10 moments that defined Rollins' career

We already know that Jimmy Rollins is the greatest shortstop in Phillies history.

But will he be recognized as one of the game's all-time greats? Time will tell. He received enough votes in 2022 to remain on the Hall of Fame ballot for at least another year. There is a strong case to be made. Rollins' 47.6 bWAR ranks 25th all-time among shortstops, better than six Hall of Famers, including Phil Rizzuto. He was the 2007 NL MVP. He won four Gold Gloves, one Silver Slugger and made three NL All-Star teams. He is the Phillies' all-time hits leader. He provided memorable moment after memorable moment.

As voters contemplate his Hall of Fame candidacy, here is a look at 10 moments that helped define Rollins’ career.

1. From 'Team to Beat' to MVP
2007

Rollins kickstarted his greatest season in January 2007, when he turned a typically uneventful media luncheon at Citizens Bank Park into a newsworthy one.

“I think we are the team to beat in the NL East. Finally,” Rollins told reporters.

J-Roll’s words reached New York in minutes. After all, the Phillies had not made the postseason since 1993, and they finished 85-77 in 2006, a whopping 12 games behind the Mets in the National League East. But Rollins felt especially good after the Phillies acquired Freddy Garcia and Adam Eaton in the offseason to join a rotation that already included Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer and Brett Myers.

Rollins' comments put immense pressure on him in 2007, but he rose to the occasion. He batted .296 with 38 doubles, 20 triples, 30 home runs, 94 RBIs, 41 stolen bases, 212 hits and 139 runs scored. He started all 162 games in the regular season. He played every inning in 154 of them. He remains the only player in baseball history to have 200 hits, 15 triples, 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases in a season. He is one of only four shortstops to have 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a season, joining Barry Larkin (1996), Alex Rodriguez (1998) and Hanley Ramirez (2008). He is one of only four players to have 20 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season, joining Frank Schulte (1911), Willie Mays (1957) and Curtis Granderson (2007).

It made him NL MVP as he helped the Phillies win the NL East.

2. Rollins gets Broxton
Oct. 19, 2009

Rollins hit a two-out double in the ninth inning against Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton to score two runs in a 5-4 walk-off victory in Game 4 of the NLCS.

Rollins' heroics gave the Phillis a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

“That was pretty cool,” Rollins said a few years ago. “I knew I didn't want that slider. That's the only thing I didn't want. I was like, 'As long as I don't get to two strikes, I have a shot.' I got a 1-1 fastball. You're either the hero or the goat in that situation. I hadn't been in that moment in that situation before. That was the first time. I just knew I needed a single and the game is tied. Worst-case scenario then is we go to extra innings. That was fine with me. I had come to that conclusion. It would be nice to hit a home run. That would be the ultimate play. But if I get a single, I've done my job and I'll pass it to the next guy. That was our mentality."

3. Rollins passes Schmidt
June 14, 2014

Rollins laced a single to right field for the 2,235th hit of his Phillies career, passing Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt to be the franchise's all-time hits leader.

"Since I was 4, you go to school and teachers ask you, 'What do you want to do?' And I would tell them, 'I'm going to play baseball. I'm going to be a baseball player,'" Rollins said that afternoon. "They would tell me the percentages, and I would say, 'Well, that's fine. I'm one of those people in that small percent.' It's awesome being able to accomplish what I have accomplished, but I'm not done. Hopefully we can bring another championship to the city, if I'm here long enough, and the rest will be the rest."

4. Jimmy’s 20th triple cinches MVP in NL East clincher
Sept. 30, 2007

Rollins' 20th triple of the season came in the sixth inning as the Phillies clinched their first division title since 1993. It was a huge moment as Rollins became just the fourth player in baseball history to have at least 20 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season.

"I knew there was only one way I was getting a triple, and it happened almost exactly the way I said,” Rollins said. “I said, 'A line drive off the wall out there in right field and let it bounce back.' But it took one hop and bounced back. I knew it was the only way I could get a triple. ... Right off the bat, I knew it was a double. When I saw it bounce off the wall, knowing Austin Kearns was in right, it was like I spoke it into existence. It bounced off that green thing, bounced toward the infield and I'm going to have to keep going."

5. The start of something special
Sept. 17, 2000

Rollins’ third-inning triple against the Marlins was the first hit of his career.

"Relief. No butterflies, but nervous for sure,” Rollins said. “Like frozen nervous. Swing the bat, swing the bat. How come the bat isn't moving? I finally took a swing and -- pow. Off the bat, I knew it was a triple. Actually, when I hit it, I didn't think [the ball] was going to run. It was over the first baseman's head and I'm like, 'Perfect.' I went back and looked at the footage, and that ball went a little further than I thought it went. It got down the line a little bit. It was nice. But I had a triple in my mind.

"I remember coming around first, and halfway between first and second, I'm looking at Vuke [third-base coach John Vukovich]. And he's over there just swinging that arm. I was like, 'Yeah, buddy. He's calling me.' I think he wanted it just so he could wave me in. He loved triples. Vuke, he loved triples. He loved that. I came around first and he was like, 'You're coming.' OK, I'm coming."

6. The streak
Sept. 27, 2005

Rollins’ seventh-inning single against Mets right-hander Juan Padilla broke Ed Delahanty's franchise-record 31-game hitting streak. Rollins finished with a 38-game hitting streak, which included the first two games in 2006.

"I wasn't feeling good that night,” Rollins said. “I went to the cage with Tomas Perez. 'Just give me some flips real quick,' because I needed to change my stance just to make an adjustment for that night, because I was a little bit off. And I did exactly what I did in the cage in the game. I was able to take it right in and single up the middle. After that, I knew I was good. I was like, 'All right, just keep hitting until they get me out.' That was the only night I felt that I might not have a shot, because I just did not feel good at all [at the plate]."

7. J-Roll gets it started again
Oct. 15, 2008

Rollins’ leadoff homer against Dodgers right-hander Chad Billingsley gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead in Game 5 of the 2008 NLCS. The Phillies won the game to clinch their first NL pennant since 1993.

"I wasn't feeling great,” Rollins said. “I was like, 'Man, I don't know if I've got it today.' Then it was 2-2, fouling off pitches, it got to 3-2. I was like, 'You know what? Swing the bat.' You know what he's going to do to you. He's going to throw you a little backdoor, something out over the plate. It's not really a cutter, but he had some movement out there, a little action, just the natural way he throws the ball. Then I was like, 'He doesn't know how I feel.' I just kind of stood up, perked up, like, all right. Pop. 1-0. The series before that in Milwaukee, same thing [leadoff homer in Game 4 clincher Oct. 5 at then-Miller Park].

"I remember Pat [Burrell] saying when I hit that home run -- he knew that we were going to win that game. Man, that's pretty cool. I had that feeling, too. But the best part is 1-0. They're already behind before the game gets going. It takes it out of them. They're coming in already down and they're a good team. They're thinking, 'If we get through this first inning, we're going to jump on them.' They have to be thinking that. They have to be thinking, put us down early. But it's 1-0. It was great. It was great."

8. J-Roll flashes the glove in another division clincher
Sept. 27, 2008

You can’t talk about Rollins’ greatest moments and not have at least one defensive play. Here is Rollins, turning a game-ending double play to clinch the second of five consecutive NL East titles.

9. Back to Philly
Aug. 4-6, 2015

Did Rollins really wear something other than a Phillies uniform? Yes, he played for the Dodgers and White Sox, too. But Rollins is a Phillie, first and foremost. Fans showed him the love throughout his first series back at Citizens Bank Park after being traded to the Dodgers in December 2014. Only legends get receptions like that.

10. The Ignitor
May 4, 2001

Rollins hit a franchise-record 46 leadoff home runs in the regular season. He hit two in the postseason. Here is his first regular-season leadoff blast.