Two former Phillies important to the core of their championship-run teams from 2007 through 2011 are on the market. The problem for both of them is that there really seems to be no market for either player, as they head into the 2016 season. Former roommates Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino are both looking for work, but neither switch-hitter seems to be a perfect match with anyone.
Since leaving the Phillies during the 2012 season in a trade that brought pitching prospect Ethan Martin and infielder Stefan Jarrin to the Phillies, Victorino has been with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Boston Red Sox, and most recently, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Victorino was a big part of the 2013 World Champion Boston Red Sox, becoming very effective after moving to right field and abandoning switch hitting. Despite being a very popular locker room force, Victorino's health may be scaring teams away from giving him a guaranteed deal.
Early this offseason, there was talk of Victorino heading to the Cleveland Indians. But at 35 years old, with back surgery in 2014 and had to deal with calf and hamstring issues during the 2015 season. The Indians already added outfielders Rajai Davis and Collin Cowgill, along with useful outfield utility piece Joey Butler. Lonnie Chisenhall is still on the team, and Michael Brantley will be back from injury sometime early in the season. The need for Victorino may have passed.
Rollins was the first of the Phillies big three to leave the Phillies, agreeing to a December, 2014 trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for lefty Tom Windle and Zach Eflin. Rollins was considered a leader on his new Dodgers team, but his bat was as weak as it has ever been. Rollins batted just .224 for the season, and lost his starting job to rookie shortstop Corey Seager down the stretch. Rollins was a favorite of Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, who let him manage the team on the final day of the season.
So far for 2016 there is no clear match for Rollins. At one point the Washington Nationals seemed like a good landing spot after they traded Yunel Escobar to the Angels and Ian Desmond was facing free agency. But the Nationals filled two middle infield slots, signing second baseman Daniel Murphy and shortstop Stephen Drew. This is in addition to shortstop prospect Trea Turner waiting in the wings and Danny Espinosa serving as a legitimate option at both shortstop and second base.
The Chicago White Sox might be a fit for Rollins. The South Side Chicago team has top prospect Tim Anderson waiting in the wings, but shortstop is far from settled in 2016 after letting Alexei Ramirez walk, as MLB.com explains:
Ultimately, this job belongs to Anderson, but he may not be ready at the outset of '16. Tyler Saladino andCarlos Sanchez appear to be the leading candidates, with Saladino's defense giving him the advantage.
If the White Sox, hoping to be contenders in 2016 after adding third baseman Todd Frazier want to add a veteran presence, Rollins could be it.
But in addition to Rollins, Ramirez and Desmond both are on the free agent market, and there seems to be little interest across the board. Desmond is a higher-priced option, Rollins and Ramirez as slowing-down veteran types. Those types of players do not usually get too big a deal and do not sign right away. The New York Mets and the Miami Marlins might be interested in a veteran mentor type, but they have not been linked to any player just yet.
Rollins just turned 37 years old and Victorino 35 years old. That is getting up there in baseball years, in an era where very few players make it to age 40 anymore. Rollins still has a useful glove, and if used selectively, Victorino could help a team. However, teams seem to prefer their own younger players at this point. Stay tuned.
