While Scott Rolen is still in the "honeymoon" stage with the Reds, I will be evaluating him on a 40-game season.
His hitting is better than average, which should be expected for a .284 lifetime hitter. He didn't exhibit the power that I was so hopeful he would. Three home runs in a quarter of the season make it elementary enough to do the math; 12 home runs would not cut it for a corner infielder. He had a decent OBP as well at .364.
With the leather, we saw precisely what everyone in baseball has been accustomed to witnessing. He played error-free ball while with the Reds, as well as making a few very nice gems.
Rolen is a good presence in the clubhouse and an intangible source of guidance to this squad. He is in the twilight of his career, so hopefully he will have a few good years left and will be able to hang up the spikes while still close to home (Jasper, IN).
He is an asset to an infield that is one shortstop away from being comparable to any other team. We had to mortgage the house in order to find room on the payroll to welcome him to the Queen City. We gave up on a couple pitchers with possible stars on their horizon.
A good solid job for a brief stint. His final mark for 2009 is a B+.
Next up: Jonny Gomes
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