Jimmy Rollins vs. Wilson Valdez
A two-year comparison of Jimmy Rollins and Wilson Valdez.
Jimmy Rollins vs. Wilson Valdez
Bob Vetrone Jr.
(Yong Kim / Staff Photographer) (Daily News/Inquirer)
It sure looks as though Jimmy Rollins will be swinging at the first pitch for another major league baseball club next season. And, if those in the know are right, the Phillies think Freddy Galvis is going to need a full Triple-A season under his belt before he sees the bright lights at the big show.
So, while those covering the Hot Stove leagues bandie about names like Jose Reyes and Rafael Furcal, we thought we'd take a look at how Rollins' 2010-11 numbers compare to the Phillie who mostly filled in for him at short when Rollins missed games those two seasons.
And while the numbers for Wilson Valdez don't quite stack up to those of Rollins over that time, they are probably a lot closer than most people think. Remember, it's not the 2007 MVP Jimmy Rollins we're talking about any more. The numbers are below.
Noteworthy: The Phils had a better record over the last two seasons when Valdez started at shortstop than when Rollins did. Even if you throw out the seven games Rollins started during the eight-game "hangover" this season, his win percentage (.622) is lower ... Rollins has slight edges in the three averages, but none by a whole lot ... Rollins scored more often, about 12 more runs per 700 PA, a direct result of Valdez having a lower on-base percentage ... Although Valdez has had some fielding problems at short (four errors in 91 chances this season), their percentages are fairly close over the two stations and Valdez actually had more chances per nine innings than Jimmy.
| Two-Season Totals | Rollins | Valdez |
| Current Age | 32 | 33 |
| Record (as SS Starter) |
150-98 .604 |
45-25 .643 |
| BATTING (All Games) | ||
| Batting Avg. | .258 | .254 |
| On-Base Pct. | .331 | .300 |
| Slugging Pct. | .389 | .351 |
| Runs/700 PA | 92 | 80 |
| FIELDING (SS only) | ||
| Fielding Pct. | .986 | .981 |
| Chances/9 IP | 4.2 | 4.5 |
Comments (49)
The number of errors is getting ridiculous. Jimmy Rollins does NOT swing at the first pitch a lot.
Rollins in 2011: 19%
Phillies overall: 21% (lowest in the NL)
MLB Average: 28%
You would think that a site with "Stats" in its name would bother to, you know, look up the stats.— schmenkman
It is ridiculous to think that Valdez is a decent replacement for Rollins. Factor is base running and stealing and the void is even greater. Also, factor in the incredible amount of DP's Valdez hits into. Valdez OPS for the past two seasons is around .650 while Rollins is around .720....that is a significant difference. Also, Rollins WAR last season was 3.7 compared to -0.2 for Valdez. Again, a ridiculous difference.— Armyofthe15Monkies- It is ridiculous to think that Valdez is a decent replacement for Rollins. Factor is base running and stealing and the void is even greater. Also, factor in the incredible amount of DP's Valdez hits into. Valdez OPS for the past two seasons is around .650 while Rollins is around .720....that is a significant difference. Also, Rollins WAR last season was 3.7 compared to -0.2 for Valdez. Again, a ridiculous difference.— Armyofthe15Monkies
- Wow, didn't realize Wilson was a year older, he seems like he moves younger than Rollins— gmr18901
- For a one year solution, Valdez would be fine. That's better than signing Rollins for 3 years when they only need him for one year. Rollins will have the same success Rowand, Burrell and Myers had when they left the Phillies. Let someone else overpay.— AvoidSundanceVacations
- No comparison. Rollins is still a very good shortstop. Valdez is on the bubble and may not be in the majors in 2012.— schmenkman
- This is the dumbest thing ever written— richjenkins
- Hahaha x infiniti.
— TeamAwesome - the eagles should draft Matt McGloin to play quarterback next year. He's got a good record, so he must be good.
— jim715 - Funny, but I told my wife during the year that Valdez was a good utility player and that I thought the Phils should us him and Martinez at SS should Rollins go. Looks like the numbers bear out my assumptions. As far as Rollins, I'm getting a little tired of his "MVP" attitude and hope he's gone. His best days are behind him and his act is wearing REAL thin on most fans. Self praise stinks after a good dosage!— walt1
- I loved this comment: "Is Rollins 10-15x the player as Valdez?" First of all, the answer may well be Yes, at least on a career basis. But that aside, this commenter has no understanding of how a market economy works. Salaries don't go up based on actual level of performance, they go up based upon scarcity. Players of Valdez' caliber are READILY available. You could sign a whole team of them for about $20MM. I'm sure you would be comforted to know that you're team was only 50% worse than the contenders, but you are paying 20% of the salary those contenders are paying. You could count your savings all the way to a 55 win season. The reality is that those extra 30 points of OBP, 50 points of Slugging percentage, etc are EXPENSIVE because that's how you become an elite team. This is not a normal business where you may be able to pay 2-3 "ordinary" caliber workers and come out the same or better than paying one outstanding worker. There are a limited number of at bats in a season, and a championship caliber team cannot afford to see any significant number of them going to the Wilson Valdez of the world. And if you think Wilson Valdez is just as likely to have a hot streak as David Freese, you are watching a different game than me.— Phils Phan 28
- Wow. I've been reading the Philly papers for a couple of decades, and this may be the most idiotic article/blog I have ever read. The author appears to have absolutely no understanding of baseball, or statistics. Just embarrassing.— Todd F.
- So by those stats Jimmy Rollins has a .720 OPS (on base percentage + slugging percentage) compared to Wilson Valdez' .651 OPS, a difference of 69 points. That is a HUGE difference. It also doesn't factor in Rollins' running abilities (he's one of the most efficient base stealers EVER, he rarely gets caught). The fielding percentage is a bit misleading since Valdez played multiple positions, his fielding percentage at 2B was high but at shortstop (a more difficult position than 2B) it was .956, considerably lower than Rollins'.— Phanthom32
- valdez is not an everyday player, and a 30 pt difference in OBP and in SLG is a pretty big difference. valdez is not the answer. though I frankly don't want to sign rollins long-term either. i'd be ok with furcal for a year or two, until we know more about galvis.— loctastic
- JRoll brings alot more to the table than what these stats indicate, but hes about gone. They will lowball Jroll with a 3 year deal then search for a replacement. Galvis will get a look in spring training, so will Brown and Mayberry. Phillies have options, I for one would love to see Jimmy stay but probably ain't going to happen, thanks Jroll, you will always be remembered...— TexasYankee
- ive bashed Rollins alot over 10 years, but this article is like the way a politician tells lies with numbers..from a defensive standpoint, i like Valdez alot, but he's an 8th place hitter whose production drops the more he plays...the bigger issue is, if Jimmy leaves, its hard to find an option better than Wilson to fill the spot for a year..Gonzalez has some pop but he walks half as much as Jimmy does and strikes out 100 times, and he's even holder than jimmy...barmes is a crappy, free swinger...furcal's back is as much an issue as jimmy's legs and he probably wont take a 1 year deal either...and its not like there is a SS out there you can trade for...Phils could have given JJ Hardy more than the 7mil x 3 years he got to stay in Baltimore..oh well. is it in the realm of possible if you re-sign Jimmy for 3-4 years, you could move him to second when Utley's contract is up after 2013?— jim715
- Jimmy outperformed Valdez in every category. You somehow missed the match up in home runs. Valdez is exactly what he was signed on for; a replacement who wasn't in the Mets plans, but fit in as a replacement on this team.
If the team will again put up with a slick fielder that can't hit, they may just as well bring Galvis in as a regular short stop, and see how he does. Management gave Domonic Brown an opportunity during the regular season, why not Galvis ? At least Galvis can field !— phineas - Not so sure Rollins should go right now.But 5 years is a long stretch. Is any other team going to give him that considering the numbers he has put up the last two years? Not so sure. Three years with a team option for a fourth sounds fair. Love JR but his career is winding down. He can still contribute but not for the next five years. If he is that confident in his ability then grab three years with options the last two.— JimSeitz
- Valdez will probably not be on the team in 2012. Martinez spells everything Valdez can do as a backup. No way this team can compete if either Martinez is an every day infielder. Like a previous post describing Valdez, Martinez is close to be Valdez's clone, just younger.
How would Phillie fans feel about Reyes for 6 years at slightly under $100M ? Beats the heck out of Jimmy for 4 years at $50M + !— candidly - valdez is a good fielder but is no rollins as a hitter who hit higher than utley who is making 15 million a year, more hr's rbi's stolen bases, hits this past season if valdez could hit he would have been a starter years ago, reyes ain't coming here he gets injured more than rollins and valdez.— only 9
- I'll miss J-Roll and his big mou...uh, personality. Teams need a live wire or two, and I guess Pence can fill that role to some degree. Valdez at SS full-time worries me. I vote for renting a player for 1 year with team option for a 2nd. Galvis may be The Answer, maybe not, and bringing him up for a full season now might hurt his progress as well as the team's. I'm somewhat sure RA can come up with some other options. Besides me, of course - I'm better at 2nd, and I think/HOPE there's a guy there who with a few adjustments and whatever medical help he REALLY needs this off-season will be that Answer again.— bowritely
- one additional reason to let J-Stroll go and give anyone the SS job, even including Valdez, is that J-Stroll will always insist on batting lead-off, and Charlie will kiss his rear and ALWAYS give in to him. Get us a sure-handed SS (like Valdez) whom is satisfied to hit 8th without complaint, and what you get is what we already got from Valdez, a superior winning percentage with him in the line-up over the self-proclaimed superstar J-Pop.
The line-up simply works better when J-Pop is not hitting lead-off. Since he won't agree to that, he has to go !!!!!!!!!!— advantasux - As they say in CC: 'data don't lie'. That said, NMPartners has it about right - except for the Nick Punto bit. ]Shouda'na go there] - said in East Falls. And the 'hoods calling for Reyes, give it a break - no way Phils shell out chump money for one good year from a guy with an atty-tude problem.
So, the platoon option exists 1); or a reasonable free agent TBD 2); or a 2-3 yr deal for RR if he comes to his senses 3); or, a deal in the works for a SS through a trade for Blanton, plus considerations 4). The last option is on the table in South Philly. Mark my words.— 24sDad - Nice. Doesn't count RBI, extra base hits, HR, SAC, or BB. But for those statistics you looked at, they compare pretty well. Which sucks because Valdez grounds into a double play more than anyone else.— 46 and 2
- You forgot to add the all important difference in salary requirement!!! If Valdez is a lot cheaper that saves money that can be invested in another impact player and that could make an even bigger difference in the comparison!— connorjr
- Wilson Valdez comes through AGAIN ...thanks for the memories JR. johnnyu— john ullman
- What these stats show is that you don't need a $15 mil/year player at every position to win a lot of MLB games. People don't get that.....didn't any of you watch the WS.....a bunch of little scrappy lower paid guys hung together and beat some way bigger, better teams. I can't justify giving JNoRoll $10-15mil per when Valdez can do what he does for $1 or 2per......is Jimmy 10-15x the player Valdez is???? NFW!— Mark1npt
- GOODDBYE ROLLINS, I DON'T CARE IF VALDEZ SPEAKS MARTIAN, HIS ATTITUDE IS BETTER, HE DOES NOT TRY TO BE WHAT HE ISN'T ( A HOME RUN HITTER) AND HIS BA WITH RISP IS HIGHER.— DONDEN31
- Wilson Valdez is NOT a major league starter, especially not for a World series caliber team. This is not the answer.— Phils Phan 28
- There is a reason why Valdez is 33 and has NEVER been a starter in his career. He is a very good utility man and can be productive during shorter periods of time. With him as the everyday SS, the Phils would now have 2-3 guys who are perfect candidates to bat 8th. They need some guys who can bat in the top and middle of the lineup.
That being said, with Rollins production in obvious decline the past 4 seasons (ever since they started with suspensions for steroids), it is probably best to move on and spend the money at another position. Pick up a Nick Punto type and play that guy, Valdez and even Martinez once in a while at SS.— NMPartners - Word is : when Rollins hits free agent market and someone offers 4 year pkg ... Phil's will throw up hands and bow out .. And save face in process!— camp
- Will not miss Jimmy. He hasn't done much last two years... let's rebuilt the line up with him gone... Valdez should be serviceable with this pitching until the kid in AAA is ready.— likhon
- Great article Bob! Whatever you make it should be double what the fool Mike Jensen makes.— knicks84
- Rollins good for 35 steals 15-18 HRs 70 RBIs in leadoff role. Valdez a good back up man does not compare with those figures. Phills biggest minus is inconsistent hitting they would be worse with Valdez for Rollins. Putting teams losses on one persons shouders is rediculous. Rockies under 500 as team is that Tulowitski fault.— Don w
- Agreed. Valdez is a good fill in. He is not a starter, the 2 don't even compare. Jimmy also brings more then just numbers to the table, he also has an attitude that goes missing when he's not in the lineup. — paulNC
- Runners in scoring position: Rollins .322; Valdez .370.— bmack
- Rollins will be the Ginats shortstop very soon.— kelprod2
- valdez has no power, show us rbis and runs scored and jimmy will surely blow wilson out of the water— cheezaliciouz
- Phillies will have an identity crisis. SS is heart of the infield, Valdez doesn't speak English.— gho_matt
- Check out BA with runners in Scoring Position..— FABER
- POP UP JIMMY NEVER DID LEARN SINGLES WIN GAMES TOO !! IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT HOMERUNS...............— JIMMAC6
- that is what i have been saying all along........ I don't know why no one likes Valdez, he has a great arm above average fielding and has come up with some clutch hits. I'm betting he would even listen to some coaching unlike mr. all-ego rollins— your_mom_says_hi!
- Agreed. My gut has been telling me that WV has been a suitable replacement for JR...glad to see it in the numbers.— sw2surf
- Fielding percentage comparison is interesting given that WV moved around the infield so much. Probably would improve if he stayed at shortstop. His OBP is lower, so he hits out of the 7 or 8 spot and doesn't make a big deal out of it. My biggest concern with WV is his uncanny ability to end innings when there's only 1 out: should change his number from 21 to 643.— philorchphilsphan
Comment removed.- FINALLY!!!!!! I have been saying that Wilson may be the answer for MONTHS and no one ever gives the guy any credit! One thing I always can't believe is that Wilson is actually OLDER than Jimmy, but he plays like a much younger guy!!! I'll really miss Jimmy if he leaves, but I do think Valdez is the answer over young Galvis (at this point anyways). Plus...when the game is tied in the 11th inning...we all look forward to Wilson coming in a surprise relief pitcher, don't we?...— bingbangbong
- Another plus for Valdez is he can pitch relief.— scribbles
- Bye Jimmy— beefbre
- Comment removed.
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