more than i would have offered, and i think the team would have been better off if they'd have pocketed the money and used this as an opportunity to get some new blood in the lineup.

but rollins is a solid player, and at least it's not 5 years, guaranteed.

That's a fair, sensible deal (especially if it's difficult for the vesting option to vest).

Dammit.

I suspect Rollins will be a significantly below average player by the end of that deal, but if he can give them two out of three years in which he's a 3 WAR player, they'll have done just fine, I suppose. And that seems like a pretty decent bet, and probably the best available move the Phillies can make for their shortstop position.

Kudos to RAJ for waiting out the market and getting this done at a very reasonable price. Welcome back, J-Roll!

When I see deals like these, or when Kyle Lohse signs for $10m a year, it just amazes me how much money there is in baseball. The sport is absolutely swimming in it.

I hope this means more J-Roll in Dick's Sporting Goods commercials. I love that ad.

Kudos to RAJ for waiting out the market and getting this done at a very reasonable price. Welcome back, J-Roll!

Yes a rarity where he didn't go all in just to get a signing out of the way. I was looking forward to thinking past Rollins at the shortstop but at these numbers, and with the team's window of opportunity, it's a smart deal.

September 8, 2004: Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard are all members of the Phillies starting lineup for the first time.

This deal today guarantees the 3 of them will remain under contract through at least 2013 (when Utley's expires).

Thought the price was low until I checked the stats and saw how atypical Rollins' MVP year was. He did pretty well for a player with a career 97 OPS+.

Huh. I hadn't looked in any depth before at Rollins' stats, but his weak 2009 and 2010 seem to have followed from very low BABIPs. He's in the lower range anyway, but managed to be somewhat useful those two years despite BABIPs around .250. Rollins got closer to his career level in 2011 and had a good enough season at the plate. Much as I like to dump on these kinds of deals for old middle infielders, given the dearth of even 2 win regulars at short and Philly's already weak offense this seems like a perfectly decent signing.

This kind of signing reminds me of the Steelers of the late 70's, keeping their old guys around and seeing guys they got rid of star elsewhere for years. Dave Brown and Dwaine Board come to mind. But since I hate the Phillies, Godspeed.

JRoll is now in good shape to wind up #2 or #3 in most of the Phils' all-time hitting categories (at least the counting ones)...

if he can give them two out of three years in which he's a 3 WAR player, they'll have done just fine, I suppose

Is there any reason to believe that this is likely to happen? He just had his first 3+ "WAR" year in three, he'll be 33, he's never been much of a fielder . . .Philly has money and he's no Neifi Perez, but I'd be very surprised if Rollins was that good of a player over the next three seasons.

Is it likely to happen? Well, they got two of the last four, so you could say two of the next three isn't a terrible bet. Like I said, it's a decent chance, and I certainly don't see the better move they had available to them.

As a Met fan, I'm happy about this. The more overpaid players the Phils have on their roster, the better. This will be worth it for '12, but not beyond.

As a Met fan, I'm happy about this. The more overpaid players the Phils have on their roster, the better.

Ditto.

I'm a Braves fan, but I always liked Rollins. When he first came up, Larry Bowa was the Phillies manager, and Rollins said that he would be honored to play for as long as Bowa. Well, next year will be Rollins' 12th season as a Phillie, as many as Bowa played, and if he plays out the 4th year, his career will equal Bowa's number of years played.

This kind of signing reminds me of the Steelers of the late 70's, keeping their old guys around and seeing guys they got rid of star elsewhere for years. Dave Brown and Dwaine Board come to mind. But since I hate the Phillies, Godspeed.

I don't know if I've ever seen a team compared to the Steelers of the late 70's in a NEGATIVE sense. I'd take 4 world championships in 6 years, even if it means seeing Michael Bourn and Kyle Drabek become 21st-century baseball's equivalent of Dave Brown and Dwaine Board.

I guess Milwaukee (and no one else) made a play.

Rollins said he could have gotten a four-year deal in Milwaukee, but that couldn’t top his desire to stay in Philadelphia, where he has been a fixture at shortstop and the top of the batting order for 11 seasons. Rollins would not comment on the amount of money that Milwaukee offered.

“If it was purely about guaranteed money and guaranteed years, I’d be wearing blue and gold in Milwaukee,” he said. “There is a lure about Philly. I’ve been part of the foundation here. The fans have seen me grow up since I was 21. Do you leave that for money or do you stay home? This is where I want to be.”

Negotiations with Milwaukee ended at the winter meetings last week and Rollins’ agent, Dan Lozano, focused on getting a deal done with the Phillies. No other team entered the bidding after the winter meetings