Philadelphia Phillies' Struggles Prove Jimmy Rollins' Importance

So, let's do the math. Heading into tonight's game, the Phillies were 9-3 with him and 23-27 without him.

Additionally, the hometown team has outscored opponents 74-35 with him, but have been outscored 226-201 with him idle.

That's a 290 point differential in winning percentage.

Breaking it down a little further, that represents a 3.75 swing in run differential per game. With the player, the Phillies recorded 3.25 runs more than their opponent, but have scored .50 runs less than their opponent without him.

The numbers seem to serve testimony to the importance of Jimmy Rollins in the Phillies formula for success.

The Gold Glove shortstop has had a difficult time living up to expectations after his phenomenal 2007 MVP season. He set the bar at such a high level with a campaign that hit on all cylinders, magnificently displaying his five tool skills that perhaps his value to this Phillies ball club has been underestimated ever since.

That season, J-Roll did everything but sing "God Bless America" during the seventh inning stretch and handle the tarp during rain storms. Oh, yeah, he did that, too on one excessivley windy day in Colorado.

Because his batting average and OBP have been down the past two seasons, it might be easy for critics to overlook all the other ways Rollins contributes to the team's success.

When J-Roll is swinging the bat well his value to the team is highly apparent. A lead-off man capable of spraying line drives around the yard, racing to take extra bases, swiping bags at a near perfect success rate, and going yard 30 times in a season will surely jump start any offense.

When you layer on the fact that the same player grabs his glove to assume the most important position in the field and has been recognized as the best glove man in the business three years running— it becomes even easier to see why he is so sorely missed.

But, perhaps the Phillies recent slide points out that despite how talented Rollins is offensively and defensively, his greatest contribution might lie elsewhere. As much as players look up to Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and now Roy Halladay, none of them provides the spark supplied by Rollins.

For much of his absence, the team has looked lifeless and listless. Levity throughout the ranks seems clearly AWOL without J-Roll's infectious smile. A suffocating tightness seems to envelope the team.

It is unclear when Rollins will be fit enough to return. Considering his premature return the first time around, the organization is rightfully taking a cautious approach.

What is clear, though, is that Rollins is the type of difference-maker who could jolt a moribund team. The Phillies and their fans can only hope that comes sooner rather than later.

The Cliff Lee Effect

Ruben Amaro's late July coup, landing reigning American League Cy Young award winner Cliff Lee at the trade deadline, is already paying handsome dividends. In some ways this is very obvious, and other ways it is less obvious, but maybe just as important. After yesterday seeing Lee's 3rd excellent performance in 3 outings for the Phillies, what seemed very apparent from the start is continuing to become clearer. Let's examine the broad impact of this blockbuster acquisition.

Complacency

Ironically, one of the first impacts might have been to cause a little bit of complacency to set in after the initial euphoria. Adding one of the best pitchers in baseball to a team whose collective esteem was spiking after a tremendous month of play might have inadvertently caused the players to feel a little too confident. The inner voice in players' minds might very well have turned down the adrenaline and sense of urgency as logic would say that one of the best teams in baseball just got a lot better. The Marlins 3 game sweep and Charlie Manuel's post game address on Sunday helped to reinforce that games need to be won on the field.

Rotation Upgrade

The obvious impact of the Lee acquisition is that a starter-by-committee spot, dotted with a big question mark, is being replaced by a top notch pitcher. The chances of winning every 5th day clearly went up. Registering a 22-3 win/loss record last year is truly remarkable, but it becomes understandable as you witness Lee's make-up, repertoire and approach up close.

Role Model

From the first time that Cliff Lee toed the pitching rubber in a Phillies uniform to now, it has been easy to see that he is a natural "leader-by-example." He exudes professionalism, a warm, yet no nonsense demeanor and positive energy in all his actions- and then proceeds to aggressively attack the strike zone with an upbeat tempo and laser focus on the mound. This is invaluable to other pitchers on the staff (especially similar style left-handers like Cole Hamels and J.A. Happ) as they observe the positive impact on the players behind him and ultimately, the results. Lee's impact on the staff is largely parallel to the impact that Raul Ibanez has had on the team's position players.

True Stopper

With Hamels struggling to find the consistent level of excellence and air of supreme confidence that he displayed last year, Lee gives the team a legitimate stopper on the staff. In theory, this serves to keep the team out of prolonged slumps, but more importantly, gives peace of mind to the team knowing that every fifth day they are backing one of the best pitchers in baseball. This also serves to take some pressure off the other starting pitchers as well as provide motivation. And, won't it be fun to see Hamels regain his mojo to give the Phillies two stoppers down the stretch and into the playoffs?

Playoff Positioning

Speaking of the playoffs, many have expressed the opinion that this trade was engineered to strengthen the team for the post season. Although it is absolutely true that the impact becomes greater in the post season when teams go to a 3 or 4 man rotation, it would be folly to assume that the division championship is in the bag (as the Marlins reminded the team this past weekend.) The Phillies have the talent to win the division and make a strong post season run, but that needs to play out one pitch, one inning, one game at a time.

Chemistry

Lee looks to be another high character, personable team player who fits perfectly into a team with great chemistry. The Phillies have done a tremendous job building a team filled with talented players that are genuine, likable, competitive and function as a true team (that has fun along the way.) This played a big part in their past success, will be a key driver for future success and is foundational to their tremendous fan appeal.

Ben Francisco

I would be remiss to not recognize the other player acquired in the Lee deal. Ben Francisco has some pop in his bat, can run, has a plus arm and is versatile enough to play all 3 outfield positions. He has already contributed, as evidenced Tuesday night by his game winning home run in the 12th inning, and provides a more consistent, seasoned back-up who will help the team down the stretch.

Philadelphia Phillie fans are fortunate to have Cliff Lee join an already strong cast. It will be fun to see him contribute to the team's success in both the tangible and intangible ways over the course of 2009 season. Thank you, Ruben, for your insight and negotiating skill in making this deal.