The Show.

It's funny how a player's value can sometimes show when he's not on the playing field. Jimmy Rollins has been out of the Phillie's line-up since May 22nd with a strained right calf, and coincidentally, the team has struggled mightily since then. The Phillies are 6-15 since that date, one of their worst droughts in recent history. Over the past 30 days, the Phillies' average has been .223. That's the worst in all of baseball. That's right. Dead last. Keep in mind this is a team who has been known for having one of the best line-ups in baseball over the past couple years. However, this line-up, which has been so dominant over the last few years, is just not the same, and many tribute it to Rollins' absence. This absence is clearly bad for the Phillies, but for Rollins, it could be a blessing in disguise.

In 12 games this year Rollins hit .341 with 10 walks. The three-time Gold Glover and 2007 NL MVP has a career batting average of .275, but his true value may have been overlooked until now. Without Rollins the Phillies lose a leadoff man who can reach base and still be a threat. Rollins gives the Phillies speed on the bases, and he's a threat to pitchers no matter where he is on the field. So as Phillies fans sit and watch a Rollins-less line-up, an appreciation is mounting for the true value Rollins brings to this club - value that may earn him a lot of money come contract time.

Rollins is currently in the fifth year of a five year, $40 million contract. The Phillies exercised a team option for 2011 this past December. He's earning a big time salary now, but if the Phillies were to come out of this slump upon J-Roll's return, then what? There's no doubt that he gives this line-up life, and if they got back to their old form - the form they were in before he got hurt - it would speak volumes to the value he offers. Additionally, Rollins would have tons of leverage heading into contract negotiations, and he could take those negotiations just about anywhere in the league. Imagine for a second his agent negotiating a new contract, and simply saying, "see what happens when he's not in the line-up?"

With the Phillies recent re-signing of Ryan Howard, who signed for $125 million over five years, and the possibility of the team re-signing Jayson Werth, it is conceivable that Rollins may want to go somewhere that will pay him top dollar. It will take time to see what happens, but since Rollins has been out the Phillies have slumped to third in their division. There's still a lot of baseball left to be played this season, and it's clear that J-Roll's absence isn't the cause of all the Phillies' struggles, but what's also clear is that this line-up isn't the same without him, and as the Phillies sink downward, Rollins' image is floating up.