I’ve said it before but 11 is a number that holds a very special place in my heart. Not only are we in the year 2011 and 11 days away from Christmas but 11 is also the thing I want most this Christmas. And I’m not talking about just any number 11.
If you haven’t noticed already, I’m a HUGE sports fan. Some could call it an obsession, others might call it a sickness but ultimately I prefer to call it a hobby. Hey, you might knit or exercise or read while I choose to spend my time catching highlights on Sportscenter, checking out the box scores, and watching the “big game”. It all goes back to the old saying, to each their own.
Well, while I support many teams, hate several, and cheer for the always unexpected underdogs, there is one team that simply stands above the rest in my mind, the Philadelphia Phillies. I absolutely love football, live for March Madness Basketball, and think hockey might be one of the most exciting sports to see in person but there is something so amazing about baseball. Some games can be as exciting as watching paint dry while others can keep you on the edge of your seat. You keep watching with the hope that you will catch one of those great games. Ultimately, when the first pitch is thrown, you have no idea what kind of night it will be and for 9 innings, it can be anyone’s ball game. The right pitch, a hot hitter, a pitcher that is in a zone, or an outfielder with a perfectly timed dive can make all the difference. And it doesn’t hurt that playing from April to October is probably the best season for any sport to get. So pretty much you get the point that I love baseball.
As exciting as the major league baseball season is, the off season can provide its own form of entertainment. The other day I wrote a post about the signing of the 200 million dollar man, Albert Pujols and how building a winning baseball team is similar to building the best version of yourself. I talked a little bit about creating clubhouse chemistry and how important that is to maintaining the balance for a team looking to succeed. That’s why, this year all I want for Christmas is a short stop. Jimmy Rollins to be exact.
One of the reasons I love the Phillies is in fact Jimmy Rollins. JRoll was one of the key members of the 2008 Phillies team that won the World Series, which was a time I will never forget. It was a magical red October in 2008 that had every Phillies fan believing in what everyone else thought to be impossible. The Brewers were too good for us to beat in the NLDS with Fielder and Braun and Hart on their side, the Dodgers were too powerful for us to beat in the NLCS, and finally, the Rays were an AL team with more talent than us but at the end of the month, it was the Phillies that proved to be better than the best.
Over the years since that World Series, team members from that magical team have left the city of brotherly love behind. Pat Burrell headed off to Tampa and eventually the bay area and another championship. Jayson Werth rode down I-95 south to DC and a much larger paycheck. Brett Meyers and JA Happ took their talents to Houston and Pedro Feliz is lost somewhere in the minor leagues. Ultimately, all those players got into our hearts but we aren’t losing sleep over their departures. Ok maybe Jayson Werth hurt a little but still there was an inevitable cloud hanging over the team. One day, we would have to face a decision on the future of a core player, someone who we couldn’t picture playing in anything but red and white pinstripes and we all knew that 2011 would be that year for Mr. #11.
As we wait to see what the fate of our shortstop will be, I put resign Jimmy Rollins at the top of my Christmas list and my 11th day of Christmas post. Sure the price has to be right and he is getting older but the idea of losing Jimmy and all his heart would break mine. Last year the Phillies made it a Merry Cliffmas for me by bringing back Cliff Lee so this year I’m hoping for a little contract for JRoll under the tree.
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