Kuzul

The newest member of the Philadelphia Phillies' 2,000-hit club is a very hard player to define.  Jimmy Rollins is, and is not, a lot of things. "J-Roll" has been the Phillies' undisputed leadoff man for the significant majority of the past 12 seasons, the last five of which saw his team make the playoffs and included a pennant and a World Series title. He is not, though, a "leadoff" hitter.  His career batting average is .270, which would not be such a problem except that his career on-base percentage is .328.  In a career where he more often than not got 700-plus plate appearances per season, he has never drawn more than 58 walks in a year. Leadoff hitters get on base any way they can.  Even despite 2011 and 2012 statistical lines that have dulled his brilliance, Ichiro Suzuki's career on-base percentage is .365.  Yes, his career average is ...

Most nights, for an inning or so, it all still makes sense—the Philadelphia Phillies still look like the Phillies. Friday night's game, for example, saw Roy Halladay take the ball.  He gave up a solo home run to Carlos Beltran in the first inning, but after that he was really excellent and never in any serious trouble. Just how you remember it.  The Phillies' first four batters in the game were Jimmy Rollins, Juan Pierre, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.  Four legitimate major league baseball players, two former National League Most Valuable Players.  Or to put it another way, an aggregate of over $47 million in salary to four hitters. Save for the occasions when Jonathan Papelbon ($11 million) comes in at the end of the game (as he did Friday night), that is where the similarities to the Phillies you remember ends. After Howard on Friday night, the next ...

At nine games under .500 and 11 games back from the N.L. East-leading Washington Nationals, to say that the Philadelphia Phillies have been a disappointment is an underwhelming statement.The fact is, many of us were called "doomsdayers" when we forecasted a seismic shift in the winning percentage for the Phillies in 2012.Sure, the same, tired arguments are sufficient in making excuses for the excessive failures of the Phillies in 2012. Ryan Howard is injured, Chase Utley missed 70-plus games, Lee and Halladay have been nicked up and the bullpen misses the 2011 forms of Antonio Bastardo and the still-injured Michael Stutes.Injuries aside, another tired narrative focuses on where the Phillies went wrong. Unfortunately, the finger is usually wagged in the wrong direction.While all of the following deserve some blame, they are not the primary culprits of the Phillies lost season of 2012.Manager Charlie Manuel has made some questionable moves from ...

Since its opening season, in 2004, Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has completely changed the face of the Phillies organization.In 2003, the Phillies ranked 24th in the MLB in attendance. After the inception of Citizens Bank Park in 2004, they rose all the way to fourth. The Phillies have now led all of baseball in attendance for the past three seasons. They are now working on a 204-game sellout streak going into the 2012 season. The stadium sells out every single night, and the atmosphere is perpetually electric.Not only does this state-of-the-art, $336 million stadium draw in massive crowds, but it supplies them with everything that a baseball fan could possibly dream of. The Philadelphia Phillies have created a model of success for other teams to follow in Major League Baseball. Over the past decade, they have gone from the basement of the National League to a perennial powerhouse. This ...

According to Jim Salisbury of CSN, shortstop Jimmy Rollins has signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Phillies.While it's a relief to hear that J-Roll is coming back, one must also consider what his signing means to other aspects of the team.Jimmy Rollins may only be the shortstop, but his impact is far-reaching throughout the organization.Begin Slideshow

For all the mounting criticism directed at Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr.—he traded Cliff Lee, overpaid Ryan Howard, failed to extend Cole Hamels (so far)—there's no doubt he and the franchise made out beautifully in the just-announced re-signing of incumbent shortstop Jimmy Rollins.The Phillies gave Rollins a three-year deal worth $33 million with a vesting option fourth year. From the get-go, Rollins wanted a five-year deal and the Phillies felt they couldn't go higher than three.In the end, the Phillies got their man at their price. For a team with scant alternatives, the deal validates Amaro's hard line and keeps Philadelphia's window for a third championship open for the next few years.And for those preoccupied with Rollins' shortcomings—pops up too much, doesn't see enough pitches, takes plays off—the stats tell the story.Here are Rollins' ranks among major league shortstops over the last five seasons in the major player value categories:WAR: ...

The show goes on in Philadelphia. Jimmy Rollins will be back after signing a three-year deal with the Phillies, along with a vesting option for a possible fourth year. Rollins, No. 11, will make a reported $11 million annually for the contract to play with the team he's been the starting shortstop the past 11 years. So what can we expect from J-Roll the next few years? Maybe some more J-Roll moments. He's had many already. Here are the 11 greatest moments of the Phils $11 million/year shortstop, from the past 11 years. Begin Slideshow

According to a multitude of reporters, the Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to terms with shortstop Jimmy Rollins on a three-year, $33 million contract with a vesting option for a fourth year worth the same. Rollins, the team's longest-tenured member, seemingly waned from his previous demands of a five-year deal or a four-year contract with a fifth-year player option.That's great for the team, considering that Rollins doesn't have five years left in the tank.With Rollins back, this spells a few things. First and foremost, Freddy Galvis will not start for the Phillies anytime soon. He'll be stuck in Triple-A Lehigh Valley for the next three or four years, yet he'll still be only 24 years old should Rollins' new contract stand for four years and call for Galvis to start following its conclusion.Then again, the Phillies could also use Galvis as a trade chip in any sort of deal should one ...

The Philadelphia Phillies have re-signed Jimmy Rollins for a contract of three years worth about $33 million, according to Jim Salisbury. There was also a vesting fourth year added to the deal. Phillies fans should be thrilled about this deal. Of course, this does mean that the Phillies are not trying to get younger. I realize that, and I realize that infield prospect Freddy Galvis is in a bit of a predicament right now. However, like I have written many, many, many times before, the Phillies are in a position right now to win. They are getting much older, and eventually they will need to rebuild. Every team goes through that cycle. However, before that happens to the Phillies, they need to make the best possible effort to win right now. Rollins will help them do that much more than Galvis. Sometimes it takes young players a few years to ...

Jimmy Rollins has agreed to a three-year deal with the Phillies, according to Jerry Crasnick of espn.com. The deal is said to be worth around $33 million with a fourth-year vesting option, according to Jim Salisbury of csnphilly.com. The Milwaukee Brewers were among other teams who were in the running for Rollins, but Crasnick himself stated, "Brewers made an offer, but he ultimately wanted to stay home."Rollins, who is 33 years old, hit .268 with 16 HR and 63 RBI last season. He has spent his entire career in Philadelphia, and Phillies fans will be satisfied to see him stay put.Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com