Things haven’t gone has planned for the Phillies so far this season, so there has been a great deal of speculation that they could turn into sellers this July. In a complete fire sale, a mainstay like Jimmy Rollins could be made available, but a trade is the furthest thing from the shortstop’s mind right now. The former National League MVP says that he plans on sticking around for the long haul in Philadelphia
“I’m not going to volunteer to go anywhere,” Rollins told Bob Nightengale of USA Today. “Even if somewhere else was the perfect spot, this is what I know. You weigh that against the instant gratification of winning right now. You leave, and there’s no guarantee you’re going to win anyways. You pack up to leave for a different organization, a different city, and it feels temporary. I can tell you that I have never honestly thought about waiving my no-trade clause.”
That doesn’t mean that Rollins would use his no-trade clause to block a deal, however. If the Phillies want him to go, the shortstop says that he doesn’t have to be told twice to do so. The 35-year-old has full no-trade rights and will be under contract for 2015 once his option vests with the necessary number of plate appearances. Rollins also told Nightengale that he hopes to play beyond this current contract.
In 311 plate appearances this season, Rollins owns a .244/.330/.387 slash line with eight homers. While that line is below his career average, it’s a marked improvement from last season’s performance. Rollins is also playing above average defense at shortstop, as evidenced by his 3.7 USR/150.
