Last week impending free agent Jimmy Rollins explained that he won’t be giving a “hometown discount” to the Phillies and today the former MVP told reporters that he’ll be looking for a five-year contract on the open market.
During a press conference this morning Rollins made it clear that he wants to re-sign with the Phillies and spend his entire career in Philadelphia, but “I’m looking to get five years ... if it’s going to be shorter, there’d have to be a fifth-year option, my option.”
Four years with a fifth-year player option is basically just five years anyway.
Of course, the fact that Rollins wants a five-year contract as he approaches free agency has little bearing on whether any team will actually give him a five-year contract. He remains one of the better all-around shortstops in baseball, but he’ll be 33 years old next month and has hit .255 with a .316 on-base percentage and .403 slugging percentage during the past three seasons while missing 100 games with injuries.
Committing to Rollins at big money through his age-37 season would be incredibly foolish for any team, as he’s no longer an elite player and very few shortstops avoid a significant decline in their mid-30s.
Rollins noted that he’s open to re-signing quickly if the Phillies offer him an acceptable five-year deal, calling it “a no-brainer.” More likely is that he’ll hit the open market in search of a five-year deal that just isn’t there and then perhaps come back to the Phillies for, say, a three-year pact. On the other hand, it only takes one crazy general manager to make a five-year contract a reality.