Jimmy Rollins was a talented speedster with a slick glove and a smooth swing. He was also arrogant, cocky, annoying, and sometimes downright infuriating. But he was also the unquestionable leader of the greatest teams in Philadelphia Phillies history.

The Phillies selected Rollins in the second round of the 1996 draft and he made his major league debut in 2000. In the early years of his tenure with the Phils, Rollins labored through some arduous seasons as the team was a continual bottom feeder. The tide began to turn as young players named Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Cole Hamels came up through the minors and suddenly the Phillies were a team with a future.

Then in spring training in 2007 he uttered the now unforgettable words that the Philadelphia Phillies, a team who had not gone to the playoffs since 1993, were “the team to beat in the NL East”. People were stunned, “The Phillies? They’re perennial losers, how could they be the team to beat?”

But as the reporters fell quiet for a second, surprised by what they had just heard, J Roll sat back in his chair and repeated himself ” I believe we are the team to beat in the NL East”.

It was that cockiness that instilled a swagger in the rest of the team, making them believe they could truly be great. For awhile they had been touted as “a team with a lot of potential”. Jimmy’s swagger helped them achieve that potential.

What made those now famous words so memorable wasn’t the fact that Jimmy said them, it was because he backed them up. The 2007 campaign was by far J roll’s best as a Phillie, he hit .296 with 30 home runs and 94 RBI’s, he also swiped 41 bags en route to winning the NL MVP award. That year he became the 4th member of the exclusive 20-20-20-20 club, a player who hits 20 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs, and steals 20 bases in one season, and the first to join the club in 50 years. The last to do it before him you ask? Willie Mays.

Keep in mind this all happened during a season when Rollins’ Phillies overcame a 7.5 game deficit with 17 games remaining in the season to overtake the Mets to win the division, and seal the team’s first playoff birth in 14 years.

Jimmy also had his fair share of memorable plays. Remember his diving snag to start the 6-4-3 double play that sealed the division on the last day of the 2008 season? That magical year which gave the city of Philadelphia it’s first major sports title in 25 years.

Or how about his walk off double in the 2009 NLCS against Jonathan Broxton and the Dodgers in game 4? That hit broke the Dodgers back and paved the way to a second consecutive appearance in the World Series.

Just thinking about Phillies baseball without J roll doesn’t seem right. Ever since I could remember Jimmy Rollins was playing shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies. Obviously he would have to move on one day but the thought at the time seemed ludicrous. As far as I and my little league teammates were concerned he was going to be the Phillies shortstop forever.

So while Jimmy may have driven you nuts from time to time because he wouldn’t run out a grounder or a pop up, remember this. If it weren’t for him there wouldn’t have been a record setting divisional comeback in 2007, there wouldn’t have been a “Golden Age” of Phillies baseball, and there sure as hell wouldn’t have been a parade down broad street on Halloween in 2008.