Jimmy Rollins will be 33 next season with a deep recent history of injury and declining offensive numbers.

And he wants the Phillies to guarantee him four more years of employment, maybe five.

Good luck.

"If I was older, I’d take a shorter term," the pending free agent said Tuesday. "But I’ll be 33 when I get the contract. That means I have good six years left to perform at a high level and maybe even more. My father has been in great shape, so I know how to keep myself in shape. There’s no doubt about that.  As far as life, you are starting to become a grown man and what it takes every single day and what you are able to do. I’m looking at five years. But if its going to be shorter, it would have to be a fifth year option or something like that. My option."

Here's the Phillies' best option: Say no and invest that money elsewhere.

Check out my column on Ruben Amaro's plea for the Phillies to change their approach at the plate in 2012 in the Daily Times Wednesday and on delcotimes.com