Momentum picked up in his second year on the ballot, but the jury is still out on Scott Rolen's Baseball Hall of Fame candidacy.

In 2019, his voting percentage jumped from 10.2% to 17.2% – a significant increase that provides some promise with eight more years on the ballot.

Rolen was a top-tier third baseman during his 17-year major league career that began in Philadelphia in 1996.

He was two-way player – a defensive wizard with respectable offensive credentials. On defense – both by traditional statistics and advanced measurement – he was one of the best third basemen of his generation, winning eight Gold Gloves. Offensively, his home run (316) and RBI (1,287) totals rank in the top 15 all time among third basemen.

A second round pick by the Phillies in 1993, he made an immediate impact when he reached the majors, unanimously winning the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1997. The following season, he established himself as a legitimate star with a .290/.391/.532 slash line, 31 home runs and 110 RBI, earning his first Gold Glove.

The seven-time All-Star went on to play for the St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays and Cincinnati Reds before injuries took a toll and he retired in 2012.

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Case for

Rolen was a seven-time All-Star, a Silver Slugger and an eight-time Gold Glove winner at third base. Among third basemen, only Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson (16) and Mike Schmidt (10) have more Gold Gloves than Rolen.

By advanced metrics, Rolen has the ninth best WAR (70.2, Wins Above Replacement) among third basemen in the history of the game. Seven of the eight players with a higher WAR are already enshrined in Cooperstown. Adrian Beltre, a sure-bet Hall of Famer, is not eligible until 2024.

And for comparison with Ron Santo, who was voted in by the Veterans Committee in 2012:

Offensively

Santo: .277/.362/.464, 342 home runs, 1,331 RBI, 70.5 WAR

Rolen: .281/.366/.490, 316 home runs, 1,287 RBI, 70.2 WAR

Accolades

Santo: five Gold Gloves, nine All-Star appearances

Rolen: eight Gold Gloves, seven All-Star appearances

Case against

Rolen played in era when offensive numbers were inflated. And while he does have good rate statistics, his overall traditional numbers never measured up to his counterparts like Chipper Jones and Vinny Castilla. Injuries hampered his career stats. He played 150 games five times, but never after the 2003 season.

Offensively, Rolen never led the majors in any major statistical category. In 2004, he did finish second in the NL with 124 RBI, but that came in the best offensive season of his career.

Over parts of 17 seasons, Rolen collected 2,077 hits. No position player has been elected with fewer than that total since Johnny Bench in 1989 – and he's considered one of the greatest catchers all time.

X-factors

When analyzing a player's Hall of Fame credentials, voters tend to look at their peak years. For Rolen, his eight-year span from 1997-2004 were dominant. During those years, he collected a WAR of 46.3, which was third best among hitters behind Barry Bonds (71.2) and Alex Rodriguez (62.4), but both who have been linked to performance-enhancing drugs.

Much of his WAR can be attributed to his defense, but he also hit 222 home runs and drove in 813 RBI during that span.

Rolen is also one of the best third basemen in Cardinals history and was inducted into their Hall of Fame this past summer. He was an integral part of the club that won it all in 2006, batting .421 with a 1.213 OPS in the World Series.

Consensus

Ballot tracking by Ryan Thibodaux puts Rolen at 50.7% in early ballot reveals, which puts him good position for the future. While it is unlikely that he gets in this year, the once-crowded ballot is now getting thinner, making his chances better with eight more years on the ballot.