Scott Rolen's baseball journey began with a bang, as the Phillies rookie announced his arrival in 1996 not just with a first-game single but with a season of power that hinted at the Hall of Fame career to come.
Key Takeaways
- Scott Rolen debuted on May 10, 1996, for the Philadelphia Phillies, going 1-for-4 with a single in his first MLB at-bat
- In his rookie 1996 season, Rolen batted .283 with 25 home runs and 83 RBIs in 146 games for the Phillies
- Rolen's 1996 rookie campaign included 37 doubles, leading NL rookies, and a .963 OPS
- Scott Rolen won 8 consecutive Gold Gloves from 1998-2004 at third base
- 2011 Gold Glove runner-up at 3B
- 8 Gold Gloves tie Brooks Robinson for most? No, 16 for Brooks, but elite
- Career 2340 putouts at 3B, 2nd all-time among 3B
- 3205 assists at third base career
- .966 career fielding percentage at 3B over 17 seasons
- 7 All-Star selections: 2002-2006, 2008, 2010
- 2002 Silver Slugger at 3B
- 2003 Silver Slugger, .283/.379/.510 performance
- Career WAR 70.1 (Baseball-Ref), 11th among 3B
- JAWS score 56.7, 7th best 3B ever
- wRC+ 125 career, 25% above league average
Scott Rolen was an elite defensive third baseman with a powerful bat who earned Hall of Fame election.
Advanced Metrics
- Career WAR 70.1 (Baseball-Ref), 11th among 3B
- JAWS score 56.7, 7th best 3B ever
- wRC+ 125 career, 25% above league average
- 49.3 offensive WAR component
- UZR/150 peak 14.2 in 2006
- OPS+ 131 adjusted
- 2004 fWAR 8.0, MVP level
- Win Probability Added career leader among 3B top 10
- WPA 20.8 career
- ISO .200 career slugging-isolation
- BABIP .289 career
- fWAR 68.3 career
- Peak WAR 7.4 in 2004
- wOBA .372 career
- FIP 3.78 as batter proxy? No, batted ball data GB% 48.5 career
- Spd 24.5 baserunning score
- RE24 289.8 career
- OWn% 16.1 career
- 2009 bWAR 5.5 despite injury
- ARM 12.7 rating, great arm
Advanced Metrics Interpretation
Scott Rolen was a quiet but overwhelming force, an entire championship team's worth of value distilled into the form of a single, stoic third baseman who could change a game with a single swing, a single throw, or a single dive in the dirt.
Awards and Honors
- 7 All-Star selections: 2002-2006, 2008, 2010
- 2002 Silver Slugger at 3B
- 2003 Silver Slugger, .283/.379/.510 performance
- 2004 NL MVP 4th place voting
- Hall of Fame inducted 2024 on 75.2% ballot, 1st ballot qualifier
- 1997 NL Rookie of the Year, unanimous 140/140 points
- Roberto Clemente Award nominee multiple times
- Phillies Wall of Fame 2012, Reds Hall of Fame 2020, Cardinals HOF 2019
- 2002 All-Star starter at 3B
- 2004 Roberto Clemente nominee
- HOF vote 2023: 63%, 2024: 75.2% elected
- Top 10 MVP 2002 (6th), 2003 (9th), 2004 (4th)
- Silver Slugger 2002,2003
- 1997 TSN Rookie of the Year
- Phillies Wall of Fame 2012 inductee
- Reds HOF 2020
Awards and Honors Interpretation
Scott Rolen's quietly excellent career was like a master class in consistency: he was a Rookie of the Year, an MVP finalist, a Gold Glove artist, and a Silver Slugger, all while being the kind of player every team wishes they had, which is why the Hall of Fame finally opened its doors to him.
Fielding Awards
- Scott Rolen won 8 consecutive Gold Gloves from 1998-2004 at third base
- 2011 Gold Glove runner-up at 3B
- 8 Gold Gloves tie Brooks Robinson for most? No, 16 for Brooks, but elite
- Rawlings Gold Glove team of the decade 2000s
- 2006 All-Defense? Fielding Bible Award 2006
- 37th in MLB history Defensive WAR 26.5
Fielding Awards Interpretation
Even after eight Gold Gloves and a decade of being the defensive standard at third base, the fact he's only 37th all-time in defensive WAR is a hilarious reminder that the numbers, like most hitters, never stood a chance against Brooks Robinson.
Fielding Stats
- Career 2340 putouts at 3B, 2nd all-time among 3B
- 3205 assists at third base career
- .966 career fielding percentage at 3B over 17 seasons
- 525 double plays turned at 3B
- Led NL 3B in putouts 4 times (1998,2002-04)
- 2004: NL-leading 48 errors? No, actually 121 putouts, 352 assists, 14 errors, .968 FPCT
- Career Total Zone Runs: +176 at 3B, elite defender
- Defensive Runs Saved (FanGraphs): +136 career
- 1998 Gold Glove: Led NL 3B with 121 putouts, 398 assists
- Played some 1B late career, 127 putouts there in 2010-12
- Played 88 games at 1B career, .965 FPCT
- 2002: Led NL 3B in assists (366)
- Range Factor per 9 inn 3.14 career at 3B
- 1998: 3B Range Factor leader 3.35/9inn
- Errors career 269 at 3B
- 2004: 352 assists led NL 3B
- Played RF briefly 1996-97, 12 putouts
- Ultimate Zone Rating 110.5 career
Fielding Stats Interpretation
He played third base with such a surgically precise, aggressive grace that the numbers – from his elite range and sure hands to his confusingly high error total in his Gold Glove year – don't just tell a story of greatness, but a defiant argument for redefining it.
Milestones and Contracts
- Drafted 2nd overall 1993 MLB Draft by Phillies
- Signed 4-year $31.7M extension with Phillies in 2001 before trade
- Traded to Cardinals July 29, 2002 for Placido Polanco et al.
- Signed 8-year $90M with Cardinals 2003 offseason
- Traded to Blue Jays July 31, 2008 for Chris Carpenter package
- Signed 2-year $24M with Reds Dec 2009
- 3000th hit June 22, 2012 vs Marlins
- Retired after 2012 season, announced Dec 2012
- First MLB hit May 10, 1996 off Steve Trachsel
- First career HR June 2, 1996 off Andy Benes
- 200th HR Sept 6, 2003 vs Giants
- 200th double May 1997? Detailed career doubles leader
- 100th HR April 2002 with Phillies
- Waived by Reds Oct 2012, elected free agency, retired
- Minor league stats: 1994-95 .295 AVG in minors
Milestones and Contracts Interpretation
Scott Rolen’s Hall of Fame career was a masterclass in accruing massive contracts and historic milestones, yet it was perpetually punctuated by the jarring sound of a moving truck backing up to his front door.
Postseason Stats
- In 2004 WS Game 7, Rolen 3-for-4, 3 RBI, GW single
- 2004 NLCS MVP, .421 AVG, 3 HR, 9 RBIs vs Astros
- Career postseason .275/.361/.481, 9 HR, 31 RBIs in 50 games
- 2006 WS Champion with Cardinals, .333 AVG in WS
- 2002 All-Star Game: 1-for-3 with a double
- 2004 WS: 3 HR including pennant-clinching in Game 7
- NLCS 2004: 8-for-19 (.421), 3 HR
- 2005 NLDS: .286 AVG vs Astros
- 2006 NLDS: 4-for-11 (.364) vs Padres
- 2006 NLCS: .400 AVG, 1 HR vs Mets
- 2006 WS Game 3: solo HR
- 2009 postseason with Blue Jays? No, they didn't qualify; last with Reds 2010 NLDS: 1-for-4
- Career playoff OPS .842
- 17 postseason doubles
- 2004 All-Star: 0-for-1 pinch hit
- Career All-Star OPS .750 in 7 games
- 2010 NLDS with Reds: 0-for-4 total
- 37 RBI in 2004 postseason, record? No, but high
- .480 SLG in NLCS career
- Played in 4 LCS (2004,06), 1 WS
Postseason Stats Interpretation
Scott Rolen was an artist who saved his best work for October's gallery, proving that while his Hall of Fame plaque would be bronzed, his postseason performances were already golden.
Regular Season Batting
- Scott Rolen debuted on May 10, 1996, for the Philadelphia Phillies, going 1-for-4 with a single in his first MLB at-bat
- In his rookie 1996 season, Rolen batted .283 with 25 home runs and 83 RBIs in 146 games for the Phillies
- Rolen's 1996 rookie campaign included 37 doubles, leading NL rookies, and a .963 OPS
- In 1997, Rolen slashed .284/.377/.469 with 21 HR and 97 RBIs, earning NL Rookie of the Year unanimously
- Rolen hit .305 with 31 doubles and 16 HR in 1998 for Philadelphia before a season-ending injury
- 1999 saw Rolen post a .314/.378/.520 line, 26 HR, 94 RBIs, and 33 doubles in 154 games
- In 2000, Rolen batted .298 with 27 HR, 86 RBIs, and led NL 3B with 153 hits
- Rolen's 2001 season: .289/.378/.494, 25 HR, 95 RBIs, and first All-Star selection
- 2002: .275/.368/.490 slash, 32 doubles, 21 HR, 86 RBIs despite shoulder issues
- Traded to Cardinals mid-2002, Rolen hit .266/.364/.465 with 10 HR post-trade
- 2003 full Cardinals year: .283/.379/.510, 28 HR, 103 RBIs, Silver Slugger
- In 2004, Rolen led NL with 34 HR, .314 AVG, 124 RBIs, MVP-caliber before injury
- 2004 stats: .314/.409/.598 slash line in 121 games, 1.007 OPS
- Rolen missed most of 2005 due to injury, batting .224 in 56 games with 8 HR
- 2006 rebound: .296/.378/.520, 22 HR, 82 RBIs in 142 games for Cardinals
- In 2007, Rolen hit .285 with 20 HR, 68 RBIs, but shoulder woes persisted
- Traded to Blue Jays in 2008, Rolen posted .285/.361/.509, 24 HR, 83 RBIs
- 2009 with Toronto: .320/.388/.563, NL-leading .320 AVG in 112 games, 27 doubles
- 2010: .243/.320/.390, 19 HR, 71 RBIs in 151 games
- Signed with Reds in 2010 offseason, hit .288/.361/.460 with 20 HR in 2011
- 2012 final season: .227/.338/.409, 11 HR, 40 RBIs in 88 games before retirement
- Career 3162 hits, .281 AVG, 316 HR, 1287 RBIs over 2047 games
- Rolen had 518 doubles lifetime, 5th among 3B
- 1405 walks drawn, .364 career OBP
- 211 stolen bases, peaking at 17 in 1997
- 1996: 92 runs scored in rookie year
- 2004 Cardinals: 109 runs scored in 121 games
- Career triples: 54, including 7 in 1996
- Hit-by-pitch 138 times career, tough in HBP leaderboards
- Sacrifice flies: 65 career
- In 1996, Rolen had 412 total bases as rookie, 2nd in NL
- 100th RBI season 2004, led NL
- Hit for cycle? No, but grand slams 12 career
- 1997: Led Phillies in hits (165), doubles (39)
- Career vs lefties .278/.366/.465
- Home .284/.370/.487 road .278/.358/.472 career splits
- Day games .282 night .280 career
- With RISP .289 career AVG
- 2003: 45 doubles for Cardinals
- Career GIDP 170 grounded into
Regular Season Batting Interpretation
He arrived as a polished rookie with thunderous power and departed as a cagey veteran who compiled 2,077 hits and eight Gold Gloves, a career that screamed Hall of Fame from day one but always whispered about the alternate reality where his shoulder had never betrayed him.
Sources & References
- Reference 1BASEBALL-REFERENCEbaseball-reference.comVisit source
- Reference 2BASEBALL-ALMANACbaseball-almanac.comVisit source
- Reference 3MLBmlb.comVisit source
- Reference 4FANGRAPHSfangraphs.comVisit source
- Reference 5STATHEADstathead.comVisit source
- Reference 6ENen.wikipedia.orgVisit source
- Reference 7BASEBALLHALLbaseballhall.orgVisit source
- Reference 8RETROSHEETretrosheet.orgVisit source