Substance Over Style?

Jimmy Rollins is clutch. That guy is the closest thing to Jeter that there is and while Ryan Howard and Alex Rodriquez are going to get all of the pub for his big flies, I'll take Rollins and Jeter.

Lost in all of the A-Rod hullabaloo is the fact that in each game that A-Rod has been successful he has done so AFTER Jeter did something to show him the way. Whether its a clutch hit, a homerun, smart base running or a defensive gem, Jeter leads his team as well as any player ever.

The most exciting thing about this post season is that, by the end of this World Series the Cheese Steaks will likely be able to add their shortstop to the Pantheon of clutch leaders. Rollins does it all. And more importantly he does it just as well when nobody is paying attention.

Prior to the season last year Rollins came out and said that the Phillies had the talent to win it all and that they were head annd shoulders the best team in the NL East. It doesn't seem like such a big deal right now but the fact of the matter is that few experts were picking the Phillies in the East last year, much less ti be World Champs. The Mets had acquired Johan Santana and were considered by most to be the class of the East. And as far as winning the World Series they were firmly placed behind Colorado, Chicago, St. Louis and New York.

No matter Rollins calls it like he sees it, which is slightly different than the always calculated Jeter, but his effectiveness as a leader is no less successful. Rollins doesn't shy away from the spot light and proudly carries the burden of his teams failures.

Rollins' heroics last night were just the latest and most visible in a long line of clutch performances.

The obvious  Torre-coming-back-to-New-York storyline in the World Series is nice and appropriately Hollywood, but the match up with substance is Jeter-Rollins. Here's hoping for Substance over Style.