Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy. What to do with you. Bring you back or just let you walk. I would be lying to you if I gave you a yes or no answer. I really don’t know. There has been many of times where I threw my remote across the room because of you.
Other times, watching you getting ready to swing at the first pitch. As I am saying to myself, ” Dude if you swing here, I swear, you son of a…’ Then he would come up with a big hit of course. That is Jimmy in a nutshell. That is why I love him and want to bang my head against the wall all at the same time with him. So here we go..
Why I bring back J-Roll.
-Easily the best shortstop the Phillies ever had. No disrespect to Bowa, but Jimmy bat puts him ahead. Former MVP, and a 3- time Golden Glove. Still has some game left in them legs.
-For his ‘Swagger”. I know this word could be over used at time’s but Jimmy always brought more than just his play on the field. Has been the team spokeman’s ever since he declared the Phils the team to beat.
-For thinking he is Ken Griffey Jr. With that rare power and speed at the top of lineup made him fun to watch for 
years. Can still beat you with his speed or a bomb.
-Jose Reyes. There is no way in hell I want that showboating punk wearing a Phils jersey. He is Met for christ sake. Not happening.
-For swinging at the first pitch. Jimmy is always at his best when he is aggressive. Pitchers always like to get ahead in the count with a first pitch fast ball. That is when Jimmy likes to do his thing.
– I don’t want this ERA of Phils baseball to end. The is the best ERA ever in their history. As much as Jimmy can be frustrating as hell, he has always been the guy who made this team go.
Why I don’t bring back J-Roll.
-He is only 32 years old, but has alot of mileage on him. Has been the Phillies everyday shortstop since 2001. Injuries have taken toll on him the past couple of seasons.
-Sometimes he use that ‘Swagger” a little to much. Yo bro, did you ever think about running out a ground ball? There goes my remote.
-For thinking he is Ken Griffey Jr. For the love of god bro, would it kill you to hit the ball on the ground once in while to use your speed. Oh, wait I forgot. You don’t run them out.
-Jose Reyes. Man, I hate to say this but with his speed and ablility to drive the ball into the gap would be a perfect fit here. He is only 27 years old. What the hell am I saying here?
-For swinging at the first pitch. Always found my self yelling,”Come bro, just one-time act like a leadoff hitter. Take a pitch you ass! Then of course my 2 year old would turn to me and laugh saying “You said ass dad da” Yes, I did cutie. Yes, I did.
-Its seems time to turn atleast one page of this ERA. This team needs a different approach to hitting as Amaro said. They are no longer 3-run homer team. They need players who work the count better.
So is this it? Is J-Roll really finally gone? Nah. Well, I have manage to confused the hell out of myself . 3 year contract, yes. 5 year contract, no. They are not even playing right now and Jimmy is still frustrating me. Damn.
Good article Joe and spot on as far as your pro’s/con’s…
BOttome line they have no one in house who can come close to replacing him so I think you offer him a 3 Year $20 Million Deal with incentives for games playes, plate appaerances, RBI’s, Errors, Stolen Bases, etc,etc..
It would not look right seeing him in another uniform bet you can bet your bottom boot that the SF Giants will make a better offer to him as they really need a SS and he’s from the the Bay Ara (Oakland), IF the Phils offer is close, then he remains, if it’s way short and he feel’s diosrepected by the offer, then he is a goner.. There is not a whole lot out there besides SS Jose Reyes and he’s not a Phillie type of guy.. Rafeal Furcal of the CArd will be a Free-Agent and may be availalable and wouldn’t be a bad pick-up, Jack Wilson is another one..
On a side note, the Atlanta Braves Traded PItcher Derek Lowe to the Cleveland Indians for a young Prospect and are even paying $10 Million of his $15 Million Salary for next Season… Braves also decided not to pick-up option on CF Nate McClouth who was disapointing and often injured during his Braves years.. CF M BOurne made McClouth expendable..
4 year deal with an option for a 5th. Jimmy is a huge part of the personality of the the “Winning Phillies” and the dude can still play. Wilson Valdez has proven can play SS in pinch. The Phillies should probably trade Chase Utley for prospects, move Polanco back to 2nd sign Aramis Ramirez to play third base. Just tweaks are necessary.
How much $$ are you willing to gaurantee to J-Ro, Butch..
I lsupport the idea of trading Utley out to the West Coast for prospects and then move Polanco to 2B and sign Ramirez or even Trade to get the MEt’s David Wright to Play 3B.. It may not be a popular move, but it would be the smart move for the Phils to contend for the next 2-3-4 Seasons.. Too many Fans are holding on that they Current every day line-up is good enough to win a WS with the Current Pitching, but the reality is that it’s not good enough.. The Philsin 2010 were healthy and hot going into the Playoffs and lost to the Giants (who were on fire too) to better Pitching,Managing and timely hitting.. This 2011 was a Season for setting a Franchise Record for wins, but let’s face it, the Phils were on auto-pilit the last month of the Season and it showed come playoff time.. a lack of timly hitting anfd pitching did them in and Manager Manuel did not waver or change his game plan.. He manages the way he always is going to manage.. Everyone is now a year older, and all the position players have played lots of games over the years.. They must get bigger power Production from 3B position (Ramirez/Wright) get Left-Field Situated and add a Lefty to the Bullpen and bertter depth on the bench and they are right back in the thick of it.. IF they sit on their hands with this team , then will win their 90-94 games and get bounced out of the Playoffs again.. Halladay/Lee have 2 top end Seasons left (at most) so if they don’t get it done in 2012/2013, then it will be back to medicority for this Franchise.. Now is the time ti part with Utley, Blanton, Kendrick and get some younger talent on board to take over for the aging Rollins,Polanco,Victorino and even Ruiz and Howard all have the clock beginning to click
really dumb question
valdez is going to 3rd, polanco is done
See ya J-Roll.
Polanco jsut won Gold Glove, His value will never be higher..
Package him and RHP Blanton to the White Sox for LF Carlos Quentin
Then SIgn 3B Aramis Ramirez and then they can contend for WS for the
next 2-3 Seasons..
If you only plan on contending for the next 2-3-4 years than why the hell wouldnt you sign Rollins for 5? You want to sign him to 3 or let him walk? I am willing to sacrifice the 4th or 5th year with his decline. Odds are Lee and Halladay, Howard, Victorino will also be done to. The GREAT thing about it is that this orginization spends money and will replenish star power in the matter of years. So what would I rather have no short stop now during the last few years of our run or have a short stop now and worry about his decline 5 years from now? I will be f&^&ng pissed if we make a run next year but our SS sucks and costs us. I dont give a damn about 5 years from now.
Fans are comical. You would let friggin Rollins walk because you dont think he will be good in his 4th or 5th year. Are you kidding me? Who the hell cares. Im trying to win next year and Rollins gives me the best chance to win. What do I care about 5 years from now? Halladay will be done by then. Howard will probably suck. Lee will be gone. I may be dead. Its not my money. Put the best team on the field next year. You want to put some friggin stop gap at SS next year and probably the next because your worried about Rollins in his 5th year? Unbelievable.
To Daggolden,
You have to remeber that Baseball has guaranteed contracts in most cases,
you cannot simply give players long term deals if you don’t expect them to be able to play them out… This is not Football where you simpley can cut the player which makes his contract void.. and if you continue to sign all your players to over-inflated contracts for the long-term, then your doomed as a franchise down the road with $$$ tied up to players who don’t play anymore..
Offer him a realistic 3 Year Deal with a buy-out option in his final season loaded with incentives, and if he doesn’t like it or rejects it, then you move on..You cannot pay him the same salary for 5 years as he’s been making from his last deal.. Phils already are stuck with overpaying for Howard & Utley and the big Salaries for their PItchers…
Dagg, you answered your own question. You don’t care, but any rational, good, responsible GM does, & will not give an aging SS with free falling skills, over a 4 year period, plagued by lower body injury problems, that has curtailed a big part of his game, who’s aging & his best years are long gone, a long term contract like he wants. Especially with the many already bad contracts that they have, & the holes that they have to replace or fill. We need a stud closer, resign Hamels, get a good LF, upgrade 3B, fix the BP mess, fix the weak @$$ bench, figure out how to trade Blanton, Polanco & Kendrick, & OH YEAH, find a replacement for Howard, who might not play this year, & never be the same again. BTW, who is starting his idiotic, un-tradeable, 5Y- $125M, contract extension, this coming season. I like J-Roll, but his expiration is past it’s date. Upgrade everywhere else possible, play the 3 headed monster of Galvis, Martinez & Valdez in Spring Training, to see who wants it.