San Francisco Giants: Jimmy Rollins Won't Make Roster

The San Francisco Giants have reportedly informed Jimmy Rollins that he won’t make their Opening Day roster. After 17 seasons, this feels like the end for the veteran shortstop.

Jimmy Rollins inked a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants back in December, hoping to catch on with the club to extend his 17-year big league career. What always seemed like a bit of a long shot came to an end this week, as the Giants have informed the veteran shortstop that he won’t make their Opening Day roster, according to an AP report via ESPN.com.

Rollins had an opt-out clause in his deal that expired yesterday, but as of now there has been no indication whether he exercised it or not. It would be a genuine surprise if he was willing to accept a minor league assignment, however.

The Giants’ decision to keep Rollins off the roster was effectively a no-brainer. The 38-year-old has struggled mightily in spring training, slashing a pitiful .125/.222/.250 in 40 at-bats. A lone home run has been just about the highlight of his 2017 spring experience.

Of course, Rollins’ declining performance is by no means a recent phenomenon. After producing a .270/.328/.432 slash line and averaging 15 homers, 61 RBI and 31 stolen bases per season from 2000 to 2012, he has hit just .239/.308/.363 while averaging 10 long balls, 36 RBI and 17 steals the past four years.

Rollins has posted an OPS+ of at least 100 only twice over the last six seasons, and he’s generated a sub-80 mark the previous two campaigns. His defense has faltered as well, earning negative defensive WAR totals in three of the last four years. Any way you look at it, it hasn’t been pretty.

You could argue that the writing was on the wall after Rollins’ rough 41-game stint with the White Sox in 2016. A .221/.295/.329 slash line in 166 plate appearances led to his release in June. He failed to latch on with a team before the end of the season, and frankly, it would be something of an eyebrow-raiser if he plays in another major league game.

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While it seems a bit callous to declare a player’s career over when it’s their decision alone to continue playing or not, it’s difficult to imagine a club that might have an opportunity for Rollins right now. Any squad that needs infield bench depth simply has better options than a 38-year-old Jimmy Rollins. The Yankees just lost Didi Gregorius for at least a month, but Rollins never came to mind as a potential band-aid.

If this is indeed the end, Rollins has plenty to be proud of. He became one of the game’s premier shortstops in the 2000s, as well as a Phillies icon. He won the NL MVP Award in 2007 after batting .296/.344/.531 with 30 homers, an NL-leading 20 triples, 94 RBI and 41 steals. He did everything, and in all 162 games of the regular season to boot.

The next year Rollins helped the Phils bring a World Series title back to the City of Brotherly Love for the first time since 1980. Not a bad 20-month stretch, all things considered.

Rollins has also appeared in three All-Star Games and made room on his mantle for four Gold Glove Awards. It’s hard to break into the big leagues for one season, let alone 17, achieving all that Jimmy Rollins did while playing one of the game’s most physically demanding positions.

Next: Phils Should Retire Numbers of 2008 Heroes

Like his former teammate Ryan Howard, retirement might be an unavoidable reality rather than a fully autonomous decision. But Rollins can exit with his head held high if the ride stops here.

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