After fielding some phone calls and e-mails, I don't mind telling everyone that I didn't like the trade of Scott Rolen to the St. Louis Cardinals.
At the beginning of this season, I was of the impression that this team would contend, but it could not do so without Rolen in the lineup, even if it meant that he walked away at the end of the year and the club got no compensation.
One of the realities that began to sink in a few weeks ago was that this campaign would be similar to 2000. It began with high expectations based on the previous year's finish and never measured up.
Rolen was unhappy in Philadelphia for legitimate reasons, and his state of mind affected his play during some slumps, but the third baseman was the best player that this team has seen in years. I thought that a pennant race would help him put the distractions out of his mind and that his output would mirror his career numbers.
There's no way to tell if this scenario would have played out. A division race never unfolded, and it became obvious that the team began to plan for next season. It was just a matter of where Rolen would go. I don't think the Phillies got anywhere near fair value for him, but the trading deadline forced general manager Ed Wade to accept the best deal on the table.
Some fans have been screaming for the team to trade Rolen for more than two years, based on the phone calls that I had been receiving. When fans are unhappy, it seems like the loudest ones think that trading the best player on the team is the solution. I still haven't figured out that one.
I remember being at Veterans Stadium on the night of July 31, 1996. During a long rain delay, then-general manager Lee Thomas announced that popular pitcher Terry Mulholland had been dealt to the Seattle Mariners for Triple-A shortstop Desi Relaford. It was also announced that the Phillies had purchased Rolen's contract from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. I thought that the move was premature.
The infielder began the 1996 season at Double-A Reading and was promoted to the Red Barons in June. I never thought that 45 games at the Triple-A level was enough seasoning, and I was of the impression that Rolen would struggle when forced to face major-league pitchers. A .252 batting average in 1996 with four home runs and 18 RBI seemed to support my thinking. His Rookie-of-the-Year season in 1997 made me realize that it was best to leave personnel decisions to those who knew baseball talent.
To those who had clamored for a trade, let me run this one out there. Including the poor numbers in 1996, which included just 37 games due to an injury, Rolen still completed six full seasons in Philadelphia and averaged 25 homers, 93 RBI and a .282 average. Somehow, I just don't think that Placido Polanco, who arrived in the Quaker City with 15 career homers and 134 RBI over five years, is an improvement.
Defensively, Rolen is the best third baseman in baseball, bar none. Some experts say that he is better than Phillies Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, and some even think that Rolen might be better than Baltimore Orioles great Brooks Robinson, who is considered the best of all time.
The Phillies are still reeling from the last time they unloaded a franchise player — pitcher Curt Schilling. Since first baseman Travis Lee has long been rumored to be on the trading block, the only other player left from that deal is Vicente Padilla. The pitcher is having a tremendous season, but he will have to pass the test of time and post similar numbers for several years before we can compare him to Schilling.
Likewise, it may be years before the Phils recover from the Rolen trade.
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