It only took two at-bats to realize what the Phillies were missing for the past month.  Jimmy Rollins made his return last night and had an immediate impact.  Rollins was the catalyst in last night’s 7-4 victory over the Giants.

After missing the first 28 games, things didn’t start well for Rollins, and he appeared rusty.  He led the game off with a ground out to to shortstop Emmanuel Burris.  Rollins had similar results in the third inning, this time grounding out to third baseman Jose Castillo.

He also showed rust on the defensively.  In the bottom of the fourth, with the score tied at one, the Giants had runners at first and second with two outs.  Eugeno Velez his a slow roller to Rollins who missed the ball, allowing Randy Winn to score and the Giants to take a 2-1 lead.  The official scorers were generous and didn’t charge Rollins with an error, but that miscue hurt.  The next batter, Burriss, tripled down the right field line, brining home Velez and Rich Aurilia.  Had gold glove shortstop, made the play on Velez, the Phillies would be going to the top of the fifth with the score knotted at one.  Instead they found themselves in a 4-1 hole.

That’s when Rollins turned it on.  After the first two batters were retired to start the fifth, Cole Hamels hit a single to left. Rollins then crushed a Patrick Misch fastball, landing in the left field stands, cutting the Giants lead to 4-3.

Pedro Feliz, making his return to San Francisco, where he spent the first eight years of his career, doubled in the sixth, scoring Ryan Howard, and tying the game at four.

Rollins tried to get things started in the seventh.  He led off the inning with a single.  Shane Victorino tried to sacrifice him to second base, only to pop-up to the pitcher, Jack Taschner (who made an AMAZING diving catch of the mound).  He was left stranded at first base after Chase Ultey flied out to right field, and Howard went down swinging.

The eighth inning was a different story.  Carlos Ruiz grounded out scoring So Taguchi.  Greg Dobbs followed Ruiz with a pinch hit single, scoring Jayson Werth, and Rollins capped the scoring with a double to deep right, scoring Ruiz.

Overall Rollins went 3 for 5 with 3 RBI’s, a triple short of the cycle.  As strong as his return was, this was much more then a strong offensive performance.  The Phillies leader returned to the field.  With all the early season talk of how much the Phillies miss Aaron Rowand’s leadership, no one can replace Rollins on this team.  In my mind Rowand’s presence is missed, but Rowand doesn’t bring to the table what Jimmy Rollins can.  Sure, the Phillies played well during Rollins absence, going 16-12, but if you wached the games, something was missing.

At the end of 1976, when the Yankees signed Reggie Jackson to then what was an astronomical five-year contract for $2.96 million, he labeled himself as “the straw that stirs the drink“.  That’s exactly what Jimmy Rollins in to the Phillies.  He’s the heart and soul of the franchise. 

It’s great to see him back on the field.