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5 Most Interesting Quotes of the Philadelphia Phillies Season


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5 Most Interesting Quotes of Phillies Season

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Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Fans of the Philadelphia Phillies do not suffer fools gladly, especially in a season where they are sad mostly.

The winner of the top “fool” this year is Jimmy Rollins, who often opens his mouth just to insert a foot. Rollins, a five-and-10 man who exercised his option not to be traded at the July 31 deadline, did so to “set franchise records” with the Phillies, he said.

Since he already has the "unofficial" franchise record for flying out to left field with two runners on and two outs in addition to the franchise record for not busting it to first on ground balls, Phillies fans are at a loss to figure out just what franchise records Rollins was talking about.

Certainly, he wasn’t talking about Mike Schmidt’s franchise record of 538 home runs or Ed Delahanty’s record for season batting average (.410, 1899) or Sam Thompson’s 28 triples (1884). Rollins’ team records are largely ones in his own head, like many of his strange quotes.

Rollins, though, hasn’t been the only person in a Phillies uniform to say something unusual. In 1980, Phillies manager Danny Ozark did his best Yogi Berra impersonation by saying: “Half this game is 90% mental.”

Chase Utley endeared himself to Phillies fans forever by getting up at the 2008 celebration and saying: “World Bleeping Champions” although he didn't use the word bleeping and he was on live TV.

This season, though, has been a different story. Five quotes which have piqued the fans’ interest the most in this most unusual year include the following:

Mike Gibson is a Phillies writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @papreps , “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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5. Jimmy Rollins: "I'm not disappointed"

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Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

At the time, the Phillies were beaten three of four games on a series in the West Coast. Rollins said, "I'm not disappointed" and that set off a firestorm of debate in Philadelphia by fans who were disappointed.

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4. Ruben Amaro Jr: "I don't do five-year plans"

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Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

This was in May of 2013, a year after giving an overweight first baseman, Ryan Howard, a five-year deal worth $125 million. Phillies fans scratched their heads and said a collective, "Huh?"

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3. Cliff Lee: "We have to have a little more pride than that"

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Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

After being swept in a day/night doubleheader in May, Cliff Lee said, "It was never even close, either one of them. We have to have a little more pride than that and figure out a way to at least get back into games." That would be a theme for the rest of the season.

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2. Jimmy Rollins: "I want to stay here and set some records"

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Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Tee Phillies tried to trade Rollins by the July 31 deadline, but Rollins was having none of that, saying, "I want to stay here and set some records." That went over like a lead balloon with Phillies fans who interpreted that as Rollins saying he was here to collect a paycheck and that was it.

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1. Jonathan Papelbon: "I didn't come here for this"

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Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

After blowing his fifth-straight save, former Red Sox closer Papelbon uttered those infamous words. Phillies fans let out a collective, "neither did we, Jon."


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