Rollins Becomes Phillies All-Time Hits Leader
PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) – Jimmy Rollins passed Mike Schmidt Saturday afternoon to become the Phillies all-time leader in hits.
Rollins singled to right-field in the 5th inning against the Chicago Cubs to give him 2,235 hits over the course of his career, all with the Phillies.
Immediately after the hit, Schmidt, to symbolize the passing of the baton, rushed out of the Phillies dugout and handed Rollins the bat he used to break the record. He greeted Rollins with a high-five and hug at first base.
Rollins was then greeted near first base by a parade of teammates who each took a turn congratulating him on the accomplishment.
Once the Phillies left the field, Schmidt took Rollins' hand and held it in the air to the cheers. The pair was then given a standing ovation as fireworks erupted from the large video board in left field.
The 35-year-old Rollins received a loud ovation when he came to the plate his first two times up Saturday, but he grounded out to first on the second pitch he saw in the first inning and lined out sharply to first in the second.
The switch-hitter led off the fifth batting from the left side and drove Edwin Jackson's 3-1 offering sharply into right field for his record-setting hit. Rollins tied Schmidt on Friday night with a double in the 9th inning.
Rollins was drafted in the second round of the 1996 draft and made his debut with the Phillies on Sept. 17, 2000. He got his first hit that day, a triple off Chuck Smith, at Veterans Stadium.
In 15 years with the Phillies, the 5-foot-8 shortstop has won four Gold Gloves, made three All-Star teams and was the 2007 NL MVP. He was a member of the club's 2008 World Series championship team.
Rollins already tops Philadelphia's doubles list with 466, and he is in the top 10 of nearly every offensive category in club history.
He entered Saturday second in extra-base hits (782), total bases (3,539), games (2,014), at-bats (8,327), and third in steals (435), runs (1,280) and triples (109).
Rollins is one of 19 players in major league history with at least 400 doubles, 100 triples and 200 home runs. He is fourth all-time with 46 leadoff homers.
