Inside the Phillies: Rollins better fit for Phils than Reyes

It's no secret that the Phillies' primary focus is shortstop as the winter meetings commence this week in Dallas.

To not have a good one is akin to going into an NFL season without a quality quarterback.

Good luck trying to win without one.

The Phillies, of course, have been fortunate because they have not had to search for anyone since Jimmy Rollins took over the position in 2001.

Now 33 - he celebrated that birthday a week ago - Rollins may still be the answer at shortstop for the Phillies. He's clearly the team's first choice even as he tests the free-agent market for the first time in his career.

"Again, there is no real time frame, but it's obviously an important position for us," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "I think things tend to [heat up] at the winter meetings just by the natural order of progression."

The facts of the matter have not changed since the Phillies' season ended with a disappointing division series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Rollins would like a five-year deal and the Phillies would like to sign him to something less than that.

The dream scenario for many Phillies fans seems to be letting Rollins walk and signing free agent Jose Reyes, an ultra-talented rival with the New York Mets during the last decade. The argument is sound. Reyes is younger, faster, and has a better career batting average and on-base percentage.

No one will argue that Rollins is as talented as Reyes at this point in their careers.

It can be argued, however, that Rollins is a better fit in Philadelphia for a lot of reasons.

Let's start with defense, an underrated commodity, especially for the team that still has the best starting rotation in baseball. A year ago, Reyes made 18 errors in 124 games and he committed 15 in 133 games the year before. The number of times Rollins has made 15 errors in a season? That would be zero.

"Jimmy's consistency has been extraordinary," Amaro said. "We have been spoiled."

Amaro was asked if it would be accurate to say that Rollins is a better defensive shortstop than Reyes.

"I think he's probably a more consistent one," the general manager said. "I would say that Reyes is a more athletic one. When you talk about pure tools and range, when they are both healthy, Reyes has a bit of an edge. But as far as consistency, I don't think there is anybody better than Jimmy. When you talk about the accuracy of the arm and catching the ball, Jimmy is a classic two-out shortstop. He's the guy you want the ball hit to when the game is on the line."

Health is another reason to like Rollins ahead of Reyes. While it's true that Rollins has missed 94 games the last two seasons and dealt with calf, hamstring, and groin injuries, he has still proven to be far more durable than the younger Reyes.

The Mets shortstop has averaged 98.3 games per year the last three seasons and has not played in more than 133 games since 2008. He, too, has dealt with an assortment of leg problems, which is always a red flag for a guy whose game is tied so closely to those appendages.

Rollins, despite his faults as a leadoff hitter, has always been at his best in clutch situations. His career numbers with runners in scoring position (.292 batting average with .377 on-base percentage, and .868 on-base-plus-slugging percentage) are slightly better than Reyes' numbers (.289, .369 and .823) in those same situations.

Reyes is going to steal more bases, but is far more likely to get thrown out.

Rollins showed his ability to perform again in the clutch in the Phillies' division series, hitting .450 and scoring six runs in the five games.

It will, of course, cost the team that signs Reyes significantly more than it costs the team that signs Rollins, and the price tag when you add in the intangibles of each player doesn't seem worth it.

The main reason Rollins is a better fit for the Phillies is because he's a character with a lot of character. Yes, Rollins has found his found way into manager Charlie Manuel's doghouse a few times over the years, but compared to Reyes he is the lead singer in the church choir.

I can't imagine Rollins vying for some sort of offensive achievement on the final day of a season and asking Manuel to take him out after one at-bat. That, of course, is what Reyes did last season on the final day as he protected his precious batting title.

That's not good for the game and not the kind of player you want to invest a lot of money in.

From Rollins' standpoint, the best bet is to stay in Philadelphia. He knows he's going to have a great chance to play in another World Series here because of the starting rotation and he has enough money to remain comfortable in a city that he loves and that also loves him. If that means a three-year offer with an option instead of five years somewhere else, it should not prevent a deal from being done.