Rolen done for the year

I guess the question is whether we’ll notice an appreciable difference between the team with the Rolen we’ve seen this year, and how the team will perform in his absence.

In short, will it significantly impact the number games won or lost directly at the hands of his replacement? It’s pure speculation, I know, but more than a rhetorical question as Rolen’s performance has been spotty at best in ’07.

I’ve said it a hundred times…Rolen’s value is not just in his bat. He’s saved more games than I can remember by his defense alone. Plus, as a veteran, it’s situations like this year’s pennant race that guys like Rolen are underappreciated. They can hit .150 with no home runs in 50 games, but in that fifty-first game, with the game and season on the line, and Rolen comes up – I’ll take that match up any day. I like Brendan Ryan, but that kind of situation is too much to ask of him. It’s what guys like Rolen are hard-wired for from birth. He’s nails. His loss is really going to hurt.

Oh, I completely agree with you, mathdude. If Rolen isn’t at least 80%, he won’t have the ability to do what he needs to do defensively (they said it was even starting to affect his throwing arm) and he won’t have the ability to get around on a fastball in those clutch situations, even if we assume he won’t have the power. He won’t even be able to make contact.

I agree, best thing for us and Rolen is to shut him down…just wanted to make sure the others don’t forget Rolen’s value even when he’s not hitting well.

LaRussa lost the last couple of Cardinal games. Mulder, Maroth, Stinnet and Branyon all started instead of the guys who got them close.