Deep down, Cincinnati fans probably knew this would happen. That doesn’t make it sting any less, though.
Just over three weeks ago, former Reds third baseman Scott Rolen finally got his call-up to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In his sixth year of eligibility, Rolen punched his Cooperstown ticket on Jan. 24 with 297 votes, or 76.3% of the ballots, from eligible members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). For induction, players must receive at least 75% of that year’s vote.
After years of waiting for the nod, Rolen is finally heading for enshrinement alongside legends such as Hank Aaron, Bob Gibson and Ted Williams. He’ll also find good company in former Reds inductees like Johnny Bench, Barry Larkin and Tony Pérez, among others.
But unlike those last few guys, Rolen won’t be wearing a Reds hat.
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On Feb. 17, Rolen announced that he would enter the hall as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals.
“After reflecting on my 17-year career, and conferring with the Hall of Fame, I have decided on a Cardinals logo for my Hall of Fame plaque,” Rolen said in statement provided by the Hall of Fame. “I believe this decision accurately represents a pivotal portion of my career based on our teams’ successes in St. Louis.”
When joining the hall, players may choose to be portrayed in the cap of any team they’ve played for. They also may enter with a blank (teamless) cap.
Rolen joined the Reds in 2009, playing through 2012 at the corner before retiring. While in Cincinnati, Rolen hit his 300th career home run and helped the team win the Central Division – something that Cincinnati hadn’t seen in 15 seasons prior. He also earned one of his eight National League Gold Gloves and was an MLB All Star in 2010 and 2011 (he’d earned the honor five additional times elsewhere) during his time in the Queen City.
Known for his hustle and reliability, Rolen is right up there with third basemen already enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Over his career, he tallied a .490 slugging percentage (fourth-best among third basemen), 517 doubles (fifth), 2023 games (sixth), 316 homers (sixth) and .855 slugging (sixth). Rolen is one of just four third basemen ever to compile at least 2,000 hits, 500 doubles, 300 home runs and 1,200 RBI, and he’s one of just three players at any position to post those stats.
Rolen played a total of 17 years in the majors, nabbing the National League Rookie of the Year award when he came up with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1997. But his going into the Hall of Fame as a Cardinal makes sense, as his most celebrated years happened with that team. Despite a shoulder injury, Rolen and first baseman Albert Pujols regularly were credited with leading the Cardinals’ success during that era, including winning a World Series in 2006.
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“I am grateful to Philadelphia, St. Louis, Toronto and Cincinnati for the opportunities given to me as a player, but more importantly, for how they embraced me and my family. I am truly honored that my plaque will hang among the legends in Cooperstown,” Rolen said.
Rolen will join Ken Griffey Jr. as a popular former Red wearing a different team’s cap in the hall. Griffey, who played 2000-2008 for the Reds, chose in 2016 to be inducted as a Seattle Mariner.
The 47-year-old Rolen was the only former player that BBWAA members elected into the 2023 class. Rolen will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame during a July 23 ceremony alongside Fred McGriff, who played 19 seasons during the 1980s, 19902 and early 2000s and was elected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee in December.
Below, watch the sweet moment when Rolen told his parents that he finally was a Hall of Famer.
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This article appears in Feb 8-21, 2023.