MLB GM makes the case for Scott Rolen's Cooperstown enshrinement - "He was a very good offensive player, he was a great defender"

Scott Rolen, who stands at 6'4" and weighs 245 pounds, has the frame of an NFL linebacker yet moved like a third baseman. His defensive skills earned him eight Gold Glove Awards, putting him fourth among the third basemen in Major League Baseball history.

Rolen is a clear choice based on advanced measures, most notably WAR (Wins Above Replacement). His 70.1 career WAR ranks ninth among all third basemen in the annals of the game.

Despite having such an impressive background, Rolen only received 43 out of 422 votes (10.2%) in 2018, the year he first became eligible for the Hall of Fame.

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"He was a very good offensive player, he was a great defender" - Steve Phillips

"'If everybody else thinks that he's a Hall of Famer, then I need to look at it a little bit closer.' Steve Phillips speaks on why he had to re-examine Scott Rolen's Hall of Fame candidacy." - MLBNetworkRadio

The former Mets manager seemed a bit skeptical at first about the voters' choice of Scott Rolen to make an entry into the Hall of Fame. But Steve couldn't deny the fact that Rolen was a complete all-rounder in the Major League and always gave it his all in every game.

Steve Phillips surely avoided the loss that the Mets faced in the 2006 NLCS at the hands of the eventual champions, the Cardinals. However, he still knows what a paramount role Rolen played for the Cardinals that season, which saw them lift the World Series title for the third time in franchise history.

Scott Rolen is leading the charge in the Ballots

Scott Rolen's popularity has increased in recent years, reaching 17.2% in 2019, 35.3% in 2020, 52.9% in 2021, and 63.2% in 2022. He is a contender on the 24-player ballot with the highest likelihood of being elected to the Hall of Fame this year after receiving the most returned votes.

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"Post's writers vote just one into Baseball Hall of Fame" - nypost

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"Is Scott Rolen a HOFer? 2,077 hits, 316 HRs, 70 WAR, 122 OPS+ & the top shelf defense." - uniformcritic

The short pitch for Rolen to become an eligible candidate for Cooperstown is rather straightforward. He excelled in the field at third base and was a well-above-average hitter with considerable power. A career OPS+ of 122 (22% over league average), 316 home runs, and eight Gold Gloves support the statement.

Rolen holds more Gold Gloves in the hot corner than Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt, Brooks Robinson, and the still-active Nolan Arenado.

About the author

Karan has been a baseball sports betting expert, analyst and content strategist at Sportskeeda since 2022. He holds a Master's degree in Sports Management from Virginia Commonwealth University, and worked with the VCU Rams baseball team as a trackman analyst. He started following the sport at 18, watching postseason on television.

Karan is a fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers owing to their successful history in the sport, and their consistent performances at the highest level. He admires Mookie Betts’ on-field defensive and offensive prowess, along with his off-field charitable exploits, while Bruce Bochy is his favorite coach.

The Mets’ miraculous rally from a two-run deficit in the 1986 World Series Game 6 in the bottom of the 10th inning despite being two outs and two strikes down is his all-time favorite baseball moment.

Karan’s strengths are player profiling and technical deep dives, for which he always refers to reliable sources such as the social media handles of the best MLB analysts.

When not strategizing, he likes to read, listen to music, go for a run, and watch sit-coms.

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Edited by Nicolaas Ackermann