Philadelphia Phillies: Five biggest surprises in 2017
Phillies baseball was made fun again thanks to the surprising efforts from these five players throughout the season
Phillies baseball was more disappointing than exciting in 2017, a year where many, including me, considered them a team that would play .500 baseball through the season.
While the .500 record is a distant thought, and perhaps a pipedream, several players proved their value towards the club in making them contenders beyond this year. Some we expected to contribute while others seemingly came out of nowhere.
Here are five players that surprised Phillies fans this season.
Pat Neshek
The addition of a 36-year-old submarine reliever for cash was seen as nothing more than a hail mary over the course of a quiet winter. The hail mary landed perfectly in the arms of general manager Patt Neshek, who flipped the All-Star for three prospects at the trade deadline.
Prior to being traded to Colorado, Neshek posted a 1.12 ERA in 40 games on his way to the midsummer classic in Miami. One of, if not the only, consistent arms in the Phillies bullpen this year, Neshek was a mentor to a young pitching staff and fan favorite thanks to his quirkiness and success.
Reeling in prospects J.D Hammer, Jose Gomez, and Alejandro Requena, Neshek did his job in Philadelphia. An afterthought turned into three prospects now working their way up through the organization.
Rhys Hoskins
Many had their doubts regarding Rhys Hoskins entering the 2017 season thinking of him merely as a power bat that came out of nowhere in a small ballpark. After fans revolted in protest for Hoskins’ call-up during the summer the outfielder/first baseman has put himself into the Rookie of the Year conversation.
Hitting home runs at a historically rapid pace, Hoskins revitalized Phillies baseball in a matter of weeks. A rebuild that seemed endless now stands to be on the right track.
The Big Rhys might just be the next face of the franchise, filling the role of a Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, or Ryan Howard on the next championship team.
Nick Williams
The first of the major prospects to receive a call-up in 2017 Nick Williams’ early success has been muted by Hoskins’ arrival. Hitting a strong .286 with 11 home runs Williams’ is flashing the five-tool talent Philadelphia saw when they acquired him.
It’s likely Williams is one of two starting corner outfielders of the future thanks to his raw tools, and his addition alone could deem the Cole Hamels trade a success. After strikeouts and personality concerns popped up last year the future of Williams’ in the majors was a major question.
He’s a likable guy who clearly gets along with teammates in the clubhouse, and his nicknames for Hoskins bode well with the fans.
Aaron Altherr
A young career plagued by injuries finally get an opportunity to flourish in 2017.
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Aaron Altherr was nothing more than an advanced Triple-A player in many minds, and his ceiling was a bat off the bench.
Despite missing time with a hamstring injury Altherr smashed 19 home runs while sustaining a .281 batting average. While his success didn’t necessarily come out of nowhere, Altherr’s health was the question that limited fan’s opinion of him.
If Altherr can be the second corner outfielder on a championship team along with Williams it’s a tremendous find for the Phillies.
Adam Morgan
Many wrote off the former top pitching prospect after shoulder surgery and failure as a starter riddled a young career. Adam Morgan has taken his failures in stride and developed into a potential premier left-handed reliever out of the bullpen, something every championship team needs.
Since August 1, Morgan has a .90 ERA with 27 strikeouts to only four walks with one extra-base hit allowed.
Next: Phillies can't abandon prospects for veterans
It’s an incredible turnaround for a forgotten prospect that is now working his way towards being a reliable piece in the bullpen. Whether he’s needed for one batter or an inning, the Phillies should be able to trust Morgan going into 2018 in a murky bullpen.