Why Phillies fans should — and shouldn't — forgive Scott Rolen

Rarely does a team's Wall of Fame induction invite controversy, but such is the case for the Philadelphia Phillies, who are inducting Hall of Fame third baseman Scott Rolen into their Wall of Fame on Friday night. 

It's been over 20 years since Rolen played his last game as a Phillie, and it's safe to say that he won't be welcomed back with entirely open arms. Philadelphia fans are torn on his legacy, and the reasons why are debated below.

The case for forgiveness

When Rolen was called up to the Phillies in 1996, he was heralded as a can't-miss prospect, following in the footsteps of Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt as the franchise's next cornerstone. He was voted National League Rookie of the Year in 1997 and won three Gold Gloves in his seven seasons with the Phillies. Much like Schmidt, Rolen caught everything that was hit to him.

The Phillies didn't do much to build a team around him, however. Philadelphia's reluctance to pursue big-name players was reflected by a largely mediocre on-field performance. Rolen also clashed with his manager, former Phillies shortstop Larry Bowa, whom Rolen felt was too much of a taskmaster.

Worst of all, Philadelphia was playing its final seasons at Veterans Stadium, a football stadium masquerading as a baseball park. Over 33 seasons at "The Vet," players were ravaged by the artificial playing surface that can best be described as painted concrete. A recent report by the Philadelphia Inquirer seemingly implied that the chemicals used in the turf could be linked to an aggressive form of brain cancer that claimed the lives of six former Phillies.

Given these circumstances, it's easy to understand why Rolen finally had enough. Midway through the 2002 season, the Phillies traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals, where he enjoyed six successful seasons and a World Series win in 2006. 

Rolen was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame this past summer, and it's only fitting that the Phillies award him with their highest honor. After 21 years, it's time for Philadelphia to bury the hatchet.

The case against forgiveness

In retrospect, it seems as though Rolen could have stuck it out. The Phillies only played one more season at "The Vet" before Citizens Bank Park — a ballpark with real grass — opened in 2004. Over the course of the decade, Philadelphia bolstered its infield with shortstop Jimmy Rollins, second baseman Chase Utley and first baseman Ryan Howard. Player-friendly manager Charlie Manuel led the Phillies to a World Series win in 2008. 

Even during the team's greatest years, however, third base was the weak spot in the lineup. Who knows how many more championships the Phils could have won with a steady third baseman like Rolen?

The mentality of the Phillies front office eventually changed. The team finally doled out more money, and Rolen surely would have gotten a big payday. He would have outlasted his two nemeses, Larry Bowa and Veterans Stadium, as well, and could have etched his name in Phillies history much like Schmidt. 

Instead, he took the selfish route and skipped town when the going was tough. Now the fans are supposed to act like nothing ever happened and give him a hero's welcome as a Wall of Famer? Forget the fact that he's enshrined in Cooperstown. The Phillies should have read the room. Old grudges die hard. Boo away, Phillies fans.