A baseball executive recently suggested that Jimmy Rollins' contract would be a deterrent if the Phillies were to move him, but they may have one suitor. Danny Knobler of CBS Sports writes that the Dodgers are looking to upgrade at shortstop, and have some interest in Rollins.
Dodgers shortstops this season have combined to hit a ghastly .227/.284/.302. Dee Gordon has seen the lion's share of the time at the position, and while his 30 steals lead the National League, he's managed an OPS+ of just 56 and is now on the disabled list with a torn ligament in his thumb.
Rollins is batting .261/.315/.414, but that includes a slow start to the season. Since May 29, Rollins has picked up the pace in grand fashion, totaling a .304/.354/.571 triple slash line, belting seven homers along the way. Ultimate Zone Rating suggests that the 33-year-old's defense is exactly on par with his career rate of +5.1 runs per 150 games.
The biggest red flag with Rollins is, of course, the aforementioned three-year contract he signed this offseason. The Phillies guaranteed Rollins $33MM through his age-35 season, and the contract also contains a vesting option for a fourth year at another $11MM. That option is said to be easily attainable for Rollins, and is contingent on plate appearances. As Knobler points out on Twitter, Rollins also has 10-and-5 rights, which give him the ability to veto any potential trade.
The Dodgers have also been linked to both Shane Victorino and Cole Hamels recently, as they look to upgrade both their offense and their rotation prior to the trade deadline.
The Phillies would be silly to trade Rollins given their complete lack of an internal replacement. They want to compete in the next few years and Rollins is still a solid SS.
No, Freddy Galvis is not the future. (as I’m sure someone will quickly correct me with that).
I will correct you. The kid played exceptionally well.
and he’s really only going to get better as he matures offensively and masters his approach (sort of like Carlos Ruiz).
There is zero reason to expect him to drastically improve his BB% based on his minor league numbers and limited MLB numbers. He needs to pretty much more than double his walk rate if he’s going to stick…even as a glove-first defensive player. You cant have a starter with a .254 OBP.
If he could get to around .300 I’ll be fine. His numbers are very comparable to Omar Vizquel at 22.
I agree…but its a big if. Vizquel is the exception to the rule unfortunately.
For a replacement with zero expectations…yeah, he did. As a starter on a team that has playoff aspirations? Get real. A .617 OPS isnt going to get it done even out of the 8 hole.
I didn’t realize the first 200 MLB level at bats were the Tell All of how a player is going to do in the rest of his career.
In that case, Bryce Harper is nothing but a .270 hitter that will hit about 15 HRs and a .340 OBP. He’s an average player.
The comment was directed towards the person who said he did “exceptionally well”. That is not the case. Did he do okay for a 22 year old with almost no experience above AA? Yeah, sure but he’s never profiled as a starting SS at the MLB level.
He is more of a John McDonald type that might, MIGHT turn into Adam Everett if everything falls into place.
If a .254 OBP is “exceptionally well”, you must be leading the Jimmy Rollins Hall of Fame campaign.
Galvis looks pretty much like a future utility player thus far.
numbers only tell half of the story.
He was the phillies leading hitter with RISP, thats a good number. He had the best at-bats on the team, too.
I saw the potential at the plate from his discipline. He never strikes out, makes solid contact and has more pop than you’d think. He is only 22-years-old.
RISP numbers….Small Sample Size
Also, he never strikes out because he makes tons of weak contact which leads to a ton of easy outs. That’s not exactly a good sign for plate discipline. Throw in his minor league BB% and you get a guy that will swing and make contact a lot but it is usually poor contact.
Galvis isn’t much of a step down…
Umm yea he actually is. Ignoring the PED suspension, Galvis only managed a .254 OBP, a 65 OPS+. He is for the most part overmatched offensively. As exceptional as he can be on defense, it is not enough to make up for his bat.
Rollins is so far this year a 96 OPS+ and improving. He is still a Top 10 SS in baseball and his glove is still Top 5 for the position.
He wasn’t on PEDs.
Freddy Galvis also started and finished his season terribly.
“Freddy Galvis also started and finished his season terribly.”
He only played in 60 games. If he started AND finished poorly, where were the good parts?
Steroids and he wasn’t exactly great at the plate, maybe defensively….Anyway if he is traded to the Dodgers, I’d ask for Dee Gordon and let him develop
no way dodgers give up dee for an older rollins + bad contract
The Rollins contract is a nightmare. If they could get out of it without eating too much I would be all about it. Just one more terrible contract that Amaro has under his watch. I didn’t want him back at the price they paid him and at no more than two years (2 for $20M would have been very fair). The 4 year deal (it really is) given to him at such ridiculous money is just sickening.
Really? How is his contract bad? Even at 4 years? Yes, he’ll be 36, but he could be an adequate 3B at that time. In fact, if I’m the Phillies and they can’t get a 3B prospect, that’s exactly what he is next year, a 3B.
He isn’t going to move to 3rd, you know it, I know it, and most importantly, his stubborn @ss will not move there. Just like he won’t move out of the one hole. he is a terrible leadoff hitter who hasn’t had a good year since 2008. Please explain how he deserves the money he got, and he is going to get WORSE, not better
Its actually pretty much the only contract that Rube has offered that isnt a nightmare. Now, had you said “Howard, Lee, Polanco, Papelbon”, I would agree with you.
Halladay was a good contract as well.
Yes, it was and still is despite the time missed.
Phillies had Halladay by the jewels. He wanted to be on a potential winner and wanted to be closer to his family in the spring. Funny how the Phillies happen to play 5 minutes from his Florida home in Clearwater, FL. Halladay didn’t have a lot of room for demanding anything. It was pretty much the Phillies or staying in Toronto.
It was a great contract, but Rubes doesn’t deserve all the credit. Halladay took below market value to get what he wanted. Thank you Roy.
I think most people would’ve signed Cliff Lee for 5 years $120 million guaranteed.
Polanco’s deal was for 3 years and 6 million each season. Hardly a nightmare.
Is he still on the team sucking? Yep, and he did all of last year as well. I don’t care what they pay him, he sucks and is still on the field.
He’s a well above average defender, plays arguably (could make a case for catcher as well) the most premium position in baseball, and hits decently. Yes, a .700 OPS for a plus defensive shortstop is pretty much average.
Rollins is essentially making fair market value.
He is a leadoff hitter with a pathetic OBP. Look at his stats and tell me he is worth it. If you want D you can get it a lot cheaper. Putting the Rollins money towards a real hitter at 3rd or wherever else would be money better spent
Galvis just turned 22. I think its too early to judge just yet. While his obp was terrible he was clutch and leading rookies in extra base hits in the first half.
Uribe for Rollins, each team assumes the other’s salaries.
Won’t happen because Uribe is useless but just saying.
I was going to say the Phillies should move Rollins at all costs, then had to see how brutal Uribe’s contract actually was…
You know?? This is a tossup.. Pay around 12m in dead weight (literally) for uribe for this and next year, or assume 28m in guaranteed money to Rollins, make sure he doesn’t get the AB for the option and count on his solid defense and now lethargic bat to make up for his horrid deal??
Tossup.. I think LA can do better getting Boston to pay Punto off if they just want a solid glove that can’t hit any longer (joke)
There has to be a better SS option than Rollins.. Talk to Houston about Lowrie LA…
Lowrie got hurt Saturday. He’s on the DL with a sprained ankle and injured knee(peroneal nerve).
That is awful, but kind of figures. he was a walking injury prior to this season. Injury/illness etc.. Always seemed to kind of attract some weird malady, or such. Like the fracture in his wrist that lasted over a season, then contracted mono..
Hopefully he gets back ASAP, always liked him as a player.
Edit:
Thanks for the update on the injury 🙂
Hm…..dont think its gonna happen. would rather wait and try to get Hamels, not help them free up money to keep him……Pretty sure we are not giving up on Dee either.
BS
Nepp it would free up added payroll to re-sign Hamels and a make a splash in the free agent market this coming offseason. I wouldnt mind seeing Dee Gordon in red pinstripes.
Are you suggesting Rollins for Gordon?
Dodgers will not trade Dee Gordon they want Rollins because Gordon is injured
I don’t think we’d want him anyway. He wasn’t exactly lighting the world on fire this year.
for them to trade Gordon back the Phillies would have to assume 80% of the contract
Note, Don’t believe EVERYTHING the media says
Ten and five.
He is going nowhere.
He’s actually on record saying he’s wanted to play on the West Coast for years now… even said that he wouldn’t have resigned if a West Coast team showed interest in him this off season.
The Giants would would be a good fit. It would bring him back to the Bay Area where he is originally from. His experience leading off would be a boost to their offense.
Jimmy Rollins leading off does not “boost” anyone’s offense. Trust Me. He is a six hitter. (Maybe a 5th)
6 or ideally a 7 hole guy at this point in his career. A team using him as a 5 hole hitter has some offensive issues.
He’s definitely not a leadoff guy…despite Charlie Manuel’s insistence to the contrary.
By interest, he meant a team that would make him the leadoff hitter, and the unquestioned everyday SS with no young guy pushing him.
The Dodgers are none of this, which is why, like I said:
Ten and five.
He is going nowhere.
Who would the Dodgers lead off over Rollins?
He wouldn’t have led off in Milwaukee either. He would’ve hit second.
If the Giants got into the mix, I’m sure he’d accept a trade there.
Only Manuel will stubbornly continue to put Jimmy at the top of the order. Mattingly would make a switch as soon as a viable candidate emerged. And once Gordon is healthy, he is the long term option, and LA has no loyalty to Jimmy like the Phillies do.
Why do you think he did not take Milwaukee’s deal, which was rumored to be for an extra year?
He might, but then, why would they want him? And unless they Giants took on the salary, which they probably would not, the Phils would not do the deal.
He is going nowhere.
That contract isn’t so bad. 11m/year only buys an average-ish 2 win player these days. Rollins has faded some, but he’s still been consistently above-average the last few years. In his worst full year recently (2009), he was 3 WAR by Fangraphs’ measure, and 2.5 WAR in the following abbreviated year. It’s not a bargain, but he’s a fair bet to be worth his contract unless the decline greatly accelerates.
He’s already up to a 2.5 WAR this year and he posted a 3.8 WAR last year. His contract is pretty much fair value for him.
I don’t understand why the contract is unreasonable. He’s arguably the best defensive short stop in baseball right now and hits enough to be productive. Maybe eat a few million off the contract but still…
Agreed. Wouldn’t be my pick for *best* defensive SS, but you’re right that he’s in the discussion. Only thing I can figure is that he was such a productive hitter for a couple years that people forgot what a great shortstop he is. That’s where most of his value comes from. If he hits any, bonus.
What is the current value of a Win right now? Something like $4.5 million? He’s already provided enough value for his salary for 2012 if you buy into WAR and he’s got another 70 games give or take to go above and beyond. Even if you give him a standard decline of 0.5 Wins per year, you likely get 3.5 wins this year, 3.0 wins in 2013, 2.5 wins in 2012 for the guaranteed portion of his deal. That more than pays for the cost of his deal. His deal isnt prohibitive like so many of his teammates (Howard, Lee, etc).
I can’t see this happening. Rollins might waive his no trade protection to go the West Coast, but I don’t see the Phillies giving him up without recieving a couple good prospects (and I don’t see teams giving them up if they take on the salary). He is affordable at 11 million per, a gold glover, will hit 10-15 HR, and is a clubhouse leader. His value should be close to a guy like Cuddyer who is making roughly the same because of his defense at SS.
I actually liked his contract this offseason (unlike the Papelbon one who I like but again too many years).
On top of all that, Ruben has been very to the point about them not throwing in the towel for next year and trading Rollins would contradict that statement without getting back a really solid prospect that is ready to play next year.
It isn’t the contract this year. What about next year, 2014 and 2015? That is going to be a ton of dead money added to the long list of dead money on the roster through the years. The Phils have a ton of money that can just bury them for years. Utley is never going to be the same ($15.5M), Howard ($25M), Rollins ($11M). That is more than a lot of payrolls. This doesn’t include the staff or closer who are also making a ton of money.
Utley becomes a free agent after next season.
am i missing something with the Dodgers? It seems they’re interested in a lot of names but of all the buyers out there, does anyone have less to offer in terms of prospects? It’s great they’re interested in half the players in the league but what do they have to offer? If the Phillies lose Hamels in free agency, the draft picks they’ll have will be better than any prospects the Dodgers could offers. Rollins has been doing well the last couple of months. Victorino could get fetch more from a team like Baltimore, Texas, Pittsburgh. What am I missing?
Money is what they have to offer. It’s the new order of things. We should probably get used to it.
Rollins contract isn’t the biggest problem in terms of cap room. Take Ryan Howard and his contract along with Rollins on the other hand…
one of the worst trades, if they make it happen…
Forget Rollins, I would take Howard. His contract is bad, but I’ll take the 30+ hrs and 90-100 rbi’s and awful contact over Loney’s fly balls to LF, grounders to SS, and overall lameness any day. Guggenheim Baseball Management can handle it.
Really you would take Howard, a guy thats just coming back from achilles surgery and getting paid an AVG of $25 million next few years 5 years?!? Beside Vernon Wells, you can make an argument that Howard’s contract is one of the most immovable in all of baseball… Trust me I’m no fan of Loney, but that’s just plain absurd!
30 and 100. No one in the Dodger line up aside from Kemp could do that. Our new owners can afford it. He would come cheap prospect wise. And could talk to Hamels about how great the new owners are, and persuade him to come to here next year. Win, Win…oh and no Loney….WIN!
to my understanding, the phillies intend on trying to contend again next year. They are not going to give him away for cheap just like the dodgers wouldn’t trade for him. Whether it is wise for the phillies to think this way is irrelevant
I definitely see where your logics coming from, but I think we can get an all around better/cost-controllable player even if it involves waiting to the off-season. I agree that they should attempt to upgrade at 1B during the season, but you can plug in a semi-retired guy like Derrek Lee and get better production than Loney!
They may be able to absorb the contract of Howard and Hamels, but that type of commitment would seriously hamper their future regardless of the owners. I can’t peg one certain mainstay 1B guy I’d rather have them target in FA/Trade in the future, but there has to be better options that Howard. For the most part this is irrelevant since I doubt they move him and especially cheap even it the contract is albatross because they just signed him.
Sorry, but you’re insane. When will everyone realize RBI’s don’t mean anything? You’re also assuming he’s still going to hit for those numbers and he’s probably not. He has a ridiculous contract and is nothing more than a guess hitter. Hasn’t had a WAR above 1 since 2009. But hey, as a Phillies fan if you want him by all fn means take that crap off our hands.
RBIs don’t mean much, but WAR means… nothing.
This would be a bad pick up for the Dodgers. First off, they already have a shortstop in Dee Gordon. I can’t see the Dodgers giving him up so quickly. Just because he has had one bad year doesn’t mean he’s going to have other bad years. Everyone goes through a slup. What the Dodgers need is a new hitting coach because sorry Dave Hansen is not cutting it. Right now there are not a lot of “good” players out there in trade market. Maybe Carlos Quentin but he’s not even hitting the ball right now. David Wright should be available but don’t know if the Mets are going to give in during this year’s trade deadline. I’d love the Dodgers to trade for him or Headley (SD) but just don’t know what’s going on. For now it’s all hype and no action, the Dodgers need to make the right splash this summer.
I am phillies fan but everyone really needs to get off this Galvis kick.. other than last year offensive numbers in the minors were pretty bad. I would rather stick it out with Rollins than have him playing everyday SS.
.260 avaerage @ SS in a hitter friendly home ball park?
Ned I am sure Vernon Wells is available too.
You must have missed those rumors already…
I am betting the Dodgers are actually looking at Rollins as a stop gap at short then moving him to 3rd when Gordon gets healthy, if he ever does. That is the only way this would make any real sense.
Who hangs up on this deal:
Dodgers Get:
Martin Perez
Jimmy Rollins
Rangers Get:
Cole Hamels
Dee Gordon
Phillies Get:
Mike Olt
Elvis Andrus
It seems to me to fit everyone’s needs. Dodgers get a good defensive shortstop and a young top notch pitching prospect. Rangers get Cole Hamels and a stopgap at short until Profar takes over. Phillies get younger at 2 positions. Thoughts?
Rangers would never do that.