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          New York Yankees

          Spend Hal's Money: Jimmy Rollins

          Jimmy Rollins is a former world champion, former NL MVP and a four-time Gold Glove winner. AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall
          • Wallace Matthews, ESPN Staff WriterNov 18, 2014, 08:00 AM ET
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              Wallace Matthews has covered New York sports since 1983 as a reporter, columnist, radio host and TV commentator. He covers the Yankees for ESPNNewYork.com after working for Newsday, the New York Post, the New York Sun and ESPN New York 98.7 FM.
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          The Yankees went into last winter with a publicly stated goal of keeping their payroll below $189 million. They came out of it having committed more than $400 million to four new players. This winter, there are no such payroll limitations, at least to our knowledge, but there is still plenty of need. And since there is nothing more fun than playing with another guy's cash, we at ESPN New York will once again aid the Yankees' decision-makers with a little game we like to call "Spend Hal's Money."

          Jimmy Rollins

          Jimmy Rollins

          #11 SS
          Philadelphia Phillies

          2014 STATS

          • GM138

          • HR17

          • RBI55

          • R78

          • OBP.323

          • AVG.243

          Today's Candidate: Jimmy Rollins

          Position: SS

          Age: 36 on Nov. 27

          Height: 5-8

          Weight: 180

          2014 numbers: $11 million salary, .243, 17 HR, 55 RBI, .717 OPS, 3.9 WAR

          Pros: A proven commodity, even at 36 years old -- which, by the way, means the Yankees would get four years younger at shortstop -- and a very viable stopgap for one season if the Yankees can't swing a deal for a long-term replacement for Derek Jeter. J-Roll has an impressive résumé -- former world champion, former NL MVP, four-time Gold Glove shortstop, three-time All-Star and a very positive clubhouse presence -- and a relatively reasonable price tag ($11M for 2015), assuming the Phillies would insist the Yankees assume the entire load. Even if he will never again approach the production of his 2007 MVP season (.296, 30 HR, 95 RBI, .875 OPS) Rollins remains a solid defender at short, he's a switch-hitter with some pop, and he can still run a little bit (28 steals, more than any Yankee besides Jacoby Ellsbury). He is also amazingly durable; aside from his injury-marred 2010 season, he has averaged 153 games per season for 13 seasons.

          Cons: Full no-trade clause may make the entire idea a moot point, although it seems as if Rollins' outgoing personality would have no trouble handling the fan and media attention playing in New York. In fact, he'd probably love it. He doesn't hit for average much anymore, and there's always the chance he could regress to his 2013 numbers, when he hit just six homers in 666 plate appearances, although that seems unlikely in Yankee Stadium. And bringing him for just one season means the Yankees still haven't replaced their once-formidable middle infield of Jeter and Robinson Cano, just plastering over the cracks.

          The verdict: Full disclosure: I'm a Rollins fan. Like him as a player and as an interview subject. He would inject some personality into a pretty drab Yankees clubhouse. And considering what's out there and what the Yankees are likely to get -- either a trade for Elvis Andrus or signing Stephen Drew to a multiyear deal -- Rollins might be the best available option for 2015. So I say yeah, let's roll with J-Roll.