Phillies: Worst trade deadline moves in franchise history

Phillies trading Scott Rolen, 2002 Trade Deadline

Phillies fans certainly didn’t do themselves any favors with this one. By the end of his time in Philadelphia, Rolen was getting booed at his home ballpark.

Rolen was a homegrown talent, drafted by the Phillies in the second round in 1993, and making his debut in 1996. The following year, Rolen was named NL Rookie of the Year, and the year after, he won his first Gold Glove Award.

Like Schilling, Rolen became increasingly frustrated that the Phillies front office didn’t seem to be trying to build a competitive team. He demanded a trade, and the Phillies sent him and Doug Nickle to the St. Louis Cardinals on July 29, 2002. In return, they received Plácido Polanco, Mike Timlin, and Bud Smith.

The Cardinals knew a star when they saw one, and immediately signed him to an eight-year extension worth $90 million, an astronomical sum at the time. Rolen had turned down an even bigger offer from the Phillies the previous offseason, but said it was about more than money with the Cardinals:

"“I did very well in this contract, I’m not going to say I didn’t. But the thing about this is it wasn’t a chase for the last dollar. It was a chase for happiness.”"

Rolen finished his 17-year career a seven-time All-Star with eight Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger, and a 2006 World Series ring.

Polanco ended up becoming a Gold Glove-winning infielder, too, but he was traded to the Tigers to make way for a young Chase Utley. He returned to the Phillies in 2010 after five years with the Detroit Tigers, before retiring as a Marlin in 2013.

Smith never appeared in a major-league game for the Phillies. He threw a no-hitter as a rookie with the Cards in 2001, but never found his way with his new team. Timlin was only in Philly for the 2002 season, but soon found success as a member of the Boston Red Sox, helping them win their first championship in 86 years.