Catz Corner: Olney on Rollins: Theres nothing to see here

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>PHI has made clear to other teams, as it did during the summer, that it is very willing to move Jimmy Rollins. Has a no-trade clause, tho.</p>&mdash; Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN/statuses/412617173333340162">December 16, 2013</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Oh hope. Springing and clinging eternal in the world of the Phillies off-season.

PLEASE DO SOMETHING RUBEN!! SOMETHING BIG! SOMETHING BOLD!

Buster Olney as you can see above, is reporting that The Phillies are very willing to listen on Jimmy Rollins.

That would be BOLD!

That would be BIG!

That would be...

NOT HAPPENING.

Jimmy Rollins has full 10-5 rights, he's openly said he won't accept a trade and he's 59 hits away from becoming the all time Phillies hits leader.

If you were Jimmy Rollins, with a world series ring, and a borderline hall of fame career, having played every inning of every game with the same team, and you were that close to being your franchise's all time hits leader, would you accept a trade?

I wouldn't.

And if I'm the Phillies, I wouldn't even consider it now.

Look, Rollins had a less than stellar 2013. He's getting older, he makes around 11 million dollars this year, and in 434 plate appearances he'll make another 11 million in 2015.

Maybe he's moved at the deadline. Maybe they finally give Freddy Galvis the opportunity to be a mediocre SS on a mediocre team at that point with the hope that he can be better than mediocre. Maybe Rollins has a great first half and breaks a bunch of records and the Phillies talk him, or he talks himself into, accepting a trade mid season if thats the way things unfold.

However, trading him this close to becoming the all time franchise hits leader would be a horrible thing to do for the franchise, and for Rollins.

Regardless, it's not happening and I've wasted too many words on it to begin with.

The problem with this "rumor" is that it gives a bit of false hope into the belief that this team is going to sell now and rebuild. The reality here is that if you add up ALL of these rumors recently, between Dom Brown, and Papelbon, and Lee and Hamels, regardless of Rubens admitting or not admitting their validity what you have is a situation where the Phillies are likely desperately trying BEHIND the scenes to do something.

Whether its right, wrong or indifferent, what you can take from this stuff right now, in my humble opinion is that they are not happy with the team as constructed, and are still looking to add, subtract, and change the makeup of the 40 man roster before opening day.

Whether that happens or not remains to be seen.

I for one cant wait for Jimmy Rollins to become the all time hit leader for this team. He deserves it, its one of the few moments I'm truly looking forward to in 2014, and I hope he stands his ground on the 10-5 rights until it happens. And you know what? whether you realize it or not YOU deserve it too.

Is that selfish? Maybe. Is it something special? Absolutely. because in 10 years, when 2014 is a distant memory and you look back at this spectacular run Jimmy Rollins was essential to that. He was the heart and soul of this team, and it would be weird to me to know that he ended up second on that list to save money in 2014.

Actually, it wouldn't be weird. It would be criminal.

Catz out.