The Phillies did Scott Rolen dirty with his Wall of Fame plaque

Scott Rolen made a long overdue return to Philadelphia to be inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame. It was a lovely occasion, with Phillies fans cheering him on for the first time in decades. Sadly, it was marred by one of the worst plaques I’ve ever seen.

Crossing Broad’s Kyle Pagan posted a close-up of Scott Rolen’s plaque and, well, see for yourself:

HEYYYY YOUUUUUU GUYYYSSSSSSS! pic.twitter.com/emthdgTQkv

— Kyle From San Francisco (@kylepaganCB) September 23, 2023

There’s no beating around the bush on this one; that is downright awful.

I know there’s been some serious bad blood between Rolen and the Phillies for decades, and this ceremony was as much about extending the olive branch and repairing the relationship as it was about honoring a legendary player. While there’s no doubt the honor of the occasion remains, if I were him, I’d still feel a tinge of disappointment when the plaque was unveiled.

Like, thanks for having me and burying the hatchet, but do I really look like Sloth from The Goonies to you? Am I being punked?

And it’s not like Scott Rolen has a likeness that’s impossible to sculpt. His Hall of Fame plaque in Cooperstown is an immeasurably better work of art.

If the sculptor had just more or less copied this, there wouldn’t be any issues. Instead, we’re left with one of the legends of the game looking like Shane Gillis after 20+ Bud Lights.

It’s not ideal, to say the least.

But I do have a message for Scott Rolen: it could be worse, buddy. Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest soccer players of all time, had probably the worst bust ever made displayed in the airport in his hometown of Madeira.

Like I said, it could be much, much worse.

Listen to Grease the Poles!

Gear up in the TLL Shop

Mandatory Credit: Kyle Pagan, Crossing Broad