Thank You Jimmy Rollins - It Has Been One Hell of a Ride, But It's Soon to Be Over

There are certain Phillies players that most likely won’t be back next year.

Brad Lidge comes to mind, also Roy Oswalt.

Then there are those on the bubble: Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Madson.

With Madson, it will be about the money and years and with Scott Boras as an agent, you don’t know if Madson will accept a home town discount.

With Jimmy Rollins, it is a bit more unclear. He is best friends with slugger Ryan Howard, for one.

But the future became clearer when Rollins discussed a five-year contract at his post-season press conference.

It ain’t gonna happen. Not with the Phillies.

Even though 2011 was his best statistical year since 2009 and his best batting average since 2008, his doubles and triples have decreased every year since 2007.

His 30 home runs in 2007 was a career high in a career MVP season, he had 11 in 2008 and 21 in 2009, 8 in a shortened season in 2010 and 16 home runs this year with time on the disabled list.

It all depends on whether Ruben Amaro Jr. keeps his word about a changed, more disciplined lineup and with Ryan Howard perhaps starting the year on the disabled list, this is not a team that is based on power anymore.

At Charlie Manuel's press conference, it might have been an honest omission, but he talked about home runs the team could have with a healthy Chase Utley and a full year with Hunter Pence - not what home runs Jimmy Rollins could supply.

As a team, the Phillies have gone from 224 home runs in 2009, 166 in 2010 and 153 in 2011.

And Jimmy Rollins has never had a high on-base percentage. That is not his game.

His on-base percentage was .338 in 2011 and a best of .348 in 2004.

A player like Albert Pujols has had a .4205 on base percentage and even a slugger like Manny Ramirez has had a .4106 on base percentage.

Jimmy Rollins does have two things that you can’t teach though: heart and leadership.

But if you aren't on the field for a majority of games, what kind of leader are you? How effective can you be as a leader if you're not out there in the trenches with your team?

Rollins is going have to bite the bullet and take less years to stay with the Phillies, or he may  be looking like this in the not too distant future: