Philadelphia Phillies: Case for and against each Hall of Fame candidate

You can’t really think Jimmy Rollins is a Hall of Fame player.

I get far too annoyed whenever I hear someone say Jimmy Rollins is a Hall of Famer. Maybe it’s a personal preference to only want the best of the best there. This ballot is his first shot at it. I don’t think he ever will receive the 75% of the votes needed either.

For argument’s sake, Rollins does have the awards. He has three All-Star appearances, a World Series ring, four Gold Gloves, and a Silver Slugger. He was a leader for the Phillies during their Golden Era from 2007-2011. However, because he wasn’t the sole leader on the ball club, I’m not so sure this matters much.

Rollins compiled a .264/.324/.418 slash line in his 17-year career. Among his 2,455 hits were 231 home runs, 511 doubles, and 115 triples. A leadoff man without elite on-base numbers, Rollins made for it with stolen bases. His 470 career swiped bags ranks 46th all-time in MLB history. And with the way the game has transformed, I’m not so sure too many people will ever come close.

The case against Rollins is simple: is a .264 hitter without tremendous power worthy of enshrinement?

Leadoff hitters do have a tough time. Rollins wouldn’t have the RBI totals to warrant any kind of Hall of Fame consideration because of where he batted in the order. One of the better players at scoring runs during his prime, he’ll need to hope voters lean heavily on him having six seasons of scoring 100 or more times.