San Francisco Giants: What Can We Expect from Jimmy Rollins?

So, at this point in his career, what would Jimmy Rollins bring to the San Francisco Giants?

Steamer, a popular projection algorithm, forecasts a .229/.301/.350 batting line. Any predictions of raw statistics, however, are meaningless since it does not foresee the 37-year-old receiving any playing time. This is probably a combination of his release from the White Sox and age than any spring training battle prediction.

Even if Steamer has very little raw data, we can still adjust its sentiment for the batting statistics featuring averages. Steamer’s equations will give us a fairly good baseline with which to work, and we can then use our intuition to improve upon these figures. As for the non-offense statistics, let’s focus on instead grading these areas with adjectives instead of numbers. Estimating raw figures for a part time player would be quite challenging given the fluid nature of the job.

Let’s begin with base running. As noted above, Rollins’ abilities on the base paths have declined notably over the past three seasons. Still, he has fairly decent speed, meaning that there is still some sort of potential value there. Even in the depths of last season, his base running was average. Counting in an extra year of aging on his knees probably means that a large improvement is unlikely, but he has generally maintained value in this area despite his age. It would not be unrealistic for the San Francisco Giants to expect average base running from Jimmy Rollins next year.

As for defense, the days of him being a Gold Glove-caliber defender are almost certainly gone. His glove work has been okay, but not great recently. Ultimate Zone Rating and Defensive Runs Saved have rated his work as slightly worse than average in the past five years or so, and this trend is likely to continue into the future. Expecting slightly below average defense, albeit at a demanding position, is probably a safe bet.

Continue on to find predictions for Jimmy Rollins’ offense…