MLB history: The 10 greatest games of Hall of Famer Scott Rolen

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Scott Rolen played for four teams over the course of his 17-season career. Recognized as possibly the best third baseman of his era, he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this month.

Rolen played more than 2,000 regular season games, most of them for either the Philadelphia Phillies or St. Louis Cardinals. He also played for the Reds and Blue Jays. The 1997 Rookie of the Year for Philadelphia, he was a seven-time All-Star and eight-time Gold Glover who hit 316 home runs and finished with a .281 career batting average.

He made five postseason appearances, helping the St. Louis Cardinals to the 2004 and 2006 pennants. In the 2006 World Series, Rolen batted .421 as St. Louis defeated the Detroit Tigers in five games.

This is a look back at the 10 most exceptional games of this newly minted Hall of Fame standout.

Our standard of measurement for regular season games is Win Probability Added. That calculates the individual’s role in influencing the game’s outcome.

MLB history: Here are the 10 greatest games in the career of Scott Rolen.

10. May 13, 1997. Phillies 3, Cardinals 2. Rolen was less than 100 games into his career when he first put his personal stamp on a game. At Veterans Stadium, the visiting Cardinals led 2-0 entering the eighth inning despite Rolen’s single and walk in three plate appearances.

With Lance Painter taking over for Andy Benes starting the bottom of the eighth, Gregg Jefferies drew a base on balls and reached second on a passed ball. Mickey Morandini also walked, putting the tying runs on base for Rolen.

At this point, Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa had seen enough of the left-handed Painter; he called on T.J. Mathews to face Rolen. The rookie worked the count full, then slapped a hard grounder up the right field line that rattled around in the corner until Jefferies and Morandini scored the tying runs, Rolen advancing to third with a triple. He scored seconds later on Ruben Amaro Jr.’s infield tap, and the Phillies held on to win. Win Probability Added: +0.512.

16 Apr 2000: Scott Rolen #17 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits the ball during the game against the Montreal Expos at the Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Expos 5-4. /

9. May 24, 1998, Expos 5, Phillies 4. At Stade Olympique, Rolen was a frustrating 0-for-3 and his Phillies trailed 3-1 entering the eighth inning. After Expos starter Carlos Perez retired the first two batters, Doug Glanville beat out an infield single to third and Gregg Jefferies beat out another infield hit to short.

That gave Rolen a chance for redemption, and he seized it. The first pitch from Perez sailed into the crowd down the left field line for a three-run home run that put the Phillies ahead 4-3. They were unable to hold that lead, though, Montreal scoring twice in the bottom of the eighth for the victory. Win Probability Added: +0.528.

8. April 10, 2002, Phillies 7, Braves 5. Rolen’s first-inning RBI double offset the visiting Braves’ first-inning run, but Atlanta still led 5-4 when he came up again with two out in the bottom of the ninth. Standing in against John Smoltz as Philadelphia’s last hope, Rolen looked for a first-pitch fastball, got it and smoked it into the left field seats at Veterans Stadium.

The Phillies would go on to win the game on Pat Burrell’s two-run 11th-inning home run off Kerry Ligtenberg, but Burrell would not have gotten the chance to be a hero had Rolen not come through first. Win Probability Added; +0.542

7. Sept. 20, 2000, Pirates 7, Phillies 6. Both teams were playing out the string when they met this evening at Veterans Stadium. Rolen was a force in defeat, doubling home a first-inning run off Kris Benson and taking Benson deep in the sixth to tie the game 2-2.

The Phillies trailed 7-4 when Bobby Abreu started a one-out 10th-inning rally with a base on balls. After Abreu stole second, Rolen’s third hit advanced him to third, where Abreu was able to score on a passed ball. Rolen scored seconds later on a Pat Burrell single to make it a one-run game.

But that was as close as Philadelphia could get, a double play grounder ending the game in Pittsburgh’s favor. Win Probability Added: +0.544.

Scott Rolen #17, Third baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies prepares to bat during the Major League Baseball National League East game against the Chicago Cubs on 25 June 1999 at Wrigley Field, Chicago, United States. Phillies won the game 3 – 2. (Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images) /

6. August 28, 1998, Phillies 4, Giants 3. The Giants, caught up in a race with Chicago and New York for the Wild Card spot, hosted the Phillies in an afternoon game at 3Com Park. Rolen’s first-inning single did no lasting damage, but, in the top of the eighth he stood in against John Johnstone with teammates at first and second while trailing 1-0. Rolen made it count. A fluky infield double allowed both runners to score and put the Phillies ahead 2-1. The next batter, Rico Brogna, singled Rolen home with a third run.

But the Giants fought back to send the game into extra innings. Rolen was the first batter in the 10th and, this time, he laced a legitimate two-base hit into the left-center field gap. Brogna’s ground out advanced Rolen to third, and when Charlie Hayes misplayed Mark Lewis’ weak grounder to third, Rolen scored the eventual winning run. Win Probability Added: +0.555.

5. June 1, 2002, Phillies 8, Expos 4. Rolen needed only two swings to personally polish off the Expos at Veterans Stadium. His first swing came in the sixth inning of what at the time was a 2-0 shutout being tossed by Expos starter Tony Armas. After Jimmy Rollins singled, Rolen ended the shutout with a blast into the left field seats for a game-tying home run.

One inning later, Rolen came up again, now with Travis Lee and Marlon Anderson on the bases. Still facing Armas, his second home run again sailed into the left field patrons, putting the Phillies decisively in front 5-2. Win Probability Added: +0.573.

4. Sept. 27, 1997, Phillies 8, Marlins 7. It was the final Saturday of the regular season, a postseason tuneup for the Marlins against the NL East’s last-place team. Rolen made it a game to remember.

The Phils held a narrow 4-3 lead when Rolen took Kurt Miller deep for a two-run fifth inning home run. However, the champion-to-be Marlins fought back and, entering the bottom of the ninth, the two teams were tied 7-7.

Kevin Jordan popped out to begin the ninth, bringing up Rolen. With a 2-2 count, he leveled a Rob Stanifer pitch into the left field seats for a game-winner. Win Probability Added: +0.580.

OAKLAND, CA – JUNE 16: Scott Rolen of the St. Louis Cardinals bats during the game against the Oakland Athletics at the McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, California on June 16, 2007. The Cardinals defeated the Athletics 15-6. (Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

3. April 17, 2005, Cardinals 3, Brewers 2. Rolen’s Cardinals were at Miller Park trailing the Brewers 2-0 when Rolen’s fourth-inning single scored Albert Pujols. Two innings later, with Pujols at first, Rolen lined a double over the head of center fielder Brady Clark, allowing Pujols to score the tying run on Clark’s throwing error.

The game remained tied into the ninth, by which time Mike Adams had taken over as Milwaukee’s pitcher. After Pujols was retired on a fly ball to the center field track, Rolen took a first pitch ball and then turned on a fastball, sending it into the left field seats.

When Jason isringhausen held Milwaukee scoreless in the bottom of the ninth, St. Louis had a 3-2 victory, Rolen having been responsible for all three runs. Win Probability Added: +0.634.

2. June 16, 2009, Blue Jays 8, Phillies 3. Having come to Toronto in a 2008 trade, Rolen twice delivered against his old team at Citizens Bank Park. The Jays trailed 3-2 entering the ninth inning when Rolen followed Vernon Wells’ base hit with one of his own. That hit led to the tying run on a Lyle Overbay one-out walk, and sent the game into extra innings.

In the 10th, Rolen struck the coup de grace, a line single that scored Wells with the go-ahead run. A double, two more walks and a sacrifice fly later, the Jays had produced a five-run inning to wrap up the 8-3 come-from-behind victory. Win Probability Added: +0.636.

1. May 23, 2003, Cardinals 10, Pirates 8. In his first full season with the Cardinals following his midseason trade one year earlier, Rolen had done nothing through seven innings of a game the Cardinals trailed 7-2. Finally in the eighth, his base hit advanced Albert Pujols, who had previously singled, and Tino Martinez made both hits count with a three-run home run.

But Martinez’s home run only brought the Cardinals within two runs, and with just one inning remaining. There were two out with Pujols and Fernando Vina on base when Rolen came up as his team’s last hope. It was a case of hope fulfilled as he launched a three-run home run into the right field seats for an 8-7 lead. Win Probability Added: +0.647.

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