Phillies trade All-Star Rolen to Cardinals

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Posted 8:09AM on Tuesday, July 30, 2002

PHILADELPHIA - Scott Rolen probably won't hear boos for a while - until he returns to Philadelphia next month. The disgruntled third baseman was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in a five-player deal Monday, ending a seven-year stay with the Phillies that ended miserably. Philadelphia gets third baseman Placido Polanco, pitcher Bud Smith and reliever Mike Timlin for the three-time Gold Glove winner, minor league pitcher Doug Nickle and cash. The 27-year-old Rolen is expected to join the Cardinals for Tuesday night's game at Florida. He becomes part of a powerful lineup that already features Jim Edmonds, Albert Pujols and J.D. Drew. ``It may be the best place to play in the game,'' Rolen said. ``And it's the place I always dreamed of playing.'' Rolen returns to Veterans Stadium for a three-game series starting Aug. 16. He figures to be more unpopular than Drew, who once had batteries thrown at him because he spurned the Phillies after they drafted him in 1998. ``It's bittersweet to lose Scott,'' Phillies general manager Ed Wade said. Rolen, a first-time All-Star team this season, is batting .259 with 17 homers and 66 RBIs. He leaves a last-place team for the leader of the NL Central. ``He is an All-Star, a proven run producer and an excellent defensive player,'' Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty said. Rolen rejected a contract extension last November that could have been worth up to $140 million over 10 years. He signed an $8.6 million, one-year deal in January, but wanted to become a free agent after this season. The Phillies risked losing him for two picks in next June's amateur draft. ``I regret the outcome,'' Wade said. ``We were very serious about the offer we made.'' Rolen did not sign an extension with the Cardinals, so he remains eligible for free agency. In the last five years, the Cardinals traded for potential free agents Edmonds and Mark McGwire and persuaded them to stay in St. Louis. Rolen was the NL Rookie of the Year in 1997 and averaged 26 homers and 95 RBIs in his first five seasons. In his last two seasons, he clashed with manager Larry Bowa and became a target for fans. The low point came in June when an unidentified teammate allegedly called Rolen a clubhouse ``cancer.'' The booing increased this season as Rolen's average dipped. After hitting his second homer of the game in an 8-4 win over Montreal on June 1, Rolen wouldn't leave the dugout for a curtain call. ``Maybe we're even,'' he said. Rolen considered a long-term contract with the Phillies before the 2001 season. But he wanted the team to make a commitment to winning. Rolen figured a higher payroll would be a step in that direction. He wanted a clause in his contract that guaranteed Philadelphia among the top teams in that department. Rolen had words with Bowa after the manager criticized his offensive production. He was also stung by comments from Dallas Green, senior adviser to Wade. Rolen and Bowa argued on the field in February and did not speak to each other for a while before the season. ``I don't think we did anything to necessarily make the player unhappy,'' Wade said. ``We're always trying to do things the right way.'' The deal was Wade's biggest since he traded Curt Schilling to Arizona. Polanco, 26, is hitting .284 with five homers and 27 RBIs. He batted .307 last season and .316 in his first full year, in 2000. Wade said he'll play third base and bat second. Smith, who pitched a no-hitter in his rookie season last year, was sent to Triple-A Memphis on July 20 after going 1-5 with a 6.94 ERA in 11 appearances. The 22-year-old left-hander was 6-3 with a 3.83 ERA in 16 games last year and will report to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre. Timlin is 1-3 with a 2.51 ERA in 42 appearances and is holding righties to a .197 average. The 36-year-old right-hander is in the final year of a contract paying him $5.25 million this season. Nickle, 27, was 3-5 with a 2.97 ERA and seven saves in 34 games at Scranton this season. He appeared in four games for the Phillies this season and has made 10 major league appearances. The right-hander went 9-3 with seven saves and a 1.68 ERA at Scranton last season. He was assigned to Triple-A Memphis.