Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley made up the best middle infield duo the Phillies franchise has ever seen. They started over 1,200 games together and could roll a double play like nobody else. 

With Jimmy Rollins officially finding his way on the ballot for the first time in his career, Chase Utley had high praise for his shortstop and his case for the Hall of Fame. 

“There’s no doubt in my mind that he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame…He played a tremendous shortstop. He made it look extremely easy, which as you talk to guys who played shortstop over the years, it’s not as easy as he made it look.”

“For him to have the ability to not only play defense but to be an offensive presence, whether it’s in the batter’s box or on the bases, he was a threat all over the place.”

If there’s anyone that knows Jimmy Rollins, it’s Chase Utley. They ran the middle infield for the Phillies for multiple years together, creating chemistry that isn’t easy to obtain.

The trio of Rollins/Utley/Howard was the core of the Phillies’ success in the mid-2000s. Rollins rolled 1,166 double plays in Philly, while Chase Utley rolled just over 900, a good portion of those being together. The two combined for 9 All-Star appearances, 5 Silver Slugger Awards, and 4 Gold Gloves throughout their time in Philadelphia.

Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins dug the Phillies out of a hole in the early 2000s, went on a masterful five-year playoff run, and brought the city of Philadelphia its first World Series in 28 years. Chase Utley will see his name on the ballot next to Rollins in 2024 and has himself an interesting case for Cooperstown as well.

Jimmy Rollins’ Notable Accomplishments

All-time Phillies hits leader: Jimmy Rollins leads the Phillies franchise in all-time hits, with 2,306. He passed players like Mike Schmidt, Richie Ashburn, Ed Delahanty, and more to obtain this honor. 

Shortstop History: There’s one shortstop in the history of major league baseball with 200 HRs and 400 SBs…that shortstop is Jimmy Rollins. Jimmy wasn’t the type of guy that would go out and hit 50 home runs every season, but when Jimmy wasn’t hitting home runs, he was finding gaps, finding grass, and flying around the bases.

MVP: Jimmy Rollins is the only shortstop in the National League to win MVP in the last 25 years. The last shortstop to do it was Barry Larkin in 1995, and before that, Maury Willis in 1962. 

Check out Ryan Thibodaux’s full ballot breakdown here >>

Rollins won’t be entering Cooperstown in 2022, but it’s safe to say that he has secured his spot on the ballot for next year. 46.9% of ballots are known and counted, and Rollins currently sits at 10.9%, while just 5% is needed to remain. Rollins has received many votes from league insiders around Major League Baseball, including Jon Morosi and Jayson Stark.

There are many ballots left to be counted, as the final results will be announced on Tuesday night. Rollins had a great turnout of votes for his first year eligible, and Chase Utley believes that it’s only a matter of time before his shortstop is enshrined in Cooperstown. 

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