Scott Rolen: A Hall of Fame debate
Like "Beauty and the Beast," Philadelphia Phillies fans talking about and debating former third baseman Scott Rolen is seemingly a "tale as old as time."
So, with just days until the announcement of the 2023 Baseball Hall of Fame vote, we examine Rolen’s candidacy. We are on opposite sides of the fence on this one — and we dove deep into Rolen as a player and what his possible election means for Phillies fans.
Let’s hear your main argument for Scott Rolen’s Hall of Fame case.
Kevin: Did you watch Scott Rolen while he was playing and think, “Wow, there’s a Hall of Famer”? At the very beginning of his career, maybe. His 1998 season made it look like he was on the path to greatness when he hit 31 home runs and 110 RBI, and posted a WAR (Wins Above Replacement) of 6.7 as a 23-year-old. But then he only topped those numbers one other time for the rest of his career, instead settling in as a consistent bat but not a standout one. Interestingly, his only Silver Slugger was for the 2002 season, during which he was traded from the Phillies to the Cardinals. He was never among the best players in the league for any length of time, garnering top-15 MVP finishes just twice. And while productive in his 20s, his average season after turning 30 years old reads like this: 105 games played, .274, 11 HR, 57 RBI. Somehow he garnered four All-Star selections during that time frame, which shows you how bogus those are.
He wasn’t even as good of a hitter as Will Clark, and “Will the Thrill” got booted off the ballot in his first year of eligibility. Certainly, Rolen would have padded his stats more if his body hadn’t broken down, but the facts are the facts. He barely sputtered across the 300-homer and 2,000-hit marks. And if you want to talk about playoff performance, he went 31 for 141 (.220). It was a really good career — just not a Hall-worthy one. Also, I don’t want Cardinals fans to experience any kind of joy or satisfaction.
Eric: Scott Rolen played third base his entire career, which is a demanding position. There are only 17 third basemen in the Hall of Fame at this point. Rolen’s prime was pretty extensive. Since becoming a full-time player in 1997, he had an OPS of .800 or greater in all but three seasons through 2010, and in those seasons, he missed significant time due to injuries. Rolen was also elected to seven All-Star teams, won eight Gold Glove Awards, won a Silver Slugger in 2002, was the 1997 Rookie of the Year, and was a World Series champion in 2006.
In comparison to other third basemen already enshrined in Cooperstown, Rolen would be in the top third in doubles (517), home runs (316), slugging percentage (.490), and OPS (.855). Plus, Rolen’s defense was incredible throughout his entire career. Rolen ranked high in many offensive categories among other third basemen that played from 1997-2012. He led all third basemen in doubles and triples during that span, and he finished second in runs scored, RBI, OPS, and WAR behind Chipper Jones, who is in the Hall.
What merit, if any, do you see in the opposing point of view?
Eric: The fact that Rolen was injured quite a bit and missed time in a few key seasons throughout his prime, particularly 2005, 2007, and 2008 where he failed to play in even 120 games. He also did not reach some of the major milestones that writers look for when electing players to the Hall. Rolen also did not have great postseason success — batting just .220 with a .678 OPS.
Kevin: The "elephant in the room" is Rolen’s defense. He was excellent with the glove — and that might be the crucial thing that separates him from the pack. By racking up eight Gold Gloves over at the hot corner, he certainly needs to be given credit. When you add the high-level defending to his above-average offensive numbers, I can see a case. He also stuck around long enough to cross the imaginary WAR threshold that analytics people seem to love. Lastly, the entire position of third base is probably underrepresented in the Hall, so that probably opens the door a little bit wider for him.
How does being a Phillies fan color your opinion of Rolen’s candidacy?
Kevin: He just bothers me. I don’t exactly lose sleep every night over the fact that Rolen is probably headed to the Hall of Fame — it’s only about once or twice a week. Honestly, though, Rolen came up when I was an impressionable age, and I was fully onboard with him being my generation’s Mike Schmidt. I cheered for this guy for several years while the Phillies put a lousy team around him. Then, just when they started to turn the corner, his discontent was put on full display. He didn’t like Larry Bowa, the hard turf at the Vet, or anything about the organization or city.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but he never offered an apology or explanation, other than his desire to play in “baseball heaven” — St. Louis. He didn’t have the time of day for me or my team, so why should I wish him success? To be fair, the Phillies were in disarray at that point and it probably wasn’t fair to him, but he had a real opportunity and blew it by not being able to see the forest for the trees.
Eric: As a Phillies fan, I want to see as many Phillies players — whether they wear a “P” on their hat or not, get to Cooperstown as possible. Rolen had a unique departure from the Phillies, and many fans still hold a grudge against him for not signing long-term with the club before spring training of 2002. While I held resentment over this during Rolen's playing days, I am over any hard feelings I had for the guy. I think that he deserves to get in on his merits. I also like watching guys that I grew up watching get enshrined.
If and when Scott Rolen reaches the Hall, how will you feel about it?
Eric: I will feel that he is deserving. Putting any team allegiances aside, I think Rolen always played hard and played the game the right way. While I wish that he spent a longer portion of his prime in Philadelphia, I had fun rooting against him when he was in St. Louis. Now that he has been retired for a while, I look back at his career and see how his numbers compare with others who he played against, and can see that he belongs in Cooperstown with some of the other great third basemen.
Kevin: Disappointed. And I’m fully prepared for it to happen this year. Rolen had some high points during his career, but he feels like a “Hall of Very Good” case, even before factoring in my personal feelings about him. And while I can never be truly objective about Scott Rolen, neither are the writers who seem to be voting him in. They bring their own biases and opinions to the table — ones that I believe are wrong in this case — but they have a vote and I don’t, so that’s that. More so than the thought of Rolen being elected, I think what annoys me the most is that some Phillies fans might actually celebrate it or even dare to go to his induction. Anyone doing so can turn in their fan card.
What is Rolen’s Phillies legacy? Does he deserve Wall of Fame induction?
Kevin: His legacy SHOULD be wearing a Phillies cap on his plaque in Cooperstown. He played more games with the Phillies than the Cardinals — more hits, homers, RBI, etc. And he collected his only individual accolade during his Rookie of the Year season with the Phils in 1997. Of course, Rolen will go in with a Cardinals hat, but my point stands.
At some point down the road, I can see him getting in the Wall of Fame, but that might not happen if fan vote has a say. He probably deserves it, honestly. But if the organization never recognizes him for anything, all Phillies fans should be fine with it. Acknowledging the Phillies and their fans in some way during his acceptance speech would go a long way, but I’ll believe it when I see it. Otherwise, this might be the ultimate test of whether or not “time heals all wounds."
Eric: I don’t know if Rolen’s legacy will ever fully repair in Philadelphia, but I came across a Jayson Stark ESPN article from 2002 that explains the situation. In hindsight, after reading Rolen’s remarks, many Phillies fans would agree with him today in that ownership was not necessarily dedicated to building a perennial contender until after Citizens Bank Park opened in 2004.
One quote that stuck out about Rolen ending negotiations with the Phillies:
“... a 26-year-old, three-time Gold Glove third baseman who wasn't ready to commit essentially the rest of his career to a team he feels hasn't shown enough commitment in return to make him want to stay.”
I think that Phillies fans can relate to that. Ownership showed commitment when they brought Jim Thome in. After that, we know how the franchise began to see success.
This time, ownership went out and spent and have proven they are committed to winning and building a perennially contending franchise. At this point, I don’t think Rolen cares if the Phillies honor him at all or put him on their Wall of Fame, and there are plenty of players from the 2008-2011 teams that could be put there first. But if the Phillies decide to enshrine Rolen on their Wall of Fame, I think it would be deserved.
Any final rebuttals regarding Rolen and the Baseball Hall of Fame?
Eric: Scott Rolen will probably always be somewhat controversial in Philadelphia. That may never change and every fan is entitled to their opinion of a player. I think that Rolen is a Hall of Famer based on his numbers compared to third basemen already in Cooperstown. I see Kevin’s point that Rolen had missed time and his average number of games per year dropped in his thirties and that he missed some of the milestones that are considered in Hall of Fame voting, but he still put up some impressive seasons and stats despite the injuries and missed time. There are arguments both ways on Rolen’s Hall of Fame case, and that is why he has taken some time to approach that 75% mark that he needs. To me, his career numbers, longevity in the league, and his individual accomplishments are enough for him to get into Cooperstown.
Kevin: It’s possible that the Rolen fiasco was the turning point for the Phillies to stop being so cheap and take a long, hard look in the mirror to turn the franchise around and stop being an embarrassment for their fans — although the new ballpark was a big help. So maybe we can indirectly thank Scott Rolen for all of that. I also think that Eric is correct in saying that Rolen played the game the right way, and he played it hard. There was a lot to like there. As for the Hall of Fame, I still say no, although I am 90% sure that he’ll be getting the invite this year. For me, the body of work falls in the borderline area, and the fact that Rolen was a clean player in an era of rampant PED use should just be a minimum requirement, not an extra check mark in his column that I fear many writers are giving him. Taken at face value, his career and his statistics don’t scream “Cooperstown" — although I am fairly confident he’ll be there soon anyway.