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Rollins takes shot at Mets during Phillies party

'It takes more than one player (Santana) to bring home a championship'

Image: RollinsTom Mihalek / AP
Jimmy Rollins talks about playing against the Mets as he addresses the fans during Friday's celebration.
updated 11:54 p.m. ET Oct. 31, 2008

PHILADELPHIA - Jimmy Rollins made the most of another opportunity to take a dig at the New York Mets.

Speaking at Friday’s celebration for the Phillies’ World Series victory, the shortstop mentioned Mets left-hander Johan Santana and the crowd booed. But Rollins was loudly cheered after saying New York forgot one thing. As he put it: “It takes more than one player to bring home a championship.”

The Mets acquired Santana last offseason after squandering a seven-game cushion with 17 to play, letting Philadelphia charge past them for the NL East title in one of the worst collapses in baseball history.

The Phillies rallied to win the division title again this year after trailing New York by 3½ games in September.

The trash talk between the two teams started before the 2007 season when Rollins pronounced Philadelphia the team to beat in the NL East even though New York ran away with the division crown the year before. Rollins backed up his brash words by winning the NL MVP award.

Early in spring training this year, after the Mets acquired Santana, normally quiet Carlos Beltran had a message for Rollins, saying the Mets were the team to beat in 2008. Philadelphia went on to win the division and beat the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series.

© 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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