San Francisco Giants: Six Reasons For You to Chill About the Rollins Signing
The San Francisco Giants signed Jimmy Rollins today, and the overreactions are already taking place. Wanna know why you shouldn’t over think the signing? Here are six reasons why you need to chill.
The San Francisco Giants clearly aren’t satisfied with Ehire Adrianza. There has been a revolving door of shortstops and middle infielders over the last few years trying to fill that backup role for the Shortstop. Ruben Tejada is one. Throw in a few others that have gone by the wayside, the Giants can’t find a reasonable backup shortstop. Enter Jimmy Rollins.
Rollins is a Hall of Fame shortstop who definitely has his best years behind him. However, if there is enough ability left in him, the Giants would sure as heck love him as a backup shortstop. Yes, that’s right. Backup shortstop. Some seem to think he might replace Crawford (LOL YOU’RE CRAZY). But that’s not the case. So here are six solid reasons why you should CHILL about the Rollins deal.
6. HE’S NOT REPLACING CRAWFORD
I won’t name names, but you know who you are. Someone actually thought the Giants were going to give him a shot to beat out Crawford. Crawford is the two-time reigning Gold Glove winner at shortstop, and has improved two times over at the plate. He’s not going anywhere, get a grip on reality.
5. IT’S A GREAT FREAKING CONTRACT
Jimmy Rollins is going to be on a minor league deal with a spring training invite. That means he doesn’t take up a 40-man roster spot. IF he manages to make the big league roster at any point under contract with the Giants this season, he will get his $1 Million dollar salary. That’s the only way he gets that much money. That’s an extremely reasonable price, especially if Jimmy Rollins is anywhere near half what he was in his MVP/All-Star/GG days.
4. HE HAS TO BEAT OUT ADRIANZA TO MAKE THE ROSTER
The Giants aren’t content with Adrianza as the backup to Crawford. His bat has yet to come around to even a competent Triple-A level. Yes Adrianza can play 3B and 2B, but Connor Gillaspie and Kelby Tomlinson are more than adequate backups at that spot as well. It literally comes down to Adrianza and Rollins this spring. If he can’t beat out Adrianza for the roster spot, then he doesn’t get his payday. That’s pretty significant. The money is dependent on him making the roster! Who cares whether or not it works out. If it does, you have a better backup to Crawford. If it doesn’t work out, then you know what you have in Adrianza.
3. It’s Jimmy F***ING ROLLINS
Rollins was a beast. Now, I know it was the White Sox, but he actually opened up as their starting shortstop in 2016. If you put Adrianza on the White Sox, he wouldn’t have been their opening day starter at short, I can tell you that right now. Rollins has had like one bad year since he went to the Dodgers (last year). But the White Sox are a freaking dumpster fire of an organization and team. Now that Chris Sale is gone, they literally have nothing good for them outside of Jose Quintana and Jose Abreu. And even then, they might be gone. Todd Frazier can hit homers, but can barely touch the Mendoza line at the plate, so meh. (And his defense was horrid last year).
2. He’s a Bay Area Native, Show Some Love!
Rollins is an Oakland native. He most likely wouldn’t play in Oakland either, and when you’re on the last legs of your career, and you want to maybe squeak out one last ring, you aren’t looking to the A’s in 2017, that’s for sure. I don’t blame him for wanting to come to SF. The Giants were a closer away from potentially winning it all in 2016 (don’t even get me started). They filled that hole. Now they look to be one of the few teams in the NL poised to compete with the Cubs.
1. Is Adrianza Really The Best Option to Back Up Crawford?
Just look at their number comparisons over the last couple years. Let the numbers speak for themselves:
Jimmy Rollins 2013-2016: .239/.308/.363/.672. 4.1 WAR. 1000+ ABs. -6.4 UZR
Ehire Adrianza 2013-2016: .220/.292/.313/.605. 291 ABs. -0.1 WAR, 4.9 UZR
Look, I’m not here to say Rollins is a better backup option than Adrianza. But this is literally all that is going on here. If he doesn’t beat out Adrianza, he’s not making the team! All that is guaranteed is a spot in Spring Training. It’s definitely worth it to see if he’s able to beat out Adrianza. If not, there is literally no loss. It’s a win-win situation! SO TAKE A CHILL PILL.
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