Rollins re-signs for three years
From the beginning, there was little doubt this winter the Phillies and Jimmy Rollins wanted to continue their 15-year marriage well into the future. In this city's transformation from National League also-ran to baseball power, there was one constant: Rollins.
Rollins re-signs for three years
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
From the beginning, there was little doubt this winter the Phillies and Jimmy Rollins wanted to continue their 15-year marriage well into the future. In this city's transformation from National League also-ran to baseball power, there was one constant: Rollins.
And he will continue to man shortstop for the only team he has ever known.
The Phillies agreed Saturday to a three-year, $33 million deal with Rollins, according to multiple reports. The deal includes am $11 million vesting option for a fourth year. ESPN.com was the first to report an agreement.
"Gotta deal with me for 3 (4) more years," Rollins tweeted Saturday afternoon.
This day was long assumed even before the market for shortstops dwindled to only Rollins. He is the longest-tenured athlete in Philadelphia, active in the community, and still one of the more productive shortstops in the league.
But Rollins' pride was tested this winter.
Ultimately, it's a concession for Rollins, who declared days after the season abruptly ended that he wanted a five-year contract. But even then, the 33-year-old shortstop admitted Philadelphia was where he wanted to remain.
"I've been here since 1996. That's a long time in this organization," Rollins said shortly after the season ended. "It's the only one I've known. I've never thought about having to go anywhere else."
And really, there was nowhere else for Rollins to go. The Phillies were content to idle for much of the winter because Rollins was their priority, and with an advantage in negotiations, waiting was just fine.
During the winter meetings, signs emerged that a deal was close. The Milwaukee Brewers, the Phillies' top competition for his services, were told not to bother continuing talks with Rollins. They eventually signed Aramis Ramirez, a player the Phillies inquired about as a backup plan, and Alex Gonzalez for the left side of their infield.
An erroneous report surfaced near the end of the winter meetings that the Phillies had agreed to terms with Rollins. That was merely premature.
Rollins offers stability at the top of Charlie Manuel's lineup. His .743 OPS in 2011 ranked 11th among all major-league shortstops and his defense remains above average. Of course, Rollins' production has waned since the MVP season of 2007, but faced with using 22-year-old Freddy Galvis or a stopgap veteran signing to replace him, the Phillies viewed Rollins as the best choice.
Amaro said last week that should Rollins be re-signed, it would likely mark the final offensive addition of the offseason. The Phillies have guaranteed contracts with 16 players for 2012 and four others are eligible for arbitration.
In the end, the market was slim for Rollins and a divorce was never a probability. The Brewers never seriously considered Rollins. Other teams like San Francisco and Atlanta plan to start rookies at shortstop. St. Louis was consumed with their failed quest at re-signing slugger Albert Pujols and eventually settled for Rafael Furcal at shortstop.
Thus, an agreement required Rollins' side to cave on their demands to make a deal. Rollins just completed a six-year, $46.5 million deal. He won an MVP award and three Gold Gloves during the contract, one he thought was a team-friendly deal. A baseball source recently said Rollins resented the idea of taking another discount to return, especially after Jose Reyes signed a six-year, $106 million deal with the Miami Marlins.
"If I was older, I'd take a shorter term," Rollins said in October. "But I’ll be 33 when I get the contract. That means I have good six years left to perform at a high level and maybe even more."
But Rollins is five years Reyes' elder and without leverage, he had no other options. Even then Amaro was careful to be respectful of a player with a substantial legacy in Philadelphia while the team maintained its desire for a shorter term.
"Jimmy has every right to feel prideful about what he's done in his career," Amaro said during the winter meetings. "I absolutely understand. He feels he has great worth and he should feel that way. It's a matter of us getting to the right place where we think the worth is the same."
That happened Saturday. Finally.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
good. now we can get down to where the problem really is - at third base. As much as I have liked Polanco in the past, he is just not healthy enough. He is not the same guy at the plate anymore. I wish there was someone in the system to help out...— chollie- Jimmy Rollins'signing is a good thing. The undertone of Matt Gelb's article is distasteful. Words like "cave" and comments about Rollins' lack market demand are "small" and petty. Kudos Phillies for getting this done. Matt, step up your game!— reveugene
- Galvis needs to learn some more positions. I would hate to waste a SS in the outfield (at least part time) but I still think he is a keeper. I expect Rollins to be a part time player by year three unless, of course, he does the unthinkable and changes his approach.— KINGOFZED
- This deal makes sence. If I could not get Reyes, I wanted Rollins. Rollins is now the senior statesman, and should act like it. Hopefully the not running out the ball in 2008 is long behind him. Now he has two good friends with the Phillies: Ryan Howard and Dontrell Willis. I am glad both side kept this on the up and up, not like arbitration.— PhillyScott
- This deal makes sence. If I could not get Reyes, I wanted Rollins. Rollins is now the senior statesman, and should act like it. Hopefully the not running out the ball in 2008 is long behind him. Now he has two good friends with the Phillies: Ryan Howard and Dontrell Willis. I am glad both side kept this on the up and up, not like arbitration.— PhillyScott
- l cant get wrapped around a team that pays Howard 25 million to strike out against any hard thrown slider he faces..we cant hire a hitting coach to move Howard closer to the plate, get a lighter bat, shorten your stroke and become a deadly tough out that nobody would dare place an infield shift on..wow he could be so much better..and please get rid of that chump weak hittin ground out boy named Polanco what a clown.. he is so weak it hurts..I thought improving our hitting was important..utley and jimmy were the only one to hit well against the Cards..— gilberg
Comment removed.- Glad the deal is done. We get to see Jimmy's hottie wife for three more years.— Tyrone Biggums
- Comment removed.
- Jimmy Rollins will be a Phillie for 3 more years and I think that is GREAT! We have a franchise that the vast majority of other clubs envy...........yet some folks continue to complain. Give me a break.
- stanley scott silver is that you ? umcle stosh?— gilberg
- This is going to turn out to be a mistake and for the first time in a long time the Phils are going to enter the season with a roster that has not been improved. Nothing against Rollins - but the loyalty to him and to Manuel is hard to understand- Manuel is not Joe Torre and Rollins is a far cry from Derek Jeter. Rollins health issues and his lack of hustle and competitive drive and unwillingness to to help the team are old and tired. I guess we'll see what '12 brings - but they have blown an opportunity to move the franchise forward.— Northcountry
- Good to have a steady hand back at shortstop. There was no one better on the market. With our pitching good defense is a must. This may be the year he hits 40 dingers. Yeah, I wish he would hit more like a guy who wants to get on base if he is the leadoff batter.— johnny eagle
- Yeah, I hear you s, but they could have made another move or two. Ramirez at 3B, who is not spring chicken either, but give us better value offensively and Furcal at SS. This team needs a little bit of a shake up or a wake up call. Signing Jimmy for three years is remaining in the status quo.
— EL Zorro - I'm not real big on Furcal. He's missed a lot of playing time. 2011 was really the exception for him. However, for just a year it may have made sense. My big issue is you can't have the entire infield so old. There's little you can do with Howard and Utley so that really left Rollins and Polly as the two possible areas of change. With Rollins, a big problem is almost anyone else is a short term downgrade. But then you sign him for 3 years and you've got another problem. I'd have much less of an issue with Rollins for 3 years if the rest of the infield wasn't showing such an offensive decline. I'm not so sure I wouldn't have taken a shot at trading for Hanley Ramirez, even if he has some baggage. But SS is set now. I think a trade is still possible to make a change at 3B. Probably not likely but possible. 3B is an area I liked the idea of taking a shot at a young bench player. Instead it looks like we'll see 34 year old Wigginton giving 36 year old Polanco a rest once in a while. The organization needs more infield depth in the minors. — s
