ROLEN TO GO INTO HALL AS A CARDINAL

Some of the best seasons of his career and his championship year all happened in St. Louis, so, fittingly, the honor of his lifetime will also be bronzed with an STL.

Scott Rolen, the latest Cardinal set to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, will wear the interlocking STL logo on his plaque, he and Cooperstown announced Friday. Rolen spent more games and time in Philadelphia, but after a trade to the Cardinals had his career season in 2004, four consecutive All-Star appearances, and the 2006 World Series title.

“After reflecting on my 17year career, and conferring with the Hall of Fame, I have decided on a Cardinals logo for my Hall of Fame plaque,” Rolen said in a release from the Hall. “I believe this decision accurately represents a pivotal portion of my career based on our teams’ successes in St. Louis. I am grateful to Philadelphia, St. Louis, Toronto and Cincinnati for the opportunities given to me as a player, but more importantly, for how they embraced me and my family. I am truly honored that my plaque will hang among the legends in Cooperstown.”

Rolen was elected Jan. 24 by eligible members’ of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, and he was the only player on the writers’ ballot to receive more than the 75 percent needed for induction.

He will join Fred McGriff in the Class of 2023 after McGriff ’s unanimous selection by one of the Hall’s era committees.

McGriff will not have a logo on his hat, the Hall announced.

The Cardinals acquired Rolen in 2002, almost five years after he won the NL’s Rookie of the Year award while with the Phillies. Rolen signed an extension with the Cardinals that riveted him into a lineup that included Albert Pujols and Jim Edmonds. As a trio they became the MV3 of 2004. That summer, on the way to the NL pennant, Rolen hit 34 home runs with 124 RBIs and a 1.007 OPS.

In that great St. Louis summer, he hit .314.

Rolen spent parts of six seasons with the Cardinals before a trade to Toronto at the end of the 2007 season. He played seven seasons with the Phillies, and he had two All-Star appearances later as his career ended with Cincinnati. Rolen had seven All-Star selections, four as a Cardinal, and of his eight Rawlings Gold Glove awards, he won four with the Cardinals.

Rolen will be the 11th player or manager to have the interlocking STL on his plaque, following Ted Simmons, who wears a Cardinals cap on his plaque.

Rolen will be inducted July 23.

Notable

Reliever Jose Alvarado and the Phillies agreed to a $22 million, three-year contract, superseding a $3.45 million, one-year deal reached a week earlier that avoided salary arbitration. Alvarado gets a $50,000 signing bonus and a $3.45 million salary this year, then receives $9 million in each of the following two seasons.

• Veteran switch-hitting outfielder Robbie Grossman signed a one-year contract with the Rangers. Grossman’s deal could be worth as much as $5 million. It came Friday, three days before the full reporting date for a team still looking for options in left field.

• The Pirates beat first baseman Ji-Man Choi in salary arbitration while Seattle outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and St. Louis pitcher Genesis Cabrera went to the last two hearings of the year. Choi got $4.65 million instead of $5.4 million. Teams lead 8-5 with six decisions to be issued today.

• Diamondbacks utilityman Josh Rojas said he had no hard feelings toward team management after attending and losing an arbitration hearing this week. Rojas will get $2,575,000 instead of his $2.9 million asking price. Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen said he and Rojas spoke Friday to clear the air.

• Atlanta right-hander

Michael Soroka’s comeback from two Achilles surgeries is being slowed by tightness in his left hamstring. Manager

Brian Snitker told reporters Soroka is being held back from throwing as a precaution after reporting to camp with the hamstring issue.

• Yankees left-hander

Nestor Cortes had a 24-pitch bullpen session after 10 days of not throwing due to a strained right hamstring. Cortes remains optimistic about being ready for opening day on March 30.