Comments on: Is Jimmy Rollins Overrated?

By: Alesia Huell

Alesia Huell — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:41:12 +0000

Jimmy Rollins has postponed the attempt to break the world record for striking a baseball the farthest due to calf problems.At this time the Most important Question at this time is Will He still confident enough to accomplish this?Evening Wear Dress

By: Toffer Peak

Toffer Peak — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:30:40 +0000

I guess what I was getting at is that he WAS a top 30 player but he IS perceived as a top 10 player and is probably now only a top 30-60 player so in that sense it is fair to consider him overrated.

I still think he’s a great player though.

By: AJS

AJS — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:22:35 +0000

“I’m learning I can’t reply to everything people say in response to my posts,”

It’s never stopped Dave Cameron.

By: JD

JD — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:10 +0000

Ichiro is only that good if you believe his FanGraphs UZR, and there’s a lot of evidence to suggest that he’s not nearly that good (or very good at all) on defense.

By: Jay

Jay — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:17:01 +0000

Underrated is overrated.

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:49:04 +0000

Well, let’s see Rollins got the MVP, GG and SS in 2007…and didn’t deserve any of them (Holliday, Tulowitzki, Hanley Ramirez). This year, he got the GG even though Tulowitzki was better…so, yes, he is over-rated…still and great player, though

By: H

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:38:46 +0000

It seems that the “Rollins is overrated” talk began after the 2007 when the BBWAA voted him as MVP and sabremetric community panned the choice. Now following a 2008 that was predictably worse than 2007 and a 2009 that was unpredicatbly worse than 2008, it seems like the “Rollins is overrated” bandwagon has grown so crowded that he’s probably a little underrated.

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:11:55 +0000

“To me “overrated” means players who win awards and accolades but don’t even remotely deserve them.”

wait, doesn’t this decribe Rollins’ MVP?

i guess “remotely” makes it questionable, he had a great season. but Pujols or Utley should have won the MVP.

By: walkoffblast

walkoffblast — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:27:43 +0000

I see a lot of people saying his offense is overrated. I can see why you might say or think that but he is a SS. Look at Cal Ripken’s numbers on offense. You might then try and tell me he is one of the most overrated players in the history of the game. In this era of modern offense it is easy to not realize SS is still a defensive position that majority of guys put up poor offensive numbers. To consistently put up significant positive offense while playing plus defense at SS is quite valuable. In fact just to consistently put up good offensive numbers while being able to adequately field the position is usually an accomplishment. One reason Jeter gets underrated by some is because they forget his offense is judged on the SS scale.

Over the past 3 years combined only 8 (of 19 qualified) SS have combined to add a full win with their bat (in fact only 12 managed to not provide a negative contribution) and one of the 8 gave it almost all back on defense (michael young). Of those now 7 only two added a full win with their glove and Rollins is the only one to add two wins over that time. Like the post says essentially equal to Jeter over that time tied for second behind Hanley. On offense alone there were only 3 SS clearly better than him over that time.

By: MBD

MBD — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:04:08 +0000

To Al D:

Sure change involves risk, but these guys are risk-takers. Don’t hitting coaches exist to help the batters improve? Shouldn’t we be able to expect players to address obvious issues? Players constantly have to make adjustments as pitchers adjust to them, defenses overshift, their skills diminish, or whatever. Any player who isn’t trying to improve is probably regressing (risk is everywhere), and any hitter with a BABIP under .300 doesn’t really need to “stay aggressive” (the usual excuse of free swingers) by refusing to take balls.

Even if Rollins can’t change now, part of my point is that his skills make him someone who could have developed some discipline as a younger player without losing anything. Instead, he has a hole in his game that is disappointing. A guy whose contact % on strikes is 92.7% shouldn’t be afraid to take balls and swing at strikes. We may have to take him as he is (a very good player who doesn’t get on base enough), but he seems tantalizingly close to greatness. So I maintain that he feels to many as though he has untapped potential and that’s why some call him overrated. Plus, they don’t realize how many wins he contributes.

Thanks for the exchange, and thanks, Matt, for the post.