The team of brotherly angst

Sporting News, The, March 4, 2002 by Ken Rosenthal

The Phillies are the eternal nerds, trying to prove they're with it. Scott Rolen is the coolest kid in class, refusing to even nod their way. Both sides need to grow up before they ruin a perfectly promising season. They might have ruined it already.

The Phillies, suffering from low payroll and lower self-esteem, need to recognize that life will go on without Rolen, a Gold Glove third baseman who is a free agent after this season.

Rolen, full of distrust, needs to develop the thickest possible skin, for he likely will be booed by America's most volatile fans and be baited by baseball's most volatile manager.

With Rolen almost certain to depart, it no longer matters who is right and who is wrong. The Phillies can't trade Rolen unless they fall out of contention. The sniping that turned the team's first week of spring training into a South Philly street brawl must end.

Is this really so difficult? The Mariners made the playoffs two years ago knowing they might lose Alex Rodriguez, and they became even stronger after he left. The A's made the playoffs with Jason Giambi in similar limbo last season, and they again figure to contend now that Giambi is gone.

The difference with Rolen is that his relationship with the Phillies is contentious. Most teams prefer to keep their contract negotiations private, or at least civil. The Phillies let it be known that they were prepared to offer Rolen 10 years and $140 million last spring, and that's when the trouble began.

Rolen balked, insisting on an escape clause tied to the team's payroll. The Phillies unsuccessfully tried to trade him at the winter meetings ("We'll show you, Scotty"). Rolen then questioned the team's commitment to winning at the start of spring training, and the club responded by signing outfielder Bobby Abreu to a five-year, $64 million contract ("Commitment? How's that for commitment?").

The Phillies, haunted by their past stinginess, are fighting a huge image problem--they ranked 14th among the 16 N.L. teams in home attendance last season. Many fans don't want to hear that a team playing in the sixth-largest market ranked in the bottom 10 in revenue. Neither does Rolen.

Those who view the glass as half full interpret the Phillies' willingness to pay Rolen $140 million and signing of Abreu to a club-record contract as proof that the team is changing its approach with a new ballpark set to open in 2004.

Those who view the glass as half empty (step right up, Scott) point out that the Phillies added only starting pitcher Terry Adams and outfielder Ricky Ledee this offseason while their principal division rivals, the Mets and Braves, loaded up with star players.

Both arguments hold merit, but the Phillies need to stop worrying so much about public perception and stop overreacting. They've done an admirable job developing major league talent, and their farm system remains deep in pitchers, outfielders and shortstops.

Why offer Rolen 10 years and more guaranteed money than Giambi when the third baseman has a history of back trouble? Why give Abreu twice as much as the A's guaranteed over three years to Jermaine Dye, a comparable right fielder who was one year closer to free agency?

If Rolen walks, so be it. He'll be difficult to replace, and the Phillies also could use a better offensive player than Travis Lee at first. But management could find quality replacements if it is willing to spend--and, once and for all, prove Rolen wrong.

In the meantime, there's a season to play, and the potential for distraction is enormous. Rolen is a notoriously slow starter--he hit .205 last April. The Phillies could slump in May when they play 16 straight games against three likely contenders--the Astros, Mets and Diamondbacks. Under either scenario, Rolen could become a target of intense criticism. Heck, the Philadelphia faithful probably would boo him even if he took the $140 million.

Rolen seethed last season when manager Larry Bowa was quoted as saying the "middle of the lineup is killing us." Bowa is vowing restraint this season, but he can't help himself. He's fiery and spontaneous, unable to hide his emotions. It's possible he would tweak Rolen even if the Phillies were in first place. "Are we good enough for Scott yet?" Bowa might ask. "Are we making enough of a commitment?"

"In a perfect world, there will be no distractions," Rolen says. "Everyone will put their uniforms on, do the best they can and have a great year. In reality, there are some things that have happened. If there are distractions--and I'm sure there will be--I'm going to handle them as professionally as I can."

This isn't about money. Rolen fully recognizes that he might not command $140 million as a free agent next offseason. He also recognizes that he might have overstepped his bounds in demanding a payroll commitment. The Phillies understandably don't want to put themselves in a position where one player effectively is telling them how to run the franchise.

The Phillies' payroll will rise about 25 percent this season to $60 million.