Phil Watch: He Doesn't Watch Baseball. He Only Writes About It

Phil's back!

And apparently he stopped watching baseball in 2004.

In an effort to write something - anything - in a slow baseball news month, we are offered this little ditty about the Scott Rolen/Troy Glaus trade.

Advantage, Toronto Blue Jays.

On the surface, Scott Rolen and Troy Glaus are very similar players, with Glaus' numbers supporting his end of the argument.

He's 31, Rolen is 32. He hit .262 with 20 homers and on-base/slugging numbers of .366/.473 last season, while Rolen hit .265 with eight homers and an alarming .331/.398 combination. Their career highs show Glaus at .284-47-102 and Rolen at .314-34-124.

Similar? Well, they're both third basemen.

And Rolen will be 33 when the season starts. According to the law of diminishing baseball returns, kinda relevant.

Phil's beginning to quote OBP and SLG. That's a good sign. Maybe he'll apply these to a current Cubs shortstop that is rather brutal w/r/t such things.

BTW, wouldn't totals from the last three years be a better barometer, at least to lay a foundation, especially when the title of the article identifies Rolen as an 'elite player'?

Rolen's three-year averages: .274/.347/.452. That's an OPS of .799, good for 83rd in the league last year, just above Randy Winn.

Other Rolen three-year averages: 12 homers, 60 rbi, 28 dbls; numbers remarkably similar to the three year averages of...you guessed it...Randy Winn.

I may not know much in this life, but I know one thing. Randy Winn is not an elite player.

When labeling someone an elite player, how he performs in the last three years are, in fact, relevant, injuries or not.

Rolen is one of the best ballplayers in the major leagues and Glaus is a streaky hitter capable of carrying his team for a month every season. Rolen was a foundation player with his teams in Philadelphia and St. Louis; Glaus, who at the time faced major issues with his back, wasn't offered a chance to stay in Anaheim after 2004, when he reached free agency, and now Arizona and Toronto have traded him in a two-year stretch.

How does one mention Glaus' injury issues and not bring up Rolen's?

I'm an Angels fan. Glaus nearly singlehandedly won the 2002 World Series with numbers like these.

But now? Not so good. Never a good fielder. And quite juicy.

So he's kinda bad/kinda risky with potential upside.

Two of the last three years Rolen played in St. Louis were the definition of 'injury-plagued'. At one time, I was expecting leprosy to enter the picture.

Rolen as Foundation Player? So was Brady Anderson at one point and time.

He (Glaus) will be with his fourth team in five years, moving this time after a mention in the Mitchell report (receiving steroids through the mail in 2003-04), and is only two years away from free agency. Rolen, signed for three more years, provided the kind of stability that any franchise needs...

Rolen will retain his full no-trade clause and is owed $11M/year over the next three years.

With his performance over the last three years, he's, by even the most basic of definitions, kind of a risk.

And he's coming off major shoulder surgery. Not even a mention?

Rolen believes the surgically repaired left shoulder that was the center of many of his clashes with La Russa will be fine this season.

There it is.

But HE says it will be fine. Well fuck, let's play ball!!!

Rolen couldn't have been more engaging when he met with reporters in Toronto after the trade. His acquisition already had been a big hit with the Blue Jays' players, especially a pitching staff that should allow dozens fewer runs with the seven-time Gold Glove winner at third base.

Let's say 'dozens' is about five dozen. That's sixty runs a year saved by Rolen according to Phil.

And that's bullshit. A really good fielder, according to most experts, saved about 3-5 runs a month, totaling 18-30 a year.

Rolen has clashed with La Russa and Larry Bowa,both of whom have had their problems with other players, but receives ringing endorsements from two of the other managers he had in Philadelphia.

One thing I know. Assholes usually don't get along with other assholes. There's just too much assholishness getting in the way.

With Frank Thomas, David Eckstein and Rolen, the Blue Jays have upgraded three of the nine spots in their batting order the last two years.

And a lineup most apt to pull all their hamstrings and have their arms fall off on one play in unison.

I forgot Phil was a David Eckstein lover. This year could be fun.

And don't forget, Rolen, like Eckstein, are white.

Andruw Jones, a player with the same Gold Glove résumé as Rolen and three year averages far exceeding Rolen's just signed with the Dodgers for nearly the same annual dollars and one less contract year.

Andruw Jones? Not so white.

I am in no way calling Phil a racist. That would be irresponsible cherry-picking. I don't know him. Plus, I don't think he is from everything I've read.

But it does bring this to mind: