SCOTT ROLEN SPEECH

Commissioner John “Stray” Corrado’s Introduction Speech for Scott Rolen

Born 4/04/1975 in Evansville, IN

Played 17 seasons (1997-2013)

Teams: New Jersey Cardinals (1997), Staunton Cheap Seats (1998–1999), Tempe Tempers (2000–2001), Fire Lake Dragons (2002–2003), Los Angeles Riots (2004–2007), Sacramento Capitals (2008–2010), Long Beach Dirt Bags (2011–2013), and New York Outlaws (2013).

Career Stats: 2078 Games, 8,198 AB, .279 Avg., .368 OBP, .492 SLG, .860 OPS, 1966 Hits, 1280 Runs, 303 HR, 1223 RBI, 526 Doubles, 3497 TB, 883 BB, 1347 K, 93 SB, .973 Fielding %, 3024 Assists, 1085 PO, 282 DP

Awards: N.L. Rookie of the Year (1998) · 4X Gold Glove Award Winner · 5 Time All-Star

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, owners, managers, Hall of Famers, and every proud MWBL soul who understands that greatness is built over time.

Tonight, we are here to honor a player whose career did not rely on one hot summer, one lucky run, or one unforgettable headline. We are here to honor a player who built his case year after year, swing after swing, throw after throw, until the numbers became undeniable and the reputation became permanent.

Tonight, we welcome Scott Rolen into the Mid-West Baseball League Hall of Fame.

Scott enters as a member of the 2026 class, elected by the Veterans Committee with 77.78 percent of the vote. And when you study the career, it is easy to understand why.

Over 17 MWBL seasons, from 1997 through 2013, Scott Rolen gave this league a complete player in every sense of the word. He was not simply a dangerous bat. He was not simply a gifted glove. He was the kind of third baseman who could change a game from both sides of the ball and do it so often that the extraordinary began to look routine.

His career line tells a beautiful baseball story: a .279 batting average, a .368 on-base percentage, a .492 slugging percentage, and a stout .860 OPS. He played 2,078 games, collected 1,986 hits, scored 1,280 runs, drove in 1,223, ripped 526 doubles, and launched 303 home runs. That is not a short burst of excellence. That is a career with weight.

And then there was the glove. At third base, Scott Rolen played 1,931 games, turned 282 double plays, piled up 3,024 assists, and finished with a .973 fielding percentage. Four Gold Gloves — in 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2005 — tell you what the statistics already suggest: if a ball was hit toward third, you had better bring your running shoes and your prayers.

His journey through the league gave us memorable chapters everywhere he went. He broke through with the Staunton Cheap Seats, where he captured Rookie of the Year honors in 1998 and quickly announced himself as a star on the rise. He continued that climb with the Tempe Tempers and Fire Lake Dragons, then reached the full force of his powers with the Los Angeles Riots, before adding strong veteran chapters with the Sacramento Capitals and Long Beach Dirt Bags. He even gave us one final stop with the New York Outlaws in 2013, because apparently Scott believed in making sure his passport got stamped before Cooperstown.

And sprinkled throughout that long career were the sorts of moments Hall of Fame rooms are built on. A 17-game run streak in 1998. A four-double game in 2000. An 11-RBI explosion in 2003. In 1999, he hit .316 with a .976 OPS, 29 home runs, 112 RBI, and 50 doubles. In 2000, he followed with 30 home runs, 108 RBI, and a jaw-dropping .989 OPS. In 2001, he drove in 123 runs. In 2004, he hammered 56 doubles and knocked in 121. Those are not supporting-role seasons. Those are star turns.

Scott Rolen was selected to five All-Star teams, including a starting nod in 2004. He was respected by managers, noticed by opponents, and trusted by teammates. He was one of those players who made a team look smarter just by writing his name in the lineup.

The MWBL Hall of Fame exists to preserve the careers of those who left a real mark on this league. Scott Rolen did exactly that. He gave the MWBL production, defense, durability, and a standard of professionalism that lasted nearly two decades.

So tonight, with great pride and even greater respect, I ask everyone here to rise in appreciation for one of the finest third basemen this league has ever seen.

Scott Rolen, welcome to the MWBL Hall of Fame.

Scott Rolen Speech:

Thank you. Thank you very much.

I’ll tell you the truth — hearing my name followed by the words “MWBL Hall of Fame” is a little hard to process. Ballplayers spend most of their lives trying not to look surprised by anything, but this one will get you.

First, I want to thank Commissioner Stray Corrado, the Veterans Committee, and everyone in this league for this honor. To be voted into the Hall of Fame with 77.78 percent of the vote is humbling, and I’m deeply grateful.

When I look back on my MWBL career, I see a long road and a lot of uniforms. I broke in in 1997, and then came the Staunton Cheap Seats in 1998 and 1999, where I really felt like I found my footing. Winning Rookie of the Year in 1998 meant a lot to me, because it felt like the league was telling me I belonged. From there I went to the Tempe Tempers in 2000 and 2001, then the Fire Lake Dragons in 2002 and 2003, the Los Angeles Riots from 2004 through 2007, the Sacramento Capitals from 2008 through 2010, the Long Beach Dirt Bags from 2011 through 2013, and finally one last stop with the New York Outlaws in 2013.

That’s a lot of chapters, and I’m thankful for every one of them.

I’m proud of the numbers, of course. A .279 average, a .368 on-base percentage, a .492 slugging percentage, 1,986 hits, 526 doubles, 303 home runs, and 1,223 RBI — those are numbers I’ll always be honored to have next to my name. But more than that, I’m proud that they came across 17 seasons and 2,078 games. To me, that means I kept showing up. I kept competing. I kept finding a way to matter.

And I’m especially proud of the work at third base. Four Gold Gloves, 1,931 games in the field, 3,024 assists, 282 double plays, and a .973 fielding percentage — that part of my career means a lot to me. Hitting gets the headlines, and I understand that, but there is a special kind of satisfaction in making a hard play look ordinary. Or at least pretending you meant to make it look that easy.

There are certain seasons and moments I’ll never forget. In 1999, everything seemed to come together — a .316 average, 29 home runs, 112 RBI, 50 doubles, and a .976 OPS. In 2000, I somehow topped it with 30 home runs, 108 RBI, and a .989 OPS. In 2001, I drove in 123 runs. In 2004, I had 56 doubles and 121 RBI. There were other moments too — a 17-game run streak in 1998, a four-double game in 2000, and an 11-RBI game in 2003. Those are the days every player remembers, because for a few hours the game feels simple.

I also want to say how much the All-Star honors meant to me. Five selections, including a start in 2004, is something I’ll always treasure. Those recognitions came from being surrounded by good teams, good teammates, and people who trusted me.

No one gets here alone. I want to thank every teammate who shared a clubhouse with me, every manager who believed in me, every owner who gave me a chance, and every opponent who made me earn every hit and every out. I want to thank the people who keep this league going year after year, because a Hall of Fame only matters if the league itself matters — and the MWBL has always mattered.

Baseball has a way of keeping you honest. One night you’re the hero with 11 RBI, and the next night you’re walking back to the dugout wondering why you thought that slider two feet off the plate looked appetizing. That’s the game. That’s why we love it.

To be remembered for what I did in this league, over this many years, means more than I can really put into words. I’m grateful for every inning, every at-bat, every team, and every chance I had to compete.

Thank you for this honor. Thank you for this memory. And thank you for welcoming me into the MWBL Hall of Fame.