Jimmy Rollins is 7-for-15 since ending a long hitless streak (28 at- bats).
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) -
For a month it's been embarrassing to see Jimmy Rollins' name near the top of the National League All-Star balloting at shortstop because he could barely keep his average above the "Mendoza Line."
Rollins was hitting pop up after pop up interspersed with ground balls to the second baseman and shortstop. But finally, this weekend, we have begun to see the "old" Rollins appear.
The Phillies shortstop is 7-for-15 since ending a long hitless streak (28 at- bats) last Thursday with four extra-base hits. It's a lovely sight to see for fantasy owners who have struggled with him over the season's first three months.
Actually, fantasy owners have been disappointed with Rollins for about a year- and-a-half. Since hitting 25 HRs in 2006 and 30 HRs in 2007, the fantasy world has been expecting speed AND power from the Philadelphia shortstop but getting only the stolen bases. Rollins' OPS has dropped from .875 in 2007 to .786 last year and .611 this season. In one ranking list I saw recently based purely on statistics, he's currently the 20th-best shortstop.
Since a four-game "vacation" dictated by manager Charlie Manual in which Rollins took plenty of batting practice, he has begun to hit the ball more on the line.
"When he was struggling, he was jumping at the ball," said Phillies hitting coach Milt Thompson.
Rollins has gone back to the starting mechanism which he used back in 2007 when he was the NL MVP. It seems to be working, though we only have about one week's worth of data. He is historically a second-half hitter with a career batting average that is 23 points higher after the All-Star break and an OPS which jumps from .729 to .811.
Obviously, Rollins will be on someone's roster (Average Draft Position of 11), but before he gets too hot, now might be the perfect time to make a trade offer since his fantasy value could hardly get any lower.
