Is Glaus really 0-25 against the Cubs in 2008? Really?
Overall, the Cards have made out like bandits in the deal. Glaus has an OPS over .100 points higher than Rolen. You could also make the argument that he has been better defensively this year as well.
I consistently laughed at the idiots who called Rolen the best defensive 3rd baseman of all time. That's nothing short of a slap in the face to Brooks Robinson.
Who?
Rolen when he was healthy and playing everyday really was probobly the best defensive position player I have ever seen.
bump for Troy's fabulous 2 HR 5 RBI game today
21 homers 79 RBIs on the year for Mr Glaus btw.
No doubt Rolen is the best 3rd baseman of this era.
But that only tells me that you never saw Brooks. The man made plays down the line that Rolen simply was not capable of making (and he was every bit as good on the routine plays as well).
He and Belanger may have been the best left side of the IF ever from a defensive standpoint - and that's not hyperbole.
Bob Gibson still says to this day that
Rolen > Brooks Robinson.
Even after the trade.
I don't know about that.The man made plays down the line that Rolen simply was not capable of making
Rolen could get to about every ball hit to him. Dude was a freaking vacuum.
And plenty of others (that weren't lifelong Cardinals) - including Willie Mays - say Brooks is the best defensive player ever.
Defensive stats aren't always a great way of comparing players, but that said...
Brooks did consistently post higher fielding percentages than Rolen. From 1998-2008, Rolen has posted 5 seasons of a .970 FP or higher. Between 1960-1975, Robinson only had 4 years of less than a .970 FP.
and his range factor blows Rolen's away - this is a large enough discrepancy that the numbers do become statistically significant. Brooks' range was - and is - unmatched. He actually was capable of playing SS or 2B for short stretches.
The best defensive statistic for comparison is the totalzone stat used in the fielding bible. Brooks has a +269. This blows away his compe ion as the next closest is Buddy Bell at +135. Rolen is currently at +89. Now, this a ulative stat, so he still has a good chance at catching Bell (although the number will actually start losing points in his later years when his range drops). But he won't get anywhere near Brooks.
Once again, defensive stats don't always tell the whole picture. But basically, any evidence available to us shows Brooks to be the superior (no, that word is not strong enough - the SUPREME) third baseman. The only evidence that backs Rolen is that "I am a Bluejays/Cardinals/Phillies fan" or "I only talk about players from the modern era."
Brooks Robinson is in the Hall of Fame because he was the premier defensive player of his era while posting offensive numbers that were pretty good for teams that won consistently.
Scott Rolen won't sniff the Hall of Fame.
Rolen has the same amount of HRs (268) and a better BA by around 15 points and around 80 more stolen bases in 10 less years. No Rolen wont sniff the Hall, but you know what 3B will?....Chipper Jones!
Brooks was bit of an overrated offensive player (although their offensive differences become lessened when you take into account that Brooks played during a tremendous pitchers' era - and in a tremendous pitchers' park - while Rolen has enjoyed the greatest hitters' era of all time). He did have about a 10 year stretch where he was the premier offensive 3rd baseman in the AL, but his career numbers are offset by the fact that his bad offensive years were terrible.
Of modern third basemen, I think Jones is in and that's probably it for a while (I still consider A-Rod a SS).
Santo definitely deserves to be in as well. He was the best 3rd baseman in the NL for almost a decade (between Eddie Mathews and Mike Schmidt). I don't care about his numbers (which are impressive in their own right) - that alone should get him in.
Mike Schmidt and Lefty Carlton are my two favorite baseball players of all-time.
Update
Highest fielding percentage and lowest errors for a third baseman in Major League Baseball?
Troy Glaus
Trust me I'm shocked, hes better defensively than I thought he would be.
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