Rollins will become an all-time great Phillie

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Twelve years into his career with the Phillies, Jimmy Rollins has already solidified his standing as the best shortstop ever to play for the franchise. In fact, there is Rollins and no one else. Larry Bowa was selected as the best shortstop in franchise history during the closing weekend at Veterans Stadium, but it didnt take Rollins long to surpass him.

Meanwhile, Rollins new contract should put him on the short list of the all-time greats for any position in Phillies history.

There have not been too many players to last as long in Philadelphia as Rollins, with Mike Schmidt leading the way with 18 years of service. When Rollins suits up in April for his 13th season, only Schmidt, Tony Taylor, Robin Roberts, Chris Short, Curt Simmons and Steve Carlton will have served more time as a uniformed player.

Already Rollins ranks in the top five in runs, plate appearances, hits, doubles, triples, stolen bases and games played. In the modern era, only Mike Schmidt and Richie Ashburn have been on base more times than Rollins. Next season he has good chance to get his 2,000th hit and likely will pass Schmidt for the most doubles in club history in the modern era.

Rollins needs 15 more stolen bases to pass Sherry Magee for the most stolen bases in the modern era and needs 35 runs to move ahead of Ashburn and into second place in team history.

In other words, Rollins will go down as one of the two or three all-time greats in team history.

At the end of last season, however, Rollins pointed out that his most lasting legacy with the Phillies wont be from accumulating piles and piles of stats, but from winning. He says that by claiming the Phillies were, The team to beat, before the 2007 season that everything about the franchise changed.

In short, yeah. Without 2007, without me coming out saying, Were the team to beat, without all of that, the organization operates the way it always has -- thats just willing to be competitive and going out there fielding a team and hoping one day we'll be good, Rollins told CSN. Since that day theres no longer a hope. It was, We have to prove it every single time out here. Then fans showed up. With fans came money. Then players came over. Then better players came over. Then we won the World Series in between all of that. And this is where we are today. And it started with that little mustard seed and that little spark. Without that, I don't think it would be the same.

Meanwhile, by the time Rollins contract is over, the Phillies hope to have Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels and maybe even Shane Victorino climbing to the top of the charts of the teams all-time leaders. Mix in players who began their careers elsewhere, like Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee and its fair to call this era the greatest in Phillies history.

E-mail John Finger at jfinger@comcastsportsnet.com

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