Getting into the big-league debuts and breakthroughs of our greatest baseball players--it must be September, huh? Tonight marked Jimmy Rollins's 1390th game, good for 782nd all-time among baseball players, and he's done it all for the Philadelphia Phillies, after being drafted by the Phils in the second round of the 1996 amateur draft. #1 came on September 16th, 2000, in a home game against the Florida Marlins.
Starting at shortstop over season regular Desi Relaford (he of the nine home runs and career .234 batting average for the Phils), Rollins acquited himself rather admirably for a debut. Facing Marlins starter Chuck Smith, Young[er] James went 2-4 with a triple, walked, stole a base and scored two runs--runs which ended up making the difference in a 6-5 Phillies victory.
Rollins's debut was a bright spot in an otherwise dismal 2000 season. "Excitement, an ingredient that has so often been marked absent during this sorry Phillies season, made a return appearance yesterday at Veterans Stadium," wrote the Inquirer's Bob Brookover. "It came from the youthful exuberance and raw talent of shortstop Jimmy Rollins." Rollins went on to have a productive call-up season, batting .321 in 14 September and October games. After hitting second in his debut, J-Roll was quickly moved to the leadup slot--a place in the order he has held, with rare exception, until this very day.
Original Story:
http://www.the700level.com/2009/09/to...
