What is so wrong about the Rollins contract?
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What is so wrong about the Rollins contract?
Among the litany of complaints that I have heard about this Phillies team, the one that confuses me most involves the four-year, $38 million deal that Jimmy Rollins signed this offseason. I expounded on that confusion in today's Daily News, which you can read here. Now is an interesting time to have this discussion, because the last time the Phillies played the Dodgers, Rollins was also a focal point. It was early June, and Rollins was coming off an awful two-month start to the season. The start of a four-game home series against the Dodgers brought plenty of questions from reporters about whether Rollins should continue to leadoff, or whether Juan Pierre should assume those duties. They were legitimate questions at the time. So were the questions about Rollins' contract when he signed it.
What I don't understand is how anybody can look at anything that has happened since both of those occasions and use it to denigrate Rollins.
On June 5, I wrote a column defending Rollins, pointing out that he usually hits well after June 1 and that Pierre lacked the power the Phillies needed in their lineup. Since that day, Rollins has hit .292 with a .354 on base percentage, a .569 slugging percentage, and seven home runs in 158 plate appearances. Pierre, meanwhile, has hit .277/.313/.383 with one home run in 102 plate appearances. Rollins has outperformed Pierre in every major category, yet some still think Pierre is more valuable to the Phillies' offense. Same goes for Freddy Galvis. Can somebody explain to me what, exactly they saw out of Galvis that makes them think that he would not be a huge offensive liability next season? In 200 plate appearances this season, Galvis hit .226 with a .254 on base percentage. Every time he stepped to the plate, he had a 75 percent chance of making an out. That matters. I understand the appeal of Galvis' defensive prowess and youthful exuberance. But you gotta hit.
My bigger point, though, is that Rollins is not as overpaid as you think he is.
Over the last two years, eight shortstops have signed multi-year deals worth at least $7 million per season. Here is how their current numbers compare:
| Player | Total $ | Years | AAV | PA | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | RBI | RS |
| Derek Jeter | 51 | 3 | 17.0 | 407 | .306 | .351 | .407 | .758 | 7 | 26 | 50 |
| Jose Reyes | 106 | 6 | 17.7 | 401 | .264 | .335 | .374 | .709 | 3 | 22 | 43 |
| Jimmy Rollins | 38 | 4 | 9.5 | 396 | .262 | .317 | .421 | .739 | 9 | 34 | 52 |
| J.J. Hardy | 22.5 | 3 | 7.5 | 393 | .216 | .255 | .373 | .628 | 13 | 34 | 42 |
| Rafael Furcal | 14.0 | 2 | 7.0 | 393 | .275 | .338 | .360 | .697 | 5 | 37 | 56 |
| Alexei Ramirez | 32.5 | 4 | 8.1 | 355 | .263 | .284 | .337 | .621 | 2 | 44 | 32 |
| Erick Aybar | 40.1 | 5 | 8.0 | 335 | .267 | .305 | .383 | .688 | 2 | 44 | 31 |
The question isn't even which one of those hitters you would rather have, because Furcal and Reyes were the only ones available this offseason. The question is who is going to take the place of Rollins if you trade him away. And we haven't even mentioned the elite level defense he continues to provide.
I'm not arguing that it is a great contract. But it certainly looks better than Reyes', Ramirez's or Aybar's. Long story short, you sometimes have to overpay at premium positions. After all, there is a reason they are considered "premium."
Rollins is still an all around above average shortstop, but he bombed the first two and a half months of the season when the team needed him to play well. He's also been striking out at a higher rate than usual, and except for maybe 20-25 games, he's been pretty inept offensively. The fact that he frequently doesn't hustle to first base doesn't win him the benefit of the doubt. When the team was going well he was seen as the leader of the team and got much of the credit, and now he's taking the fall on the way down. Seems pretty fair to me.— dblankj- Hey Murph....As much as I can't stand Wheels....I will use one of his lines....sometimes you just have to watch the game....btw....I generally do like you. — Earls World
- Murphy, why do you love Rollins so much? He's a horrible leadoff hitter and he has a bad attitude. His career is over. Pointing to the lousy statistics if other shortstops doesn't mean that Rollins is worth an average of $9.5 million a year. Do you really think his numbers are worth his salary? Galvis might have had lesser numbers, but the difference between his numbers and Rollins' don't equate to $8-9 million a year. Please trade him.— Larry Brown
- how did galvis pay last night? — wobblie
- Two words; Paint Chips. I'm not sure how it works but after Freddie heals, he has to serve his 50 games somewhere, I believe either Major or minor leagues, not sure..My point being wobblie, they don't get it and will turn on Freddie the first time he hits .220 for a month or two. Don't get me wrong, I like Freddie as well, but he's not the answer..Peace !!! — TexasYankee
- Dave, very good analysis! When you are discussing JRoll, you ARE kinda "preaching to the choir" as far as I'm concerned - but no matter - the JRoll deal was, and is, a great one for the Phillies AND Jimmy. I am starting to feel a lot better about this season.— dwp66
- Being in last place is kinda like being in a nice, easy, comfortable chair. You can just sit back and relax, and you feel a lot better about the season. — fmMD
- Agree with Murph on this one. The hate is out of proportion to what Jimmy has done for this team over the years. His play is NOT why 2012 has tanked to this point. If they were normal solid at home they'd be in first again. Among other things. Jimmy is about 234th on the list.— Ump Al
- Seems like a lot of people would rather have a bad shortstop, instead of a good one, so they can really have something to complain about.— jermigio
- Bingo, wise words young Jedi. These few idiots, and I mean few rip apart everything and everybody, especially after the great run they have had. They want to sell off all our best players, like usual. Sell off for what? Can you just imagine the whining and crying on these boards when the Phillies sell off everyone and stay at the bottom for the next few years, with no guarantees, after Roy, Cliff, and maybe Cole are done for their careers? It's nice to see more and more real fans post..and BTW, great story Murph, right on as usual, numbers don't lie...Go Phillies !!! — TexasYankee
- We already have a bad shortstop.
Things have to get better, right?— fmMD - DM,
Haters are going to hate no matter what the facts are.— palmyra21 - Completely agree. I have always laughed when people rip Rollins so frequently. Yes his pop ups are frustrating, yes he usually starts somewhat slow but when its all said and done he is still better then 70$ off the shortstops in baseball AND plays world class defense. His salary is actually completely in line with what it should be. People get so worked up about it but the market dictates what you are worth. The team has to get younger but Jroll has got to be the shortstop. You cant compare his #s to that of a third baseman or OF, totally different market and therefore different value.— philsfan in the atx
- Murph, absolutely, positively dead on. Rollins isn't close to a top 10 problem on this team. His contract was market value. If he didn't get it here, he would have gotten it elsewhere. Period. To Larry Brown, it amazes me that you ask why anyone loves Rollins so much. The question is, why do you hate him so much? If you asked people inside the Phillies organization, I highly doubt anyone would say he has a bad attitude. Because he half-asses the occasional groundball to first is not the reason to want Freddy Galvis as your everyday shortstop. I'm all for Chase Utley's all-out all the time style of play. I love it, admire it. What's it gotten him? A shortened career? Also, I'd love to know what qualifies you to answer the question how numbers equate to salary in major league baseball. Has Lee or Doc been worth 20+? Has Chase been worth 15? How bout Shane's 9? Polly's 7? By your point, trade everyone. Which is fine, but don't cry the next five years if they do.— Lieber14
- Other sources have the deal at 33M for 3 seasons and an 11M vesting option for 2015, which would make it 4 years and 44M. Where does the 38M come from? Doesn't change the premise of the article but what's the real number?
Fact is, Rollins is still excellent defensively and middle of the road offensively compared to other SS's. Most importantly, there really is no viable replacement at this time.— NMPartners
