Looking back at 4 Phillies Rookie of the Year Award winners
By Matt Rappa
Scott Rolen (1997)
Similar to Ryan Howard, third baseman Scott Rolen‘s big-league career began with a late-season promotion.
The 1993 second-round draft pick also needed just parts of four seasons to work his way to the majors, and he did not disappoint — slugging four home runs and 18 RBI spanning 37 games to finish the 1996 season.
Rolen became a mainstay on the 1997 Phillies and earned way to the franchise’s first Rookie of the Year honors in 33 years. In 156 games, Rolen slashed .283/.377/.469 with 35 doubles, 21 home runs, and 92 RBI.
In earning the Rookie of the Year Award nod, Rolen beat out two pitchers — Livan Hernandez of the Florida Marlins and Matt Morris of the St. Louis Cardinals.
- Scott Rolen: 4.5 WAR, 156 G, 561 AB, 93 R, 159 H, 21 HR, 92 RBI, 16 SB, 76 BB, .283/.377/.469
- Livan Hernandez: 1.8 WAR, 9-3, 3.18 ERA, 1.235 WHIP, 17 GS, 96 1/3 IP, 81 H, 5 HR, 38 BB, 72 SO
- Matt Morris: 4.1 WAR, 12-9, 3.19 ERA, 1.276 WHIP, 33 GS, 217 IP, 208 H, 12 HR, 69 BB, 149 SO
Rolen played in parts of seven seasons with the Phillies, also earning three Gold Glove Awards before he was traded to the Cardinals in July 2002. The Indiana native would finish his 17-season career with seven All-Star nods, eight Gold Glove Awards, one Silver Slugger Award, and a 2006 World Series championship.
Still up for Hall of Fame consideration, Rolen slugged 316 home runs and 1,287 RBI combined with the Phillies, Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, and Toronto Blue Jays.