Jimmy Rollins Brashly Predicts: Phillies in Five

Philadelphia Phillies superstar Jimmy Rollins is running his mouth – again. In an appearance on Jay Leno’s show Monday night, the trash-talking shortstop predicted that his team would beat the New York Yankees in the World Series in just five games.

“Of course we’re gonna win,” Rollins said. “If we’re nice, we’ll let it go six, but I’m thinking five, close it out at home.”

Oh snap. It is so on. And maybe Yankee fans better start worrying, given the accuracy of J-Roll’s prior predictions. The charismatic player is known for talking a lot of smack, but he usually backs it up by being right.

Rollins’ outspokenness is rare in the often-bland baseball world, where all too many players speak in cliches straight out of “Bull Durham.” But what’s even rarer is that his predictions, pronouncements, and prognostications have so often come true:

* In 2007, Rollins declared in spring training that the Phillies were “the team to beat.” Not only did they win their first of three straight NL East titles that year, but Rollins won the MVP that season.

* Last March, when Barack Obama was the underdog in the Democratic presidential primary, Rollins went public with his support of him. That was a huge deal in the baseball world, given that most players not named Curt Schilling pretty much shy away from taking political stances. But Rollins stood up for what he believed in. He then campaigned with Obama in Pennsylvania that fall, just before the election, and even recorded one of those robo-call thingies with his voice on it for the campaign. The result? Obama won 55% of the vote in Pennsylvania, with even greater numbers in and around Philadelphia.

* This spring, Rollins made this prediction for this year’s World Series matchup: “I see our boys vs. the Yankees,” he said. “They spend all that money, they’ve got to be there. We’ve got a title to defend, so we’re going to be there.” When the Phillies traveled to Yankee Stadium for a May series, he told reporters, “How great would that be? A World Series here, us against the Yankees? We’ve proved we can put on a pretty good show.”

So, will Rollins be on the money again with his five-game World Series pronouncement? It certainly is very possible, given the success of Rollins’ prior trash-talking triumphs.

However, when a Yankee opponent made a similar World Series prediction in 2000, it didn’t exactly work out well for him. Met outfielder Benny Agbayani caused a stir that year when he went on “Regis and Kathie Lee” before the Subway Series and predicted “Mets in five.” Agbayani was partially proven correct – the World Series did last five games that year, but the Yankees, not the Mets, were the victors that season. Only time will tell if Rollins will be a hero – or a goat – for his World Series prediction.

Photo by JimmyRollins11

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