorino or Juan Pierre could hit first, Placido Polanco can remain in the two-hole and Rollins, with his free-swinging ways, could become an RBI threat at No. 3.

Given the Phillies? needs, it made perfect sense.

?I think I talked to Jimmy [about hitting third in the lineup] before spring training was over,? Manuel said. ?I also talked to him last winter about hitting and I talked to him this spring about hitting, and when he?s ahead in the count to make sure he got better balls to hit and to make sure he got his ball to hit [and] not the high fastball out of the strike zone and things like that. He?s been working on it. He?s trying things.?

Rollins batted third in the lineup 27 times last season, batting .271 (29 for 107) with a homer, five RBIs and six extra-base hits. He also had a .361 on-base percentage out of the three-hole as opposed to a .331 on-base percentage in 108 games as the leadoff man.

However, over his entire career, Rollins has a .314 on-base percentage in 67 games in the three-slot and a .333 rate in 1,242 games as the leadoff hitter. Regardless, if Rollins and Manuel are on the same page from the jump, the new spot in the lineup might be one that suits the player and the team.

If there was ever resistance from Rollins in the past, he?s moved beyond it.

?When I talked to him in the past, I?m not saying he didn?t agree with it, he?s never given me too much of a struggle. He?s pretty much been very professional about things as long as you?re right,? Manuel explained. ?If he thinks you?re wrong about something he?ll stand his ground, which is good, which is fine.

?Jimmy knows how to play ? he?s a tremendous player. He knows his hitting and if you tell him something and you?re right, he buys into it.?

Rollins batted third during both exhibition games against the Pirates at the Bank. In Monday?s game he went 1 for 2 with a double that ended with him being thrown out stretching for a triple and two RBIs. He also attempted a bunt in a situation to set the table for cleanup hitter Hunter Pence, only to get the bat on the ball a little too far out in front.

Still, Manuel was pleased with the baseball savvy Rollins showed in that situation.

?He bunted there [Monday night], but it went to the back of the pitcher,? Manuel said. ?I think he went a little quick on it. He was trying to get the guy over, but at the same time if he drops it down the third-base line he could get a hit, too.?

Indeed, Rollins could be even more of a threat in the three-hole than as the leadoff man. Not only does he have plenty of slugging ability, but his speed plays well in that spot, too. Plus, it seems as if Rollins is forced to swing the bat more wisely simply because he comes up with more runners on base. On Tuesday night he set up the Phils? first run by moving Victorino from second to third with a ground out.?

Some may argue that it has been a long time coming, but for the time being it appears as if Rollins will settle into a different role in Manuel?s lineup.?

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